Bury Down Iron Age Hill Fort

It takes roughly 20 mins to walk to the top of the hill where you will find the remains of the ramparts that make up Bury Down Iron Age Hill Fort. Views vary daily and span from the sea at Fowey to Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor with a patchwork of fields in between.  A good place for an early morning run, or take a picnic for sunset.  Wear something warm - there’s often a cool breeze.

To reach Bury Down: From Botelet turn right at the end of our lane and continue past Cowslip and Hollow Park Cottages on your left, until you come to the crossroads.  Turn left here and continue up the hill to the main road.  Directly opposite to is a gate.  Go through this gate and walk straight up the hill.  When it levels out, the hill fort can be found at the top.

David’s tunnel and Botelet Mine Circular Walk

A sheltered walk, very steep down at the beginning, levelling out through wet woodland, wildlife & flowers. David’s Tunnel is so called as David Tamblyn (Julie and Richard’s father) cut this path through the fir trees. You will be rewarded by quietness - if we’re not there! And an incredible display of bluebells during the season - April/May. Muddy in places. Approx 40 minutes.

Walk out between the farmhouse and Manor Cottage keeping the farmhouse on your left, straight out to the iron gate ahead into the field.  Aim 2 o’clock and head into next field via small gate in far corner.  Turn left and follow hedge of field until you come to 2 gates under an oak tree.  Go through the small gate & descend the tunnel of trees leading down a very steep hill to the stream.  This area is called “Beara Hill” and extends the farm west to this natural water supply where cattle would drink.  Follow the path left over the bank and stream into the wet woodland for approx 100 yards where it crosses the stream back towards Beara Hill.  Turn right here & follow the old fence rising above the stream to the right.  After approx 100 yards the path veers left across the end of an overgrown meadow to a meeting of tracks.  This is the site of ‘Botelet Mine’ where silver lead was mined until around 1880.  Take the inclined track to the left, which will lead you to the top of the woods and the second gate under the oak tree (just before this gate is a quiet open spot with a view - good for a picnic which could be left inside the gate on the way down).  From here you can retrace your steps back to the farm.

Herodsfoot Deerpark Forest and Mines 

Allow 2 to 3 hours for this walk.  Small café and shop at Deer Park Forest. 

At the end of our entrance lane cross over road and take small gate opposite into field with turbines. Walk diagonally across this field until you come to a gateway in the middle of the paralleled hedge.  Go through this field diagonally towards the furthermost gate in the corner.  Now walk straight uphill across this field to a gate on the paralleled hedge adjoining the main road - beware of very busy traffic.  Opposite is the road that leads to Herodsfoot (as indicated on the road sign).  Follow this road for about 1/2 mile.  On your right hand side you will come to signs to Deerpark Forest and a map of some circular walks.  For Herodsfoot mines follow the road for another 1/2 a mile until you see signs for Forest Cabins on your left.  Follow these signs down to the lake. There are circular walks around the lake and back up to the road, and ducks on the lake that children may enjoy feeding.  On your return cross back into the field directly opposite the lane and head down the hill towards Botelet.

Running from Botelet

The lanes around Botelet are generally lovely and quiet for running along - avoid the B3359 (the main road heading in the Looe direction) as although it’s a B road it is busy with fast traffic. Look on an OS map to plan your route, some suggestions are given below:

5km circular route from Botelet
From Botelet, turn either left or right into the lanes then keep turning left (or right) at each junction you come to, the lanes will take you in a circular route of roughly 5km.

To Lerryn
Lerryn is a pretty village set on a tributary of the river Fowey about 4 miles from Botelet. The network of lanes between Botelet and Lerryn means you have lots of different options for how to get there - whether you want to take the most direct route or extend the run. At Lerryn there is a pub and small village shop, if you want to arrange to meet the family in Lerryn! Not that there is one very steep hill with this route, leading down to Couchs Mill on the way to Lerryn (so a steep uphill for the return journey to Botelet).

To Churchbridge woods - with some serious hills!
As you leave the Botelet lane that leads to the farmhouse, turn right. Keep going until you meet the B3359, turn right onto the B3359 (to Looe) taking care as this is a fast road. After about 100m, take the lane on the left signposted too Duloe. Continue along for a couple of miles until you get to the bottom of a very steep hill, there is a bridge over the river (this hamlet is called Churchbridge). At this point you can turn right and follow the woodland paths at Churchbridge. More ambitious runners may want to continue up the other side of the road, taking the steep hill up to Duloe, then you can turn left and make your way back to Botelet via the hamlet of Herodsfoot (check an OS map for details).

On Saturday mornings at 9am there is a 5km Park Run though the grounds at Lanhydrock (15 mins from Botelet) - and the runners stop in the café afterwards to refuel. You are asked to register online before your first Lanhydrock Park Run.