5 1/2 mile circular. Maders, Haye Mill Trevigro loop July 3rd 2018
From Golberdon crossroads, take the Callington/Maders road, past the bus stop and spot the track on your left, follow this to a metal gate and into a grass field. The footpath deadends at the farm but the landowner has given permission (no dogs as stock here, maybe a bull) to follow the hedge on the right around to a gate into the next field. Cross straight over, to a gap in the hedge and use stepping stones over the water. There maybe stock in this field, sometimes there’s sheep and today there were curious cattle. Follow the fence to the gate at the end and through into the adjoining field and a short distance to a double metal gate on your right. Through into another field go straight across to the road gate on the South Hill to Maders road at the junction with the Manaton entrance. Looking back you’ll see Caradon Mast, Cheesering and Sharp Tor and also see St Sampsons church at SOUTH HILL. (and maybe the cattle have followed you 🙂 )
Take care crossing the road and take the narrow track off to the right. This brings you out on the corner on Jericho Road. Keep straight on past THE CHUTNEY SHED and on the corner take the track off to your right. This is usually impassable but with the dry weather is now a great walk.Keep going, veering off to the right ( going left will bring you out at Appleby Lodge in Kelly Bray) this stoney track brings you out onto the Maders road. Turn left and there are wide verges to walk on, past Woodlands Farm entrance, past East cottage driveway and all the way to WOODLANDS LODGE on the right.
Turn right down the driveway, at the bend turn left by a large tree, there’s a mown path to a hedge to scramble over onto a track, follow this around to the right, through the gate which has a sign “beware of the bull”, (Yes there is a bull here sometimes with stock) and onto the next gate, following the track straight ahead. Views of Callington to your left and behind you KIT HILL. There are 2 gates ahead, take the left hand gate into a grass field , there’s an empty caravan by the left hedge.
Keep the hedge on your right, note the footpath sign, go around the corner and spot the small wooden gate in the bottom hedge. This time of year the ferns are really high, but the well worn footpath is still visible straight through them and will bring you to another small gate and steps down onto a track.
Turn left, over a sleeper bridge, ( pass the footpath to Southland Farm on left ) and through a metal gate, a chicken house is on your right and Bearland Cottage, the driveway eventually comes out at Bearland Bridge. Note the granite markers on either side of the bridge.
Go left and right over the cattle grid taking the driveway and stream to Haye Mill, note the leet and sluice gate along the way. The Mill has a working water-wheel which you can see when you turn right just before the house entrance, through a metal gate off it’s hinges into the woods. The mass of foxglove were a picture.
Follow the path along by the wire fence , underfoot is dry all the way to the stile this time of year. The stepping stones lead the way on a well- worn path to a small wooden gate into a narrow lane that leads to the road.
Turn Right to Trevigro. At the junction, by the bench, there’s a footpath that leads to Trewolland, on this day, I ignored that path as the stinging nettles were not cut back. (Two weeks later the path was well cleared and easy to walk, bringing you out into a field with 2 horses to straight on to Trewolland, turn right) These routes meet, if you stay on the road through Trevigro, and turn left by the old chapel to Trenavin House, a concrete driveway takes you past the house.
Ahead is a small picket gate into a 45 acre field , cut straight across this to a low stile into the road and turn right and then left back to Golberdon…..
(alternatively at the picket gate, if the crops are wet, turn right up the narrow shaded path and at the end turn left, past the barking dogs and back to GOLBERDON. Taking in the views and the shade from the line of old beech trees.
There is an outside toilet at the hall and picnic tables in the play park.
Please email events@south-hill.co.uk if you spot any errors to this walk or if there are any problems with the footpaths.
You can see more walks on the web site at www.south-hill.co.uk