Gwinear & District Footpaths & Bridleways
Association
Thursday 18th May 2015. Our first evening walk of the season and we have pleasant, dry weather for a walk in Tehidy Country Park, led by our President, George Ansell. The meeting place is South Carpark and George begins with a short history of the area and mentioning the three farms on the south side, Magor, Menwinnion and Merrose, also Tehidy Barton which originally supplied Tehidy House and the Basset Family.

Due to other events and holidays numbers are depleted and eight walkers set off from the carpark, cross South Drive and head east along a permissive path at the side of Tehidy Golf Course. This brings us to the Clubhouse and we carry on along the drive towards Cot Road, a link road from Camborne/Redruth to Portreath. We walk up the road a short distance to Eastern Lodge and turn west to walk passed it and join Pine Walk, part of the Mineral Tramways Trails Network which it links with at Portreath. This was originally one of the main driveways to the Mansion which subsequently went right across the deer park, now the golf course.

We soon enter the main woods and are treated to some fine specimens of trees and bird chatter. There are not as many folk out in the Park as expected this evening, although we see a mix of walkers, runners cyclists, photographers and dogs. We branch off the main trail and go up into North Cliff Plantation in a circular route, re-joining our trail to come steeply down Kennels Hill to Otter Bridge. Bluebells are in abundance all along our walk as are other wild flowers, ferns and rhododendrons.

West Drive follows the Tehidy stream to Coombe where it joins the Red River, however we turn east again and follow the path beside the stream, then turn through Beech Wood before coming back to the stream and lake to see swans and ducks ready for their beds! The path crosses the stream and we’re back at our carpark.

Thanks, George for planning this walk and for your titbits of history and information along the route. There is so much more to see and enjoy than we could possibly see on an evening’s walk and no doubt we shall return on another occasion to explore this haven of nature, fresh air and exercise! Meanwhile explore the Park using the following link –
http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/parks-and-open-spaces/tehidy-country-park/
Next walk – Thursday 11th June, 7pm – meet Leedstown Hall – Grid: SW603344 for a walk via Townshend led by Richard Saundry.