Cornwall

Lanhydrock Respryn Ramble

This circular walk from Respryn car park, near Bodmin, crosses a historic bridge, taking in the wildlife along the River Fowey and on through semi-natural ancient woodland. Look out for otters, kingfishers and lichen-covered ancient trees – plus traces of Cornwall's tin mining past.

Road

This walk begins with a short, narrow road section over Respryn Bridge. Please look out for bicycles and cars when joining the road.

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Total steps: 8

Start point

Respryn National Trust car park, grid ref: SX099636

Step 1

Take the track and footbridge next to the car park entrance, then turn left over Respryn Bridge. Turn right and follow the footpath alongside the river.

Bridge and railway

The river crossing here has long been important. 'Res' in Cornish means ford. The first bridge was mentioned in 1300 and the current bridge dates from the 15th century, with later additions. The main railway line that runs alongside this walk links London to Penzance and was constructed by the Cornwall Railway in 1859. For a short while, until the station now called Bodmin Parkway was opened, passengers for Bodmin had to use a small halt here at Respryn.

A pale stone bridge with one arch visible, over a wide, slow-running river, surrounded by green trees — Respryn Bridge over the River Fowey on the Lanhydrock Estate | © National Trust/Sue Brackenbury

Step 2

Continue down the river and admire the magnificent veteran and ancient oak trees. Look out for dippers, wagtails and the more elusive kingfishers and otters enjoying the River Fowey. At dusk you can see Daubenton's bats hawking over the water, catching insects.

Ancient oaks

You'll see impressive oak trees on this walk, some of which are more than 400 years old. As you leave the small woodland, sandwiched between the River Fowey and railway line, there's a great example on your right, but the best are within the meadow. Look closely. You'll see the oaks are covered in many species of lichen. All the clean, fresh air from the Atlantic in western Cornwall helps lichens to thrive as they are extremely sensitive to air pollution.

Step 3

Cross the wooden Kathleen Bridge, which was rebuilt in 1992 by the Royal Engineers. Its predecessor was swept away by floods.

Tin streaming banks and ditches

The remains of tin streaming here date from the late 1600s. Tin streams are formed by the erosion and accumulation of tin-rich rocks in the bottom of river valleys. After their formation, layers of sand, gravel and peat settled on top. Tinners removed the formations by hand, making the banks and ditches you can see today. To extract the tin, they diverted a stream of water so that lighter sands and silts were washed away, leaving heavier gravels containing tin-rich rocks.

Step 4

You're now in Higginsmoor Wood, a semi-natural ancient woodland. The area was previously used for tin streaming, one of the earliest forms of tin mining. You can still see where the water was channelled to allow workers to extract the tin. Turn right up the hill.

An old deer wall covered in moss and ferns, surrounded by trees in leaf — The old deer wall in the woodland at Lanhydrock | © National Trust/Laura Fox

Step 5

Walking up the hill, you'll see hornbeams either side of the path. These look very similar to beech trees but have a sinewy appearance to their trunks, and their leaves are smaller and more serrated.

Step 6

Go through the first red gate and turn right along Newton Lane.

Step 7

At the end of Newton Lane you'll find yourself at the bottom of the Beech Avenue, which leads to Lanhydrock House situated within the historic parkland. Turn right down the hill.

A stone lodge with windows, next to two burgundy-painted gates, leading to a beech avenue — Newton Lodge at the end of the Beech Avenue at Lanhydrock | © National Trust Images/Rupert Truman

Step 8

As you near the end of the road you will see horse chestnut trees on your left, a family favourite for conkers in September and October. Cross the road, through the red gates onto Station Drive. Walk past Station Lodge and take the track to the right. Go over the wooden footbridge back into Respryn car park.

A broad driveway runs between tall trees in leaf — Station Drive on the Lanhydrock Estate | © National Trust/Laura Fox

End point

Respryn National Trust car park, grid ref: SX099636

Trail map

Ordnance Survey map of the Lanhydrock Respryn Ramble — Map of the Lanhydrock Respryn Ramble | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

A view across parkland to the stone house and church at Lanhydrock, surrounded by autumnal trees

Trail

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Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 4AB

01208265950

lanhydrock@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Road

Total steps: 8

Total steps: 8

Start point

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End point

Trail map