Minions - Caradon Hill - Cheesewring - Hurlers

Dave Pawley

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Bodmin Moor is the largest expanse of moor in Cornwall and has a wide range of walking routes around it. Minions is a popular village to start a walk from, since it is easy to reach it from the A30 or the A38 and it is only thirty minutes' drive from the Tamar Bridge on the edge of Plymouth, which links Devon and Cornwall.

The walk is a complete perambulation of Caradon Hill which, incidentally, is the location of the main TV transmitter for Cornwall and West Devon. The walk leads you out of Minions and straight into the mining heritage of the area. At its height the South Caradon Copper Mine was the largest copper mine in Western Europe and the evidence of mining is everywhere in the area. It is a fascinating area and this walk gives you ample opportunity to walk close to some of the pits and shafts. It is instructive to consider that the depth of some of the shafts are as deep as the transmitter mast above is high.

Leaving the main copper mining area, you are led around Caradon Hill and up to two very well-known attractions. You walk up to The Cheesewring, a huge lump of granite which has weathered over millions of years to give the appearance of a set of cheeses, one balanced on top of the other.

Finally, after the descent from the heights of the Cheesewring and the Bronze Age hill-fort, you return to Minions via the Hurlers, a group of three Bronze Age stone circles together with standing stones nearby. Excellent detail relating to how the Hurlers got their name is given on an information plaque at the car park, where the walk starts.

There is a good pub, called "The Cheesewring" and a tea room and toilets in the village - and of course a village shop.

England - South West England - Cornwall - Bodmin Moor

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Museum, Pub, Toilets

10/10/2011 - Geoff Symons

A fantastic walk with some great scenery. The guide is very easy to follow and the track is very well marked. At waypoint 15 to 16 there are 3 stiles which you will need to lift your dog over. At this time of the year several parts of the track were very wet and muddy.

9/23/2009 - Walkingworld Administrator

Walked by Roy Davenport and found to be all OK. September 2009. Thanks for this Roy. Adrian (Admin)