Liskeard Walking Groups News
Caradon Trail 10th Anniversary – March 2024
The 10th anniversary of the opening of the Caradon Trail was celebrated on Saturday 9th March 2024 by a very successful walk and cycling event organised by Liskeard Velo Club. Despite the challenges of the Cornish weather, the inevitable hilly bits and mud under foot, the cyclists who started from the parade in Liskeard completed the grand circuit, and the walking group enjoyed part of the trail in a loop around Treworgey and Highwood …… and the sun shone on them at least some of the time!!
The 17 mile multi-use trail was developed as part of the lottery funded Caradon Hill World Heritage Site Project. It links Liskeard to its rich history in the 1800s as a major copper mining area, taking in settlements to the North as well as the Looe Union canal basin and the industrial hub at Moorswater. It also crosses the route of the Liskeard and Caradon railway, which linked Caradon mines to Looe along a track-bed that can still be accessed through Highwood.
Trail leaflets are available in Liskeard & District museum or you can be download a PDF version here.
Liskeard walkers see in the New Year
The traditional New Year’s Day walk in Liskeard has grown in popularity every year, as we emerge from the excesses of Christmas and take to the fresh air, resolving to take more exercise, again. This year’s walk over the southern edge of Bodmin Moor, led by renowned local walk leader, Brian Oldham, took in the remains of the 19th century copper mining industry based at South Caradon. A record breaking 55 walkers joined this years walk through the Cornish morning mist on 1st January 2020.
Looe Valley railway walk – Saturday 21st September 2019
As part of Liskeard Unlocked, a group of 21 walkers caught the train down to Sandplace Halt, for a walk along the lanes of the Looe Valley back to St Keyne. On the way, the walkers looked out for traces of the old canal that closed in 1860, when the railway opened from Moorswater to Looe. The walkers made their way past Causeland station, to rest awhile at the Wishing Well at St Keyne, which had been restored by the Old Cornwall Society in 1938.
Then it was onwards to St Keyne church to try and see where an old granite cross had been incorporated into the walls of the church during its 1878 re-building. Finally, it was downhill to St Keyne Wishing Well Halt, where the weary walkers enjoyed the rare pleasure of flagging down the train at this request stop, for the journey back to Liskeard.
Beating the Bounds – Sunday 19th May 2019
There was good weather for the 2019 ‘Beating of the Bounds’ with the out going Mayor Christina Whitty receiving the traditional ‘bumping’ on the first boundary stone. Members of the Old Cornwall Society and Walkers are Welcome were joined by town councillors and staff, as well as residents from Liskeard and Menheniot along the 12 mile hike, which by arrangement takes in some land not normally accessible to the public.
Bo Foaks Memorial Walk – Saturday 13th April 2019
Iain Rowe and Brian Oldham led the annual walk in memory of Bo Foaks, who was a keen walker, a folk musician and a lover of Bodmin Moor. The group walked from Stuart House to Treworgey, Highwood and the track of the old Liskeard & Caradon Railway. As the walk coincided with a litter picking day in Liskeard, the walkers brought litter-pickers and bags and tidied the lanes and hedgerows as they went. Afterwards, everybody appreciated the soup lunch provided by the volunteers at Stuart House.
Community Fair – 30th March 2019
Our Walkers are Welcome stall at the Liskeard Spring Community Fair once again attracted a lot of interest and there was lively discussion and some scratching of heads as people tried our quiz on guessing distances to local landmarks!
Caradon Trail Anniversary Walk – 16th March 2019
Despite weather warnings of 50 mile an hour gales, the intrepid Walkers are Welcome group braved the elements to celebrate the 6th Anniversary of the Caradon Trail. Each year Brian Oldham has led a circular walk of about 5 miles taking in a part of the trail, and this time the group explored hills and valleys around Upton Cross, Rilla Mill and Caradon Town.
The outlines of Sharp Tor, Cheesewring, and Caradon were ever-present against a threatening sky, but the rain held off, and historical anecdotes, geese stopping traffic, and the wonderful yellow of hedgerow primroses and daffodils cheered the day!
Blowing the Cobwebs Away – 1st January 2019
New Years day saw about 20 of us leaving our cosy fire-sides for an invigorating walk around Sharp Tor on Bodmin moor whilst searching for, and learning about boundary stones under the expert eye of Brian Oldham.
National Heritage Open Days – September 2018
Walkers are Welcome supported the extremely successful ‘Liskeard Unlocked’ event with two very popular walks and talks around the historic buildings and alleyways (‘drangways’) of the town.
Out and About – Autumn 2018
Our walk leaders Brian and Jill have organised regular walks for health from the two surgeries in Liskeard which are well attended, and once again Walkers are Welcome took part in the South East Cornwall walking festival, as well as members supporting other local walking groups – a highlight was seeing the stunning autumn colour in Trenant woods with the Caradon group.
Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival – 26th May 2018
Our WaW leader Brian Oldham led another very successful walk for the Bodmin moor poetry festival. With good weather, stunning views and inspiring words along the way, it all made for a memorable day!
Beating the Bounds – 20th May 2018
Our Mayor and fellow WaW member led the way for Liskeard’s annual ‘beating of the bounds’ walk. This was after she had already run most of the 11 miles beforehand to help with checking the route, and then received the traditional three bumps on the Liskeard boundary stone! (see photo)
A support vehicle helped with bags and the all important picnic lunch, and also enabled some people to do part of the circuit so they could share in this community event.
The Cornish Celtic Way
Some of our WaW group joined the early summer guided walks to promote the new ‘Cornish Celtic Way’ – a pilgrimage route through Cornwall with a useful book that can be purchased & online information showing route maps and themed sections which tell the story of places along the way, including the history of the celtic saints & their influence and heritage in the landscape.
A reflective pilgrimage is planned for the Autumn. www.cornishcelticway.co.uk
Litter pick ‘Spring Clean’
Walkers are Welcome members supported the Liskeard litter pick when they joined the Stuart House memorial walk to Moorswater and found some rubbish along the way, as well as tidying up around the popular Coldstyle/ Culverland road walking circuit.
Another Great Use for our Walkers are Welcome Banner
Yes we definitely get our fair share of rain in Cornwall!!
This amusing photo taken by one of our members was also the winning entry in a local community photographic competition.
Liskeard Community Fair – 24th March 2018
Liskeard Spring Community Fair saw the Town Hall packed with stalls representing local charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, with hundreds of people coming through the door to find out what goes on, and how they can get involved.
There was a real buzz at the Walkers are Welcome stall with great interest in our ‘Name the local landmarks’ competition – edible prizes were definitely an added attraction!
Walk to Celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Caradon Trail – 10 March 2018
Despite the poor weather conditions, a hardy band of walkers celebrated the 5th Anniversary of the opening of the Caradon Trail, with a 5 mile hike organised by Liskeard’s Walkers are Welcome group and led by Brian Oldham, taking in part of the World Heritage Site around Tokenbury and the Marke Valley. As the mist lifted and the rain clouds departed the walkers enjoyed the views as well as seeing remains of our local mining past and hearing insightful anecdotes of life in the industrial 1800’s, which brought prosperity to Liskeard and the surrounding area.
Walkers Celebrate National Scheme
Liskeard’s Walkers are Welcome has been celebrating 10 years since the national scheme started.
Over the past decade a network of 111 Walkers are Welcome towns have helped to develop 1,200 walks totaling more than 6,300 miles. The scheme has also helped raise money for the participating towns’ local economies by encouraging footfall and enhancing vitality as well as promoting the positive benefits of walking.
In Liskeard a Walkers are Welcome scheme was established in 2011, with the group continuing to encourage local people and visitors to discover and enjoy both the townscape and surrounding countryside and heritage attractions.
The accompanying photos show some of the groups activities over the past year including a wrap up warm walk on New Year’s day, Caradon Trail celebration, support for Jo Cox’s memorial Big Walk, Ladye Park pilgrimage, participation in the S.E. Cornwall walking festival as well as heritage walks around the town.
