Well, what a start to the day! Set off in plenty of time to the station, the plan being to arrive 15 minutes before departure at 9.36, but a low loader driver carrying a motor launch had other ideas. Although the road from Callington to Liskeard is classified as an A road it’s certainly not suitable for such transport. We eventually arrived just in time to grab the rucksacks, etc and board the train, to then fight with the parking app to ensure we were legally parked.
Anne was already on board and so it was off to Causland halt , one of the request stops on the line. From there it was up hill from the valley of the East Looe River into Duloe. The roadside verge is still adorned by wild flowers including one that none of us knew. It was then time to explore the delights of Duloe. Unfortunately the pub was closed so no chance of an early coffee stop, there is the old horse trough manufactured in Glasgow and installed in the village in the first decade of the 20th century and then it was on to the Stone Circle hidden away up a short track behind a house on the outskirts of the village. We then visited the church with its list of Vicars/Rectors starting in the 1200’s, and its slate memorial stones and coffins.
Departing the village we passed the children at play and descended into the valley of the West Looe River. There was plenty of water running not only in the river and inevitably this May the rain duly arrived to add to it. We then walked along the left bank, through mud, but plenty of bluebells still in flower, passed a derelict building before emerging onto the road from Duloe to Pelynt to cross the river to continue our walk on the right bank. Passing the campsite there was one brave camper in residence and then lunch was taken at the small wharf at Kilminorth Cottages, where they can sleep eight if you want a quiet hideaway for a week!
It was then time to follow the trail through Kilminorth Woods above the tidal part of the river. There was plenty of mud but fortunately on such a day only the three of us taking advantage of the scenery, that included nesting Egrets high up in one of the trees on the far bank. We entered Looe at Millpool where the two rivers converge and with time to spare before the return train stopped off for tea and coffee in a local cafe.
Peter M