A Woodland Walk

Looking for a really short, easy walk to do over Easter? This woodland stroll (about 2 miles) is at its absolute best in spring and only takes 20–30 minutes each way. Starting from the National Trust car park at Pendower, turn your back on the sea and look for the broad track that leads away from the top left-hand corner of the car park. Almost immediately, you enter a patch of woodland, with a stream running along the left-hand side of the path. Trees form an arched canopy over the path and the stream edge and steep bank on the right are covered in bluebells and wild garlic in late April/May.

After about 10 minutes you reach a gate that looks as if it’s the entrance to a private garden, but don’t be put off! There’s an official right of way to the left of the little cluster of houses known as

Lower Mill, parallel to the stream. Cross the footbridge over the stream and follow the path up a fairly steep incline through more woodland. The track is narrow but in good condition and there are lovely views through the trees over the valley towards Veryan. The last few minutes take you back down towards the valley floor. Go round the old rusty gate, turn right and almost immediately to your left you’ll see Melinsey Mill.

There’s been a mill on this site since 1210 and the mill as it stands today has been there since the mid-sixteenth century. Now a café with a small craft shop, it’s a wonderfully tranquil place to enjoy a home-made cream tea or lunch while watching water birds and dragonflies flitting around the small pond, and at least one of the incredibly tame resident robins will almost certainly hop onto your table in search of crumbs. Melinsey Mill is open from the beginning of April until the end of October, 10 am to 5:30 pm (closed on Mondays, except for bank holidays).

When you’ve stuffed yourself with cake, retrace your steps. If you managed to resist temptation at Melinsey, Shallikabooky café back at Pendower has a distinctly Mediterranean vibe; pick up a cold drink or an ice cream here and take it onto the beach to slurp while you watch the waves roll in!