Walks And Walking in Cornwall – Bodmin Moor Walking Route

Walks And Walking in Cornwall – Bodmin Moor Walking Route

Cornwall is fantastic for all types of walks and walking mainly due to its dramatic coastline and crystal clear waters below the rugged cliffs and beautiful sandy beaches and pirate coves. Bodmin Moor offers walking routes with something a little different and is steeped in history although the granite moorland needs a good pair of walking boots and some decent outdoor clothing.

Parking at the large car park at the Minions we packed our rucksacks and headed straight north to walk past the heritage centre on our left to find the obvious pathway across the granite moorland towards our main goal; the Cheesewring.

The Cheesewring Bodmin Moor

We found it quite fun and a little more exerting by climbing up and over each of the Tors but you can easily walk around them if you find it easier on the ankles and knee joints!

So, as we continued our walk along the main pathway we saw South Phoenix Farm below us and on our right hand side where the pathway now started to bend round to the left and through the disused quarry and the main approach to the Cheesewring.

Up we climbed to the breathtaking 360 views of the moor where we stopped for photos before heading over the other side and the rocky climb down the other side through Stowe’s Hill.

We then headed to Sharptor where we turned left on to a pathway that took us around by Wardbrook Farm and the settlement and field system. Following these fields round to the right we found the approach to Sharp Tor and Langstone Downs. Up and over Sharp’s Tor we then walked through the various field systems, rocks, quarries and onwards to our next climb; Bearah Tor.

We then saw our next target; Kilmar Tor which was straight on upwards to our left and after a fairly decent climb we entered Twelve Men’s Moor on the other side to see our next and penultimate tor climb of the day; Hawk’s Tor at Hawkstor Downs.

We then headed west to our final big climb of the day at the Trewortha Tor and on to King Arthurs Bed before negotiating our adventure in to the Smallcoombe Downs and plantations. I’m not entirely sure if you are supposed to enter this ancient woodlands but I couldn’t resist it so we crossed the stream at its lowest point and jumped across to find a clearing which was marked on the map as a Settlement and field system.

Walking upwards we found a wide pathway and walked to try and find a cut in on our right to some hut circles and enclosure but we must have missed it because after a short while we could see the edge of the forest through the dense trees.

After a while we started to think that we wouldn’t be able to get out of the plantation as the road seemed to start to bend round to the right and away from where we needed to go. We then found our exit on the left hand side and out into Siblyback Moor and the Newel Tor and on to farmland.

Careful not to stray too far off the beaten track we then turned left passed the hut circles and standing stone to cross Withey Brook and followed it in a south easterly direction down through Witheybrook Marsh. We then passed some farmland on our left to find the main track heading south until we found The Hurlers stone circles and then back to the car park after a very arduous but highly enjoyable 13 miles and 4 hours later.

For more photos from Bodmin Moor click this link: Bodmin Moor Photos