St Austell circular

Directions and points of interest

The route is challenging (particularly if wet or muddy) because of its inclines but you are rewarded by some glorious views throughout the walk of the whole of St Austell bay, St Austell town and railway viaduct and the valley leading into it, as well as some views of the old china clay workings that took place in the valley.

 Starting from the Clay Trails/footpath junction adjacent to Bodmin road. Follow the Clay Trail north away from town, passing the large old abandoned clay dry with its tall chimneys, just past a telegraph pole on the right and opposite a small industrial estate on the left take a small unmarked footpath on the right up some granite steps and through a kissing gate. (If you get to the bridge you have missed the footpath and will need to re-trace your steps).

Once through the gate the path leads onto a drive way where you follow the sign right up a steep hill. At the house gate follow the sign left along another drive leading to Bojea Barn, a little further on at Bojea farm you reach a tarmac road beside an electricity substation, turn left and take this road on up the hill. Turn right at a T junction and then right at the next T junction which brings you onto Mount Stamper road a quiet, winding, single track road towards the telecommunications tower.

Passing the tower and another electricity sub station, ignore the footpath on the left and look for the footpath sign on the right which is a little further down the road.

Go through the kissing gate onto this path, carry on straight and then go through a second kissing gate, descend the stone steps and follow the narrow steeply descending path. On reaching a flight of steps, go down these and bear left onto a drive way, follow the drive down to the Clay Trails junction you started from.