Plantations and parkland walk
This 1.5-mile ramble takes you through one of the tree plantations at Penrose and then rejoins the parkland. Find out about the history of Penrose and enjoy spotting some of the local wildlife en route.
Total steps: 6
Total steps: 6
Start point
Penrose Hill car park, Helston. TR13 0RD
Step 1
Start in the Penrose Hill National Trust car park. Take the path at the lower end, crossing over the drive and following the footpath through the trees. At the next track, turn right, and follow the fenced driveway as it curves round to the left, ignoring the private road to Penrose House.
Step 2
Continue down the drive until you reach a metal kissing-gate on the left. Go through his and down to the Victorian bathhouse above the stream. In the Middle Ages, the Penrose manor mill stood on this spot, surrounded by orchards, willows and a hop garden.
Step 3
Cross the footbridge and climb the meadow towards the small gate into the woods. During the late 18th century these upper slopes were a small enclosed deer park, with 51 deer brought from Pencarrow. Enter the woods and follow the path up through the trees and round to the right.
Step 4
Continue along the woodland path through Park Plantation, with views through the trees down to the parkland. In spring this part of the woodland comes alive with the colour of spring flowers, particularly bluebells. This part of the wood has been planted in the last 25 to 30 years. Eventually the path descends through Sycamore Grove to emerge onto the drive, just west of Helston Lodge.
Step 5
Turn right and follow the driveway back into the parkland, with views across to Penrose House. The house is still home to the Rogers family, who gave the estate to the National Trust in 1974, the largest single gift to the Trust in Cornwall.
Step 6
At the junction, if you want to make a short detour to the Stables café (open at weekends and through all school holidays) and the walled garden, turn left. Otherwise, keep straight on, soon crossing over the bridge, built in 1846 as part of the landscaping of the park. Continue past the kissing gate that you went through earlier and retrace your steps up the slope and all the way back to the car park.
End point
Penrose Hill car park, Helston. TR13 0RD
Trail map
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