Photograph Gallery Stage 73 Five Lanes to St Breward
Photograph Gallery Stage 73 Five Lanes to St Breward, Friday 5th August 2011
The Story:
A short stage today but a most enjoyable one with nearly the entire distance being spent on Bodmin Moor. Strolling Steve had been a little concerned about the route I chose, especially the straight lines to and from Brown Willy, the highest point on the moor. I made them because there are no permissive paths thereabouts, odd for such a reputable moor, but he need not of worried. The moor is a wonderful place for roaming, wild ponies wander freely on the gentle down, short grass dominates the scene with rocky outcrops on the tors. There was little gorse or scrub to be seen, all easily avoidable and as I experienced on Dartmoor the boggy sections held no malice at all. The weather was good on the moor too, dry with cloud cover but glints of sun too. It was perfect.
We set off from Five Lanes just before 9.00am and were on the lower slopes of the moor by 9.30am after a short road and track walk to Westmoorgate. Here a track we intended to follow for a while headed west but the short grass was much easier to walk on so we walked parallel to it before keeping west as the track turned south west. Our first hill target was Leskernick which is shaped like a perfectly round inverted bowl, fully grassed and with rocks dispersed like hundred and thousands on the top of a bun. We enjoyed negotiating our way through the easy maze. From Leskernick we set our sights on crossing High Moor to Brown Willy, first obstacle being a stream running southwards off the moor which is the source of the River Fowey. Hurdling the Fowey was easy, a few more miles south we would have to swim it! After our wee river crossing tracking the moor to Brown Willy was easy with only the final three hundred metres of ascent being hard work as the final gradient to the rocky ridge top steepened. Both Strolling Steve and I huffed and puffed to the trig point at the summit. The work was well worth it though as we could clearly see the north Cornwall coastline in the not too far distance and looking round parts of the Cornish south coast too. Indeed, practically all of Cornwall was visible below us. Parts of Devon too, Dartmoor where I was two days ago could be seen.
Brown Willy was my last significant hill of my epic journey, no point will be higher before I finish and the tor did not disappoint. From the mountain bealach crossings of north west Scotland, the passes of Glencoe, the Scottish Southern Uplands, Back O’Skiddaw, Greenup Edge, Whernside, the high points of the Pennine Way, Mam Tor, the Cotswold Hills, the West Mendips and the tors of north Dartmoor to Brown Willy; many high points, many superb views, many unforgettable memories. Thank you the high places of my journey through Great Britain.
We took our fill of the views before descending on a path to the south edge of Rough Tor before continuing south west off the moor by way of more perfect grass walking and an excellent track. On our way down we visited a stone circle and passed a very old cross. Then we were off the moor and soon after following a road for little over a mile we were outside our accommodation at Churchtown, St Breward. It was 1.00pm. We had only been walking four hours and yet Bodmin Hill fulfilled so much, more than enough on many a full day. Remarkable.
Strolling Steves Daily Statistics:
Scenery: 9/10 – High moorland and distant views.
History: 7/10 – Ancient stone circles and historic settlements.
Interest: 9/10 – High peak walks are always interesting.
Track: 9/10 – An almost complete absence of marked tracks but navigation and walking was easy.
Comment: A great walk in dry weather but should be avoided when wet or in low visibility.
The Photographs:
Following the road from Five Lanes to Westmoorgate
Crow mobbing a Buzzard at Trewint Downs (two other crows having just broken off the chase)
Straight on to Bodmin Moor, our next objective
Sheep on Bodmin Moor
Strolling Steve enjoys a leisurely walk on Bodmin Moor
Looking over to Brown Willy from Leskernick Hill with Source of River Fowey between
We were not the only ones enjoying the view on Bodmin Moor
Walking to Fowey Well
Scrub and wall at Fowey Well
Approaching the ascent of Brown Willy from Fowey Well
Looking south from the south cairn on Brown Willy
Looking north from the saddle of Brown Willy
The rocky top of Brown Willy
Pointing enthusiatically to the coast from the sumit of Brown Willy
The view west from Brown Willy to Rough Tor and Tintagel
The direction of the prevailing wind is obvious on Bodmin Moor
The Beast of Bodmin Moor
Rough Tor
The wide expanse of Louden Hill
Stone Circle on Louden Hill
The mutual grooming society
Keeping an eye on us as we walk past
A young addition to the Bodmin Moor herd
Middle Moor Cross with Rough Tor in the distance
Strolling Steve takes a rest after crossing Bodmin Moor
Hercules flying over Bodmin Moor
Woodland north of Churchtown
Memorial stone between Pendavy and Churchtown
War Memorial at Churchtown
Run down but the signs are there in St Breward