Walks in Cornwall off the beaten track

A circular countryside walk from the 15th century church at St Tudy through the grounds of the 18th century Manor of Wetherham, returning to the church alehouse where ale brewed by the church was sold to raise funds, and later became the village lock-up known as The Clink.

A fairly short and easy circular walk around Warbstow, crossing ramparts of the massive Iron Age hillfort, through fields and along country lanes lined with wildflowers, returning via the mediaeval church which is dedicated to the daughter of a Saxon King who was tutored by the Celtic Saint Morwenna.

A short circular walk from the village of Blisland through the churchyard, two stretches of the Woodland Trust reserve of Lavethan Wood and land which was once the estates of Lavethan and Barlandew manors.

A circular walk at Carn Marth with panoramic views right across mid-Cornwall to Falmouth and the Roseland, the Cornish Alps and Bodmin Moor, and St Agnes and Trevose Head

A circular walk following the leats and horse-drawn tramways through the World Heritage site of the Luxulyan Valley to the massive viaduct which carried the tramways towards Newquay and water to winch the trams up the valley with a huge waterwheel, recommended in guidebooks as early as the 1920s "as one of the most glorious walks in all Cornwall".

A circular walk from St Newlyn East through the woods of the Lappa Valley where the Steam Railway now encompasses what was one of the most famous mines in Cornwall during Victorian times and the riverbeds are still stained red.

A circular walk on the Roseland along both sides of St Just creek to Messack Point, where there are spectacular views over one of the largest natural harbours in the world.

A circular walk in the parish of Crowan from the church to the Clowance Estate - the mansion of the St Aubyn Baronets until the fifth Baronet failed to produce a legitimate heir due to his 15 children all being born to women not married to him.

A circular walk around Stannon Moor near St Breward with panoramic views of Bodmin Moor, passing stone circles, burial chambers and other prehistoric monuments to a massive granite boulder balanced on Louden Hill which gently rocks if you sit on it.

A circular walk from North Petherwin in the river valleys of the Bolsbridge Water.

A walk from a tiny village designed by Victorians, through ancient woodland that was once part of the Pendarves Estate to the prehistoric tomb that, despite two collapses over the centuries, is once again standing.

A circular walk from Camelford through bluebell woods along the Camel valley to the Celtic churchyard of Advent and the Neolithic remains on the edge of Bodmin Moor.

A woodland walk in what's likely to have been a mediaeval deer park to the site of Cornwall's second-largest gunpowder manufacturing operation, which despite exploding several times was sufficiently successful to give rise to a nearby sister site known as Trago Mills.

A circular countryside walk to the mills in the Inny Valley from Polyphant, Cornish for "toad pool", to Gimblett's Mill where the bridge was rebuilt after a wall of water swept down the valley in 1847 destroying nearly everything in its path.

A circular walk from St Breward across the Treswallock Downs to the curious prehistoric structure of King Arthur's Hall and ending at the mediaeval Old Inn.

A walk from Altarnun across the downs and out onto the open moor where the relics of mediaeval tin workings and prehistoric roundhouses can still be seen

A mostly circular walk from the Castle-an-dinas Iron Age hillfort with 360 degree views across Cornwall, then into the valley to the River Menalhyl, followed by wooded paths lined with primroses, bluebells and wild garlic, and lanes with vibrant wildflowers.

A circular walk around the tributary valleys of the River Ottery and Kensey between three of Cornwall's least-well-known mediaeval churches

A circular walk through an area steeped in mining history, with panoramic views from Carn Marth and the almost legendary Gwennap Pit which became so famous that even the neighbouring mine was renamed to Cathedral

A fairly short circular walk exploring Trebarwith Valley, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Cornwall. The walk includes bluebell woodland, panoramic views from both sides of the valley and the Trebarwith Nature Reserve.

A circular walk from the Saxon village of Week St Mary through Ashbury woods, beneath the Iron Age fort, to the remains of the mediaeval manor of Penhallam which was only rediscovered in the 1960s, returning via the church, repaired after the pinnacle above the door was severed by lightning and crashed through the roof.

A short circular walk from St Breward through ancient bluebell woods along the valley of the River Camel to the holy well, ending at the mediaeval church and inn.

A circular walk to the neolithic enclosure on the summit of Helman Tor and through the woodland of Cornwall's largest nature reserve.

A circular walk around Delabole past the slate quarry, along back lanes and tracks, and through fields and bluebell woods.

A circular walk in the Ruthern and Tremore river valleys following the Saint's Way to Withiel where the award-winning cheese Cornish Yarg was first made from a recipe in a dusty book found in the attic, that is thought to date back to the 13th Century.

A countryside walk to the Celtic church and Holy Well at Sancreed and the Iron Age village of Carn Euny where a well-preserved underground chamber known as a fogou has puzzled archaelogists for centuries

A circular walk over the northern tip of Bodmin Moor to the prehistoric burial chamber at the top of Buttern Hill and source of the River Fowey, returning via farm tracks and country lanes to the tributary streams of the River Inny.

A circular walk through two tributary valleys of the River Tamar in a parish that was borrowed by Devon for 800 years, passing the remains of the wharf at the furthest reaches of the Bude Canal.

A circular walk at one of Cornwall's more remote and eccentric hamlets, displaying a "twinned with Narnia" sign and with a church where the vicar surrounded his rectory with barbed wire and preached to an empty church containing name cards of his parishioners

A circular walk through the wildlife reserve around the reservoir lake, past crumbling ruins of Fir Hill Manor and via farmland, a mill and wooded vales that were also once part of the great estate.

A circular walk through the World Heritage site of the Luxulyan Valley and surrounding countryside, over the massive viaduct supporting a horse-drawn tram route to Newquay and along the leat that fed Charlestown Harbour.

A circular walk from the woodland of The Duchy to the Holy Well of St Ladock in the river valley where in 1802 a gold nugget was found that contained enough gold to make an elegant necklace which is now in Truro museum.

A circular walk in the upper reaches of the River Valency above Boscastle, where author Thomas Hardy lived and met the love of his life, starting from the ancient Celtic church of Lesnewth to St Juliot church which Hardy restored.

A circular walk through bluebell woodland, fields and along back lanes from Delabole to Camelford's parish church at Lanteglos, returning via the Iron Age forts of Castle Goff and Delinuth Camp.

A figure-of-8 walk from St Clether past the ancient chapel and holy well, with views over the Inny Valley, to the Rising Sun pub near Altarnun, serving beer made from the moorland springwater by a local micro-brewery.

A circular walk from Helland's mediaeval bridge through bluebell woodland and the fields overlooked by the Iron Age rounds at Pencarrow to the Norman church at St Mabyn, dedicated to the daughter of a Celtic King, and returning via the stump of the Neolithic Long Stone which stood for millennia until it was broken up for gateposts in 1850.

A circular walk along the Great Flat Lode, where the Basset family made their fortune from the rich mineral reserves, to Carn Brea where they built a hunting lodge balanced on a tor in the style of a castle.

A circular walk to the remote sandy beach at Tregardock, returning along the coast path with panoramic views of Port Isaac Bay, through the wildflowers of Treligga Downs and via Backways Cove.

A circular walk from St Wenn in the upper reaches of the Ruthern Valley, through Rosenannon woods and along the Saints' Way pilgrimage route to the mediaeval church at Withiel, where the Rector shut down The Pig and Whistle for being an ungodly establishment.

A circular walk in one of the less well-known areas of Bodmin Moor to the summit of Fox Tor and through the prehistoric remains which date from the Bronze Age and Neolithic times.

A circular walk in the West Looe valley to St Nun's Well where it is said that if a bent pin is not left as an offering, clouds of piskies will accompany the visitor home and cause mischief.

A circular walk from St Breward past the granite pillars of Devil's Jump to the 8ft Celtic cross and ancient churchyard of Advent at the foot of the moors, returning via the remains of the mediaeval village of Carwether to the Inn used by 11th century monks to build the highest church in Cornwall.

A circular walk through the woodland along the West Looe River to Herodsfoot from Duloe, where Cornwall's smallest stone circle stands.

A circular walk around the valleys of the River Inny and Penpont Water to the mediaeval church at Laneast and the old bridge at Gimlett's Mill from the 15th century "Cathedral of the Moors" in Altarnun, set beside a 6th Century Celtic cross where churches and chapels had been throughout the Dark Ages.

A circular walk along prehistoric trade routes in the Lynher valley from the village of North Hill where the granite was quarried to build Westminster Bridge.

A circular walk from Blisland through the De Lank granite quarry, used for many famous buildings including the Royal Opera House, between the moss-covered boulders and trees of the De Lank river valley and across the Pendrift Downs, passing Jubilee Rock - a huge granite boulder, decorated with carvings.

A circular walk from Rilla Mill with views across Cornwall to the Cheesewring and Kit Hill, and along the River Lynher through the Colquite Woodland reserve and via medieval bridges to where the ancient mill stood until the 1960s and the leats can still be seen.

A circular walk though the wildflowers of the Kilkhampton Common nature reserve and woods of the Coombe Valley, returning via the remains of the Norman castle at Penstowe which consisted of a stone tower perched on the top of a steep hill but surrounded by two baileys, rather than the usual one, the reason for which is a mystery.

A circular walk from St Neot though the valley of the River Loveny, past a prehistoric settlement, through bluebell woodland and along the River Fowey, and returning via the church, famous for its mediaeval stained-glass.

A circular walk in Morwenstow parish along towering cliffs and through broadleaf woods where a hamlet has been preserved in a joint project between the Landmark Trust and National Trust

A circular walk from Cubert's Celtic churchyard through the cowslip meadows of the Penhale Sands nature reserve and on paths lined with wildflowers along the river valley to reach St Piran's Round - the remains of the mediaeval amphitheatre.

A circular walk at St Gennys from the mediaeval church, via the smuggling routes though bluebell woods along the stream and an Iron Age clifftop fort crumbling into the sea, to some of North Cornwall's most remote coastline.

A circular walk including some of the more remote parts of the coast path around Port Isaac Bay, passing the Donkey Hole at Barrett's Zawn and returning through the abandoned hamlet of Dannonchapel.