Walk Of The Month: Luxulyan Valley

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2 December 2022

Luxulyan Valley is two miles of tranquil woodland with the River Par running through it. Positioned just north of St Austell, it is a fascinating heritage site and steep sided valley that once used to be full of alders. The Cornish name for the valley is Glynn Gwernan which means “alder tree valley’.

Spotting industrial remains

In 2006 it was designated as part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site for the fascinating early 19th Century industrial remains that pepper the woodlands. As you walk through the peaceful valley and see the seemingly natural-looking slopes and mature woodland it’s important to remember that the valley as it is now was formed by natural forces and human industry.

As you walk through the valley you may notice remains of the horse-drawn mineral tram-roads poking up through the floor of the woodland paths. Carts were loaded with stone, china clay, copper ore, lime, coal, and mining materials and were pulled along the paths you walk on.

A breathtaking viaduct

One of the most interesting industrial remains in the Luxulyan Valley is the Carnmears Wheel Pit. This is an impressive granite block structure which was built to hold the water wheel which was used to power up the haul that used to loads the trucks. In later years the wheel powered a china clay grinding mill as much of the rusty old wheels left there today are from the china clay era.

The most stand out remain is without a doubt the magnificent ten arch Treffry Viaduct named after Joseph Treffry, the owner of the Fowey Consols mine, which was a highly productive copper mine. This 100ft tall structure spans the whole valley and had two functions. Firstly it carried the mine trucks over the valley. Secondly, it carried the water used to power the wheels in the cameras pit. Today you can walk across the viaduct and admire the forest floor below.

Just around the river bend

The valley is too deep to clear for farmland and too steep to build a housing estate on but it has never been an unchanging idyll. Over the centuries the land has had many uses and it has seen various changes which will continue into the future.

The River Par rises on Criggan Moor and flows through the china clay areas around Bugle before descending through the Luxulan Valley and out to the sea at Par. It is very fast flowing over large boulders and contains a healthy fish population and is a good place to spot otters, dippers and weasels. The woodland is home to various flora, fauna and fungi including over 40 species of fern and many fungi species.

Good to know

The valley is open to visitors every day of the year with a small free parking area provided. Alternatively it can be reached on foot from Luxulyan Village or St Blazey where there is also access to public transport.

You can access an interactive map here https://www.luxulyanvalley.co.uk/the-valley/interactive-map/.