Coast To Coast In A Day From Truro

24 June, 2019

Coast To Coast In A Day From Truro

Updated August 2021

The Mineral Tramways Trail

Full walk details (including a link to a GPX file)

are at the bottom of the page.

Go Straight To The Walk Details At The Bottom Of The Page

Devoran (near Truro) to Portreath

Truro is in the heart of Cornwall and not far outside of it there’s a coast to coast trail that I know well.

The trail winds its way through Cornwall’s industrial heartland along the route of the old ‘mineral tramways’. These tramways transported ore to the ports of Devoran near Truro, and Portreath on the South West Coast Path on the north coast, which makes it a fascinating journey through time. The main track is about 11 or 12 miles or so, but there are plenty of side tracks, mine workings and woodlands too. It’s an intriguing place to explore, whether you walk the whole route or a small part of it.

Poldice Valley

Wheal Virgin looking atmospheric in winter mists

I’d been cooped up for a couple of weeks with flu and I was desperate to get outside, but I didn’t have much energy. The Mineral Tramways Trail was the perfect solution. It’s close to Truro (home) and easy to get to by bus (I usually walk from Truro, but not that day!) and it’s pretty flat and off road most of the way.

Read My Guide To Walking In Cornwall

Carnon Valley

I rocked up in Devoran around 2.30 on a beautiful sunny afternoon, which instantly lifted my mood. The first half of the trail is so familiar that it’s easy to walk through and not notice any changes. But on a sunny day like this everything seems different and the changes in season come to life.

The first big engineering structure you can’t help notice is the Carnon Viaduct (below), but I was more interested in the heathland underneath it. And to my untrained eye it looked like it was flourishing.

Carnon Valley Viaduct with the original piers showing through the arches of the 'new' viaduct.

Carnon Viaduct. The viaduct you see today was built in the 1930’s, but the piers that are still there are from the original viaduct built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, which opened in 1863.

I volunteer with Cornwall Wildlife Trust who have a small nature reserve on the trail (not far ahead of the viaduct) and I was keen to see how it was doing. We sometimes help to manage the scrub on the Reserve for the benefit of the surrounding heath, so it’s always good to see if your hard work is paying off!

Bissoe Valley Nature Reserve, Near Truro

I love this tiny reserve where ponds and marshy ground attract a wide variety of plants and wildlife, including rare damselflies (it was on a previous walk near the here that I saw my first ever grass snake! Check out my guide to UK snakes and fingers crossed you might see one too!). Another thing I love about it are the surrounding trees because there aren’t that many on old mine sites. But it’s not just the alders and willows that keep me coming back, the wildflowers are stunning.

At this time of year (June) blue blobs of scabious look like paint dripped through drifts of white oxe-eye daisies, and the butterflies seem to love it as much as me.

I went for an amble round, following narrow earth paths between hedgerows overhanging with pendulous grasses and nettles. Hoverflies and bees were humming, birds singing and butterflies feeding, and the heady scent of woodbine filled the air. And I felt like a small child lost in a world of my own on a hot summer’s day as I pushed through. It was idyllic and

If you’re in the Truro area and short on time for the full walk, Bissoe Valley Nature Reserve is well worth seeking out.

(There’s parking at Bike Chain Bissoe café, or you could take a short out and back walk from Devoran – there’s parking at the start of the trail.)

View across a pond in the Bissoe Valley Nature Reserve, looking towards the tower of an old arsenic works. Near Truro, Cornwall

Looking across the nature reserve to the chimney of an old arsenic works

From the Reserve you head on past the old chimney of an arsenic works and on to Bissoe Cycle Hire and Cafe. The cafe is usually busy, but the smell of coffee is like a drug that I can’t resist and I convinced myself (a bit too easily) that I needed to take it easy after the flu, and in I went. I spent some time people watching in the sunshine (watching people clad in lycra!) before making my way to a favourite place, which is off the main track.

Mining The Landscape

The Adit – A Well Kept Secret

The rampant undergrowth hides an intriguing secret, but if you know where to look you can find the entrance to an old mine, which heads down a long, narrow adit. At the end of it is a deep, bottomless shaft (it’s a dangerous place), but some years ago I was lucky enough to be shown along it by members of a mine rescue team. The history and construction of the adit fascinates me and I can never resist a poke around at the entrance.

A secret Addit on a trail near Truro, Cornwall

Entrance to a deep mine shaft

It’s strangely beautiful as it leads along into the pitch blackness of the hillside. I love the way the stonework forms a low, arched roof all the way along the tunnel as well as the little niches in the walls that held candles to light the way, where black soot still stains the stone. Construction of many of the adits in the area began in the mid 18th century, but this mine dates back to the bronze age.

The tangible sense of people sloshing their way into a subterranean world of heat and risk hangs poignantly in the air.

Imagine what it was like to come out again, that small shaft of sunlight just ahead.

Engine Houses, Stamps and Buddles

The mining industry has severely scarred the landscape so you don’t need to go underground to experience it. Nangiles tip rises like an ochre coloured hill on the side of the valley.

Nangiles tip

The old buildings of Poldice Mine, which include the foundations of the fabulously named stamps and buddles that were used to crush and sort the ore, are easy and safe to explore.

There are tailings at Wheal Maid, which are aptly named Mars by MTB-ers because of it’s barrenness and red coloured earth. But once you pass through this other-worldly place you feel like you’ve entered a whole new landscape. The scars are still there like open wounds, but rough and ready cottages, small-holdings and paddocks begin to edge the track.

Mining The Countryside

As you get closer to the north coast the walk begins to feel more like heading into the countryside, although you don’t cross any farmland. The hedgerows were stunning, full of colour and scent. I stopped to listen to thrushes singing at the tops of hawthorn trees, heard robins calling and saw wrens flitting about. The scrubby fields either side of the track were being grazed by ponies and, randomly, even a bunch of shorn alpaca.

The small blue flowers of green alconet in a hedgerow near Scorrier, Cornwall, UK

The blue flowers of green alconet – weird right?!

This mid section of the trail is fairly quiet and I barely saw anyone, which always feels good to me, but there is a section where you have to walk beside a main road for a while. I hate it and can’t wait to get onto the track above, where the coverage of trees all but blocks it out. And then, when I’m finally on that track I know it’s not far to Portreath.

I felt broken by the time I got to the beach. Exhausted, coughing, sneezing, hungry and thirsty. But despite all that I was feeling good – getting outside is always the right medicine. But I was ready to go home.

Getting Back To Truro

Why Isn’t My Life Easy!

I planned to get the train back to Truro from Redruth, but I missed the Portreath to Redruth bus and had an hour to kill in Portreath, which meant time for chips on the beach! The beach was quiet for a change and out of the wind it felt like a hot summer’s evening; the perfect place to relax.

Portreath beach with rocks in the foreground. South West Coast Path, Cornwall

Spring in Portreath

I wasn’t relaxed for long though; I discovered there was a three hour wait for the train to Truro because I’d missed the last connection. Not happy, but luckily there was a bus. Unluckily I get travel sick, which is why I don’t like buses. Luckily I’d eaten chips, so I didn’t get sick haha!

By the time I got home I was utterly exhausted and ready for bed, dreaming about my next coast to coast hike: The Saints Way from Padstow to Fowey.

If you’ve walked (or even ridden) this trail near Truro, which bits would you recommend? Tell us in the comments – I’d love to know whether you enjoy it as much as me!

You can find the full details of the walk below, including a link to my OS Maps GPX file.

Thanks for reading my lovelies and…

Happy Hiking!

Stephie x

Discover More Of My Walks And Day Hikes In Cornwall

Walk Details

A granite way post on the Mineral Tramways Trail, Truro, Cornwall

Common granite way signs on the trail

Difficulty

Easy (links to FAQs where there’s a guide to how I categorise them). Level all the way. Mostly off road on well signposted tracks and bicycle trails (There are also ‘map-boards’ along that way show various side tracks you can explore).

Distance

11 Miles, excluding side trails.

Time

Allow 5 hours for the full route on the main trail. Add extra time for coffee and more exploring (especially if you intend to explore some of the side trails)

Map

Start: SW 79084 39407

Finish: SW 65431 45290

OS 1:25,000 Map: Explorer 104 Redruth and St Agnes

Download The GPX File With Waymarks

OS Maps GPX

Follow the link to my route on the OS Maps website/app, where you can download the GPX file with all my waymarks, for free.

Portreath Beach, looking across the beach to the east cliffs. South West Coast Path, Cornwall

Make time to explore the cliffs on The South West Coast Path at the end of this walk

Travel

To get to Devoran from Truro take one of the regular First Kernow bus services (eg the U1), from Truro Bus Station 01872 273453
To get back to Truro from Portreath take the number 47 First Kernow bus (runs hourly in summer) to Redruth. From Redruth you can either take another First Kernow bus back to Truro (eg the regular T1), or a much quicker train (the number 47 bus stops outside Redruth railway station)