Churchtown to Tresinney

1. Start from St Breward Church and take the footpath out of the east side of the churchyard heading along a track through a field
St Breward church claims to be the highest in the county and has a tall tower easily seen for miles around. It dates from the middle ages (1278).
2. Got through the gateway and through the gateway in the opposite field
3. In the next field head straight across to the right of a clump of trees and through the left of the 2 gateways
4. Follow the hedge on your right and then head for the far corner
5. Cross into a large field and follow the left head to a stile
6. Follow the path straight across the field to where it comes out onto a lane
7. Cross the lane and take the footpath opposite which cuts across 2 fields and comes out onto another lane
8. Turn right on the lane and follow it along the edge of some woods until you reach a fork
9. Turn left at the fork and follow the lane to a bend where a footpath comes off on the right
10. Take the footpath along the right-hand hedge of a long thin field which eventually comes out onto the farm track at Newton Farm
11. Turn left onto the track heading north west until it meets a lane
12. Cross the lane and take the footpath into the field opposite heading between the trees for a bridge
13. Cross the bridge and climb up the path onto the edge of the Hannon valley
14. Turn right onto a muddy track which leads into a field. Take the lower path through this field.
15. In the second field head towards the top right, to a gateway. As you go through this gateway, you can see views of Devil's Jump crag on your left.
16. Into the third field aim for the top right exit. In the fourth field follow the pathway to the next gateway.
17. In the fifth and last field walk towards the top right gate. This will bring you out at Tor Farm.
18. The path emerges on the farm track. Follow the track around to the left, through the cottages, way marked past the stables and Tor Barn. The path starts again to the right of the gate.
19. Follow the right hedge of the small field and cross over the stile through the ferns into the next field which is much larger
20. Head for the gateway in the bottom left corner (ignoring the two gates in front of you) which opens into a smaller field with scrub along the right side
21. Head for the gateway on the left. From here a path runs north between 2 hedges. Take this path and go through the gate when you reach it. Be careful of the brambles and nettles along this section.
22. The path comes out onto a farm track, follow this track which will take you onto a lane at Trewint.
23. Turn left on the lane following it a short distance to a sharp bend where the footpath comes off to the right (heading north) use the right hand gate.
24. Follow this path through 4 small fields clinging to the left hedge.
25. In the fifth field go almost immediately right though the gateway and then left to cross into the field above.
26. Cross this stile in a northerly direction into a much larger field above passing Tresinney Cross.

Tresinney Cross is a round-headed wayside cross over 8ft high that has stood on the church track for perhaps 900 years from Norman times.

In the medieval period, stone crosses were sometimes placed by the road or path. There have been various reasons for erecting these: markers placed along routes used by Christian pilgrims, or as a shrine in reverence, perhaps to a saint who has some connection to the locality. Others mark burial sites, a disaster, a miracle, or some other event that should be remembered. In some cases they were erected to mark meeting places for Christian worship and later churches were built adjacent to the cross, resulting in the cross being within the churchyard or close by.

In Cornwall many of the wayside crosses are Celtic crosses. Scholars speculate that the Celtic Cross (a crucifix with a circular ring) developed from the sun cross (a cross inside a circle), a common symbol in artefacts of Prehistoric Europe, particularly during the Neolithic to Bronze Age periods. When Christianity came to the celtic regions, Christians extended the bottom spoke of this familiar symbol to remind them of the cross on which their new Savior was crucified. There are said to be 360 Wayside Crosses in Cornwall.

27. Head to the right of the house where the footpath crosses a stile onto a lane. (to the right of the church tower in the distance).
28. Cross over the lane and take the footpath on the other side heading for 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.
29. After exploring the church make your way back out along the track to Tresinney. Turn right on the lane and follow it round to the left ignoring any junctions on the right.
30. After a quarter of a mile at a kink in the road, take the footpath to the left
31. Cross the field in the direction you were going on the lane, aiming for a stile about one third of the way along the field from the right
32. Cross the stile into a field and follow the left hedge to a gateway at the bottom. Go through the gate that is facing you if you are facing in the direction you crossed the field.
33. Hug the left-hand hedge of the next field which will bring you out onto the lane.
34. Take the track opposite heading south and crossing the ford using the stone footbridge and through the gate.
35. Follow the track through the woodland and up a gentle slope, passing between two cottages. Continue up a slightly steeper slope where you will find a barn on your right. Bear left at this point, through a gate into a field which contains the remains of the Carwether medieval hamlet. Follow the way marked path to the right on entering the field.

The remains of the medieval hamlet at Carwether covers about one hectare and consists of three longhouses, several ancillary buildings and some paddocks or garden plots. The buildings are arranged randomly along the valley side. Traces of ridge and furrow cultivation can be seen in the foreground and the settlement is surrounded by an extensive strip field system.

36. Once you've had a look around, follow the footpath along the right-hand hedge (facing south in the direction you came into the field)
37. Cross into the field below which contains remnants of a medieval field system in the left corner and go directly across crossing a track on the far side
Looking across the barren granite landscape of Bodmin Moor it may seem strange that so many settlements can be found here from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. About 10,000 years ago Bodmin Moor was almost entirely covered in forest, and the Neolithic tribes would have lived in forest clearings. During the Bronze Age, the majority forest was cleared for farmland. The burning and grazing over several thousand years has resulted in poor soils which together with the exposure to the wind is why the few trees on the moor today are generally stunted.
38. Continue south into the field below heading for the farm in the bottom left corner
39. Follow the track then before it bends go through the gateway on the right
40. Follow the left hedge of this field until you reach some woods, then follow the path into the woods which bends around to the right and comes out on a lane
41. On the lane turn left then almost immediately right onto a lane that joins the one you just came out onto
42. After a short distance take the track that leads off to the right
43. Take the footpath that leads from the left of the track just before the house
44. Follow the path along the edge of some trees until you reach a junction where several paths all meet
45. Turn left heading along the path heading south east across a few small fields onto the lane
46. Turn right on the lane towards the church and pub
The Old Inn in St Breward dates back to the 11th Century when it provided shelter for the monks who built the neighbouring church and is Cornwall's highest Inn. The pub serves home-made food made with fresh local produce and beer brewed locally including Sharp's brewery at Rock and Penpont brewery at Altarnun. There is an open fire in winter in the 11th Century granite fireplace.

Map of Route

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Other walks nearby

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

Related walks you might be interested in

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