We had done a short walk of our own devising before but today we followed the five and a half mile round walk to St Winnow found in the splendid IWalkCornwall. I had noticed that the local history society were doing some metal detecting by the stepping stones, Roman coins having been found in the vicinity before, so we thought we would have a nose at their activities…all a little disorganised whilst we were there!

We thought we better press on as it was a boiling hot day and luckily a large part of the walk was on a shady path through the woods and alongside the Lerryn creek….

What a lovely walk it was and as the Lerryn broadened out into the River Fowey a strategic bench gave us a wonderful view and a chance to replenish the water in our body.

Nice to see all the boats moored and, in the distance, Golant on the opposite side of the river. during the walk we had to cross a variety of stiles and gates (always fascinating to me ( I have often thought a book on the subject is deserved). A lifting gate/stile was particularly unusual….and probably unique!

 

Eventually we came to St Winnow the beautiful church on the river..”St Winnow was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Sanwinnel, and early maps indicate that the churchyard was originally oval in shape, typical of Celtic religions enclosures know as a lann. It is therefore thought that the churchyard may be on the site of the 7th Century chapel of St Winnoc. A stone church was built in the 12th Century and a few traces of this remain in the current church which was built in the 15th Century and restored in the 19th. Much of the stained glass added in the Tudor period survived and can still be seen in the church.”

One good thing about this stop on our walk was the brilliant food van from which we bought most welcome ice creams and sat in the garden to eat them. Within sight were a blacksmiths and a farm shop. The hamlet had virtually no other buildings.

We were rather glad of our break when the next stage of the walk was a steep climb uphill with great views back of the church in its setting, and then a walk across open fields in blistering heat. We were very glad to make the shaded relief of Ethy woods…

A blissful last part of the walk was back along the Lerryn river, where we noted the splendid gardens of nearly all the houses (minimum £750,000 in Lerryn unfortunately), and then we got pasties and drinks from the wonderful village shop and enjoyed them in the shop’s riverside garden….a great end to a lovely trip.