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| Front and back covers |
You will have to forgive my long hiatus (OK, you've probably not noticed), but I've been involved in a few projects. This post will focus on the most major, whose completion feels like it was ages ago when, in truth, it was earlier this year!
A good friend of mine, Sheron Vowden, had been planning (for some time) to write a book about Bodmin Moor, a somewhat overlooked moorland in Cornwall - a county well-known for its beaches, seaside towns and food, yet little-known for its largest moor. This is rather unfortunate because, after all, I bet 95% of tourists use the A30 to visit the county and this passes right through the heart of Bodmin Moor. Therefore, for the vast majority of people, the moor is a place that is passed through onto, perhaps, 'better places', and is not necessarily a destination.
With the exception of the Jamaica Inn, famous because it's an awesome pub, hotel, place of paranormal activity and the setting for Daphne du Maurier's novel, plus all of the associated tales of smuggling, there is little apparent reason to leave the modern A30 dual carriageway when traversing the moor. This is a pity because Bodmin Moor, while at a first glance may render itself to be uninspiring, is anything but. It is a tremendous place to explore.
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| Jamaica Inn |
For visitors, if they are not attached to the two lanes of the A30, their other likely encounter with Bodmin Moor is around Minions, perhaps the 'Widecombe in the Moor' of Bodmin Moor because of its easy accessibility and popularity, including short walks up to the celebrated 'Cheesewring' rock formation, plus The Hurlers stone circles and quarries nearby. That said, pretty much the rest of the moor is relatively little-known, with only small pockets that seem to be frequented. This, in part, might be due to the area not constituting a National Park in the way that both Dartmoor and Exmoor are recognised, with both having been designated in the early 1950s. Instead, Bodmin Moor forms a part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONB (now referred to as a National Landscape), designated in 1959, and the only segment to not be on the coast.
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| High Rock |
This much-deserved recognition is for both the natural and cultural beauty of Bodmin Moor, whose appearance today is the product of being a predominantly farmed landscape. Across centuries, the great waste of the moor has been divided up and sectioned by old stone walls where animals were grazed, each belonging to a farm, which largely continues to this day. Snaking rivers, magnificent granite tors, lush woodlands, amazing prehistoric stone circles, quaint villages and more, there is a lot more to see here than you first imagined... and access is helped thanks to a diverse network of public rights of way, narrow little lanes and open moorland; usually access land to which the public can freely walk across responsibly without sticking to paths.
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| Golitha Falls |
Sheron Vowden, a Devon-based writer and illustrator, has been inspired by her trips to Bodmin Moor, at first solo but then accompanied by Max Piper (me), to put together a 110-page book featuring each of the 101 square miles around the moor. The generally accepted square mileage is actually 80, but this leaves out several interesting locations that, in the view of many, are still 'Bodmin Moor'; Caradon Hill, Davidstow Moor and St. Breward.
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| St. Breward |
Much in the theme of Dartmoor 365, each page consists of an item(s) of the author's choice, together with interesting information, stunning black and white drawings and the all-important Ordnance Survey grid reference. The author has also helpfully provided a sketch map of the moor in the front of the book for those who wish to colour in the squares visited; in addition the index helps to easily locate points of interest.
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| Nine Stones Stone Circle |
I was delighted to be involved in the book's execution and hope that you might be interested in obtaining a copy, be you a local or a visitor. Perhaps you've never stepped foot onto the moor. Now there's no excuse! Get yourself the book, armed with an Ordnance Survey map and you're good to go. Not all squares require much effort to visit; indeed many are readily accessible.
Join the Facebook group.
To ensure your visit to the moor is the best it can be, plan ahead; check the weather, pack accordingly, bring a map and compass, do not block gateways or access points when parking, and know your limitations. Other people live and work here. Follow the Countryside Code.
See the Bodmin Moor 101 and Bodmin Moor Artefacts pages.
List of Retailers
If you would like to look at the book yourself first and would like to support a local business, the book can be sought at multiple local retailers:
- Altarnun Post Office
- Blisland Community Shop
- Book Shop, 2 Barras Street, Liskeard
- Book Stop, 3 Market Street, Tavistock
- Dartmoor Paul (Paul Rendell)
- Horizon Farm Shop, Tremar, Liskeard
- Minions Shop & Tearooms
- Sheron Vowden (author) - email rixdale.rambler@gmail.com
- St. Neot Shop
- St. Tudy Community Shop
- Tourist Information, Pike Street, Liskeard
- Tourist Information, White Hart Arcade, Broad Street, Launceston
- Wadebridge Book Shop
- Westcountry Books, 64A Queen Street, Newton Abbot
Other books worth considering to accentuate your knowledge further include works by Carolyn Kennett, Peter Stainer, Mark Camp, E.C. Axford, Jeffrey W. Malim, and Peter Moore.
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