Redruth to Lostwithiel

June 2024

After the adventures in France, am eager to explore more walks in Cornwall. My friend Deborah is always game. Although a few years older, she can out-walk me and keeps the pace lively. We met at Bodmin Parkway. Arriving a couple of minutes before her, I had time to get a flat white in the tiny station café up some steps in the old signal box where all the merchandise is train themed. Worth visiting the station just for the café! We then took the train back to Lostwithiel - three whole minutes!

Lostwithiel is a lively, ancient town with many places to lure the eye but we weren't for lingering that day. Except for a quick drop into the Community Centre, just as they were providing drinks to a large conference of people. Deborah bought a guide book of walks around Lostwithiel; this was a good move as last time I had instinctively led us on the walk from Bodmin Parkway to Lostwithiel and we had got quite lost. So what chances did we have going the other way? Neither of us are adept at google maps or walking apps.

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day as we strode out following the course of the River Fowey. Foxglove and campion in an abundance of shining pinks. The paths are clear, the walking flat, the narrative precise but we still needed to stop and ask the passing dog walker and runner. And we did end up in the Duke of Cornwall's garden ... briefly.

Deborah is good company and is full of stories. Her roots in Cornwall stretch back over centuries, in particular in this area. She talked of fishing with her father in the River Fowey and having tea as a child with the sisters who owned Lanhydrock before it was given to the National Trust.

Our destination was to have lunch in Lanhydrock which was busy and bustling with visitors and pre-school groups. Very tasty pea soup. The route to the station is down the very grand avenue which was created especially so visitors could be brought by carriage to the big house.

The only strange thing is that someone has placed dolls in Victorian dress in the windows of the gatehouse. They are really creepy! Has someone been reading too many horror stories?

Such an enjoyable walk. Train arrived as we got to the station and whizzed me back to Redruth.

The next post will be guest writing by Bert Biscoe.