Walk

Anthony Woodland Garden

Much more than a mere garden...

Two hours might be just enough time to do the garden justice, if you do not keep stopping to look, admire and take photographs.

The Carew-Poles still live in Anthony House, though it’s now a National Trust property. It’s renowned for its modern statuary as well as a nice enclosed garden and a well-kept estate. Drive a mile out of Torpoint to fi nd the entrance to the driveway. The splendid Woodland Garden is retained as a family trust. Carry on down the drive and park on your right, 50 metres short of Broomhill Cottage Vintage Tearoom on the left. The Garden stretches along the banks of the River Lynher either way; on the west side it curls up along the side of the more formal estate. It off ers vistas between the house, river and so much more. A good map with pictures of some important features and an account of many of the plantations may be had in a folder from by the gate or from the cottage. I visited several times in late March and early April and explored the whole garden with interest and frankly, joy. I recommend fi rst going right round the section across the drive from the Cottage; it contains much original woodland as opposed to deliberate recent plantation. It is only on this side that you may walk your dog. Take the descending fork to parallel to the Lynher. At the end, the large pond on your right was originally sea water for fi sh. Keep along the track beyond up the hill, following along the edge of the garden until you cross a causeway at the head of the valley. The track now goes back on the other side of the valley to pass a ruined dovecote. Just beyond, take the upper path that leads you back to the starting point. All the way round enjoy many ancient trees. You have had a good walk already, now prepare yourself for the main course. Start by going up Jupiter Point, the peak immediately beyond the cottage. Just below the top, note a classic split stone sculpture by Peter Randall-Page in a side dell. The crowning monolith is carved with ‘And still a garden by the water blows’. Enjoy the views from here. You now need to take the track below the point down to the waterside. Note a pair of magnifi cent sweet chestnut trees as you start the descent. The overall plan is to follow the track along the Lynher bank and up a side

valley as far as you can, keeping to passing along the side of the more the right hand edge of the garden. the right hand edge of the garden. formal Anthony Estate. Immediately Before you leave the Lynher, look Before you leave the Lynher, look before the exit, note a multileft as you pass a ponded valley, stemmed and branching wing-nut originally salt pans. It’s worth a tree, most interesting in autumn with small detour here, going up the near its wing-nut seeds. side of the valley to inspect the late What else have you seen? 18th century bathhouse building, Multiple plantings of all sorts of returning down the other side of the trees, fl owering and non-fl owering. valley. On the way up, look left into a small Flowering rhododendron in the glade quarry and inspect the Green Man. Having crossed and on your way back down, look left again into a small quarry and read the extracts from Thomas Hardy’s poem about Lyonesse engraved on slate slabs. As you leave the Lynher and go uphill, you pass a large modern, metal sculpture. Keep on to The Peter Randell-Page sculpture the top of the valley, only turning round to come back down after glancing at the overgrown ruin. This area, Higher Westdown, has recently been cleared and made accessible. You fi nish the walk by following the track along the inside of the broad sweep you have just completed, Quite a few are young, recently planted; many are mature. The leafl et is exhaustive in its listing; you are unlikely to have spotted them all. The spring-fl owering ones like magnolia, camellia and rhododendron were splendid for my visits. You will have walked past swards covered in fl owers; for my visits the daff odils were going over, the bluebells just starting; but how lovely were violets, lesser celandines and my favourite, carpets of primroses. I walked around the Woodland Garden with the blessing of the Warden as part of an eight mile walk from the Torpoint Ferry with a group of Ramblers. A family season ticket (£25) is available allowing you to visit any time. For varied longer or shorter walks, do fi nd Plymouth Ramblers online or contact Ron Smith on 07780 913546 or ronaldfwsmith@gmail. com for the Dartmoor Ramblers Club. The DRC invariably uses public transport.n

Ron Smith