Gunnislake Community Matters organises a Community walk on the third Saturday of each month. From now on, we will try and post a brief summary of our walk each month, starting with this, the first walk of 2019.
Despite a very wet day on Friday, the sun was just starting to break through the mist at 10.00 on Saturday when we met for the start of the walk. There were 13 people and 5 dogs taking part. We started the walk at Cothele Quay, and set off towards the Weir on Morden Stream, gazing down at Cothele Mill along the way. On reaching the Weir, we continued up the slight hill to Newhouses, heading straight across the road and down the hill to Comfort Wood. Just before the road crosses the stream, we turned right off the road and up through Comfort Wood, with the stream on our left. Despite all the rain on Friday, the track was not too muddy.
The sun was now shining through the trees. The sunlight lit up the many colours of the tree branches and the overgrowth lying on the floor of the wood. At the top of the woods, we went through the gate onto a field with a permissive footpath. There was no livestock in the field, so three of the dogs enjoyed a good run over the field as we walked along the avenue of cherry trees. I’ll have to come on this walk again when the trees are in blossom.
On reaching the end of the field, we filed through the kissing gate, and turned left along the road, and then right through Newton. I always wonder what it would have been like to live in a quiet hamlet such as Newton in days gone by. It is easy to spot the old farmhouses, barns and other outhouses, giving a feel as at least as to how it would have been laid out.
Once through Newton, at the “T” junction, we crossed the road, and took the footpath across the field in front of us. Halfway across the field, we reached to top of the hills, and paused to admire the views of Trehill House in front of us, and over St. Dominick slightly to our right. The group decided not to go and explore the Tower, as it is not currently open. It would have meant a bit of a squelch through two farm gates to get there and the same again after retracing our steps to rejoin the path.
The path down towards Danescombe Valley was quite steep, and at an angle to the direction of the walk. At the bottom of the path, we negotiated the kissing gate, and slippy steps without incident, and turned right through the woods. Where the path split, we took the right hand fork. As walk leader, I was accused of lying when I had failed to mention a slight uphill section along this wooded path. I had forgotten it, as from here, the walk direction is pretty much down hill.
We stopped at the viewing point to admire the view of Calstock and the Viaduct, before continuing down hill to briefly stop at the small chapel, built by Richard Edgcumbe I in gratitude for making a narrow escape from King Richard III’s men in 1483. We returned to the car park at the Quay to complete the walk. Some of the walkers had to rush off, but half of us had time to step into The Edgecombe for tea and cake.