So many things characterise Cornwall. There’s the beautiful countryside and coastline, ancient heritage, leisure, wildlife and pioneering industry. This walk, south-east of Bodmin Moor, ticks all of those boxes.
It starts at Siblyback Lake, which was built in 1968 and blocks a small tributary of the River Fowey to hold three billion gallons at full capacity. Much of this goes to Restormel treatment works to be used as drinking water for thousands of homes in south Cornwall. The lake is popular with families, who enjoy the three-mile trail around its perimeter – ideal for walking but also for pushchairs and bikes – while leisure-seekers flock here in season to enjoy activities including paddleboarding and kayaking. There are toilets and refreshments here at the fabulous independent café Olive & Co.
An undisputed highlight of this walk is Golitha Falls, a National Nature Reserve that is not only beautiful but also fascinating in history and rich in wildlife. The word ‘golitha’ is Cornish for obstacle, and the River Fowey was once hampered here by one big boulder which was blown up in the 19th century to enable salmon to swim upriver for spawning (they do so to this day).
It’s now a spectacular wooded gorge with a series of rapids. It’s hard to believe this lush valley was once a key part of Cornwall’s industrial history, with a china clay pipe running through it. That’s long gone, but evidence of a water wheel remains at the key viewing point.
Finally, keep your eyes peeled for an enclosure containing two ancient carved stones – fragments of ninth-century Celtic stone crosses that would once have been impressive monuments. One, King Doniert’s Stone, is the decorated pedestal for a large memorial cross and bears the inscription ‘Doniert begs prayers for the sake of his soul’. It’s thought this might refer to Dumgarth, the last monarch of Cornwall, who drowned in the nearby River Fowey circa 875AD. This site is one of several in the St Cleer area managed by the Cornwall Heritage Trust.
As walks go, this one is predominantly on the road – and while these are single-track country lanes, one shouldn’t underestimate their importance in connecting moorland villages like Minions and St Cleer.
As such, it isn’t ideal for small children (stick to Siblyback, with its circular lakeside trail and playpark), and if you are walking with dogs they should be kept on leads. But it’s well worth the tarmac for the richness of the features along the way.
THE WALK
1. Exit the car park by the road you came in on, using the designated footpath. Upon reaching a signpost for the dam on your right, follow this footpath to skirt the lake.
2. When you reach the dam, go through a kissing gate and follow a tarmac lane downwards, leaving the dam behind you. Bear left, pass over a cattle grid and through a big metal gate to reach a lane.
3. Turn left and walk along this lane until the road goes down and past some cottages. Turn right to cross a bridge over the River Fowey (signed Golitha Falls). There are toilets here, and Inkies Smokehouse for refreshments.
4. Turn left into the National Nature Reserve and follow the riverside path to Golitha Falls viewpoint (clearly signed). Enjoy the view, then retrace your steps back over the bridge and turn right along the lane, then left at a junction.
5. Continue along this road. Stop to admire King Doniert’s Stone on your right.
6. At a staggered junction, turn left up a no-through road (the access road to Siblyback Lake).
7. Shortly after Trekieve Farm, turn left up a public footpath. Upon reaching a field, turn left and through a metal gate (can be boggy) into a green lane. The lake comes into view. Cross moorland to reach the tarmac lane by the dam that you walked earlier.
8. Pass through metal farm gate and kissing gate to return to the dam. Turn right to retrace your steps to the car park, or if you fancy extending your walk, turn left to cross the dam and complete the lake circuit. .
COMPASS POINTS
START: Siblyback Lake (parking charge applies)
DISTANCE: 3.5 miles (can be extended to 6 by completing the lake circuit)
TIME: 2.5 hours (allow extra time to explore)
DIFFICULTY: Easy, but beware of traffic on moorland roads
MAP: OS Landranger 201 Plymouth & Launceston
FACILITIES: Toilets and refreshments at Siblyback Lake and Golitha Falls
