Camelford to Watergate

1. Start in the car park found off Market Place.

Camelford is the local market town which gained its status as a town in 1259 after being granted its first Charter by King Henry III. In the centre of Camelford, what is now the library was once the Town Hall and the cobbled area it stands in what used to be the market square. Camelford Town hall was erected in 1806 over the Market House where in the early 1800s a wife could be bought for 2-3 shillings!

2. Come out of the car park and turn right onto Market Place towards the main village. Cross the road at the traffic lights so you are on the same side of the road as the Post Office (situated in the Spar shop)
3. Just past the traffic lights past Lloyds Bank turn left next to the Needle and Thread shop
4. Follow the footpath to the river and round to the right.

The River Camel runs for 30 miles from Bodmin Moor to Padstow Bay. The name Cam-El is from the Cornish meaning "crooked one". The River Camel is classed as a SSSI and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EC Habitats Directive. Bullhead, Atlantic Salmon and Otters breed in the river. There is a salmon hatchery where salmon caught by local fishermen are bred from and the resulting eggs hatched and grown for a year in a protected environment before being released to boost the wild salmon population in the River Camel and Fowey.

5. Hug the river for approximately 1km until the river goes under the road at Fenteroon Bridge
6. Cross onto the lane and turn right following the lane uphill for 20 metres round the bend.

In spring wild garlic can be harvested. Unlike domestic garlic, the leaves are the useful bit rather than the bulb, so cut/pull off the leaves (don't pull up the plants). The leaves are quite delicate so you can use quite large quantities in cooking, so you'll want to harvest it in the kind of quantities you'd buy salad leaves in from the supermarket. There are some lillies that look fairly similar (and some are poisonous) but the smell is the giveaway: if it doesn't smell of garlic/onions then it's not wild garlic.

7. As you come out of the trees a footpath is indicated to your left opposite Fenteroon Farm, take this.
8. In the second field, follow the path to a stile into the woods.

Some estimates suggest the UK has up to half of the world's total bluebell population; nowhere else in the world do they grow in such abundance. The poor bluebell faces a number of threats:

• There has been large-scale unsustainable removal of bulbs for sale, though it is a now criminal offence to remove the bulbs of wild bluebells.
• There is extensive hybridisation with Spanish bluebells from gardens producing fertile seeds. This has produced hybrid swarms around sites of introductions and, since the hybrids are able to thrive in a wider range of environmental conditions, the hybrids are frequently out-competing the native English bluebells. Sir Francis Drake would not be impressed!
• Bluebells will also struggle in the face of climate change. During periods of cold weather, spring flowers such as bluebells have already started the process of growth by preparing leaves and flowers in underground bulbs in summer and autumn. They are then able to grow in the cold of winter or early spring by using these resources stored in their bulb. Other species (such as cow parsley or dandelions) require warm weather before they are able to germinate and grow. With the warmer springs induced by climate change, bluebells will lose their 'early start' advantage, and be outcompeted.
9. Follow the path through the woods keeping right until the path drops off a wall onto a track next to a large tree and opposite a granite gate post
10. Follow the path left into the meadow. In the meadow follow the path to the footbridge crossing the river.
11. Once over the river, follow the path to the right for a short distannce and then head up the steep hill following the left hedge to a waymark.
12. In the field follow the right hedge to the stile. Cross the stile onto a lane, and turn right towards Trethin.
13. Just past the Trethin junction is a footpath leading off to the left over a stile. Take this and cross to the opposite corner of the field passing the ponds on your right.
14. Enter the next field and keep the hedge to your left. Head up the field to the church.
Advent Church (St Adwena) is notable for its high, 8-pinnacled tower which houses a ring of four bells. The church building you see today at Advent is mostly mediaeval with some Norman remnants - the greater part of the building dates from the 15th century. The interior was rebuilt when a snowstorm brought the roof down in Victorian times. The circular shape of the graveyard at Advent church suggests it dates back to Celtic times.
15. At the church keep the hedge to your left until you are behind the church and cross into the field - head to the left of the two buildings on the opposite side of the field.
16. Cross the stile on the left of the buildings and enter the field behind the buildings. Cross the stile on the far side and follow the right hedge of the next field. Roughly three quarters of the way along the hedge is a stile. Cross this in the neighbouring field. Cross the field diagonally to the left to a stile on the left of the gate.
17. Cross the stile onto a lane and turn left towards Watergate; there are excellent views over Roughtor to the right.

Roughtor and the slightly higher Brown Willy sit side by side just south of Davidstow Moor. Roughtor can be reached by the road from Camelford and there is a small car park from which you can walk up the slopes to the summit.

The summit of Roughtor is encircled by a series of rough Neolithic stone walls which link natural outcrops to form a tor enclosure. Also on the summit are the foundations of a mediaeval chapel built into the side of one of the larger cairns.

18. Continue on the lane for approx 1km.

Where the lane dips downhill to a farm, if you look over the left hedge you should be able to see a number of hut circles. Just past the farm looks to be the remains of a medieval field system consisting of strips surrounded by stony ridges.

19. As you enter Watergate, pass the white cottage on your left and at the end of their garden turn left onto a grass path along the river. Follow the river and then skirt round the right-hand hedge between the gorse bushes to a stile in the bottom right corner of the field.
20. Cross the stile and head uphill diagonally to another stile. Cross the stile and head for the cairns and then the farm buildings

As you go down over the hill towards the farm, look out on your right for some cairns, and in the next field to your left is an 8ft tall megalith aptly named Long Stone. It's possible that the two are related and served in some kind of calendric function.

21. Exit the field through a kissing gate next to the farm gate onto a lane. Go through the gate opposite into Moorgate Farm (or over the stile marked with the footpath sign if the gate is shut).

Moorgate farm sells free-range eggs and fresh vegetables which they will pick whilst you wait.

22. Exit the farm over a stile to the left of the barn. Head towards the opposite corner of the field to a stile.
23. Follow the footpath across the next field to a stile and cross this

If you are crossing fields with cows in:

• Do not show any threatening behaviour towards calves (approaching them closely, making loud noises or walking between a calf and its mother) as you may provoke the mother to defend her young. Generally the best plan is to walk along the hedges.
• If cows approach you, do not run away as this will encourage them to chase you. Stand your ground and stretch out your arms to increase your size.
• Avoid taking dogs in fields with cows, particularly with calves. If you must, release the dog if cows charge as the dog will outrun the cows and the cows will generally chase the dog rather than you.
24. Keep to the left hand hedge of the next field heading for the gate. Climb the gate onto a dirt track, follow this until you reach a farm.
25. Go through the gate at the farm and along the track past the farm until it joins the road, turning left. After 10 metres you will see the footpath sign on your right.
26. Keep the hedge on your right and head for the gate marked "keep shut". Go through this. Head for the bottom left corner of the field.
27. Go through the gap into the adjoining field and then follow the path downhill slightly to the bottom right corner of the field and cross the stile.
28. Follow the track across the footbridge and path left downriver
29. Cross the stile onto a path which opens out into a track
30. At the end the track turn left onto the lane (Roughtor Road) and follow this to the village where the road narrows on both sides.
31. Continue on Roughtor Road until the blue sign says No Entry 200 yards ahead (the left fork). Walk down this lane to the main road A39.
32. When you reach the main road turn left and follow it down hill. The car park will be on your right.

As you'd naturally expect from a market town, Camelford has some old pubs:

• The Darlington is an 800 year old coaching Inn in the market square
• The Mason's Arms is an 18th century building opposite the library

Map of Route

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Other walks nearby

• Walks in the bodmin moor area
• Walks in the camelford area

Related walks you might be interested in

• Walks visiting a church
• Circular walks
• Heritage walks
• Moorland walks
• Pub walks
• Riverside walks
• Wildlife walks