And did those feet in ancient times......

This is the valley that leads from Mount Hawke via Parc Shady to Porthtowan on the North Cornwall coast. The place is riddled with mine shafts, workings, spoil heaps and buildings. The buildings range from old engine houses, which housed steam powered beam engines to extract water from the mines to former offices, sheds and even railway engine sheds for the narrow guage railway or tramway that connected this mine to others.

How many feet have made their weary way in either direction to the mines? There are wired covers over many of the old shafts but there are still occasions when dogs fall into them. These days the emergency services rarely go down after them. Even in my decrepit state I reckon I'd be on the end of a rope in a shot to grab my bundle of fur and legs, rather than just let her fade away.

Have a look large. Just to the front right of the small building on the skyline is a walker in a blue top. To the left is a former mine shaft which has the classic conical wired 'protection.' You can see the different colours of the spoil, indicating the different minerals mined from here.

Map and history.


Large