Saint Cleer: Granite Landscape, Paths and Cornish History

Saint Cleer combines impressive evidence of Cornish history with a landscape of granite outcrops, waterways and varied footpaths. Those wishing to shape a trip around culture and activity will find distinctive places here for different day plans: from a holy well and medieval crosses to paths along Siblyback Lake and in the area around the River Fowey.

Historic Places with Unusual Details

St Cleer's Well is a holy well dating from the late 15th century and was restored in 1864. The well and the associated wayside cross probably date from the 15th century and were presumably created at the same time. The medieval churchyard cross at St Cleer is designed as a wheel-headed cross with four openings; its intricately carved head probably dates from the 10th century. A fragment of this churchyard cross was discovered in 1904 during the restoration of the church and re-erected on a modern shaft in 1934.

King Doniert's Stone also reaches far back into the history of the region. The two fragments associated with the stone are considered the only surviving examples of 9th-century stone crosses in Cornwall. The stone bears interlace decoration and the inscription “Doniert Rogavit pro anima”. For visitors who appreciate historical details, this combination of intricate design, inscription and surviving fragments is particularly interesting. King Doniert's Stone can be viewed from a roadside lay-by; parking is available immediately beside the site.

Treverbyn Bridge and the places in the surrounding area add further historical highlights. Treverbyn Bridge is an early medieval three-arched bridge and was extensively rebuilt around 1412. It forms part of a historic route between the historic towns of Bodmin and Liskeard. The surrounding area also includes The Hurlers, three stone circles arranged in a row dating from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. This grouping is unique in England. Minions preserves rows of former miners' houses and chapels dating from the period of the Caradon mining boom.

Footpaths, Lake and River Landscape

There are 32 footpaths in and around Saint Cleer. Several named paths offer different options for planning your day: FP17 connects Higher Tremar Coombe with St Cleer Well Lane, FP20 connects Tremar Coombe with Trethevy Quoit, and FP14 leads from King Doniert's Stone to Saint Cleer. This allows you to combine cultural destinations and walks in your plans without concentrating every activity on the same route.

The surrounding landscape includes Siblyback Lake, Golitha Falls on the River Fowey and rugged granite outcrops. At Golitha Falls, the River Fowey cascades down from the high moorland over a series of steps. Siblyback Lake offers a 5-kilometre circular route suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs and bicycles. It also has a café, car park, toilets, showers and a children's playground. This means a trip to the water can be planned differently from a walk to historic stones or along the paths around Saint Cleer.

From the village of Minions, The Cheesewring can be reached in a northerly direction via well-used paths. This outing complements the historic impressions of The Hurlers and Minions with a destination in the granite landscape. When choosing your holiday apartment or holiday house, it may therefore be decisive which excursions are intended to be the focus: paths and lake, historic monuments or a mixture of both.

Guidance for Planning Your Trip

The Church of St Clarus is open daily during the day, usually from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the chapel is open for silent prayer. Together with St Cleer's Well, the churchyard cross and King Doniert's Stone, it creates a cultural focus that differs from the landscape experiences at Siblyback Lake and on the River Fowey. Families can plan the circular route at Siblyback Lake and the playground there for a day with children, while older children or adults may be more interested in the stone circles, bridges and inscriptions.

Saint Cleer is therefore suitable as a base for a trip in which you can give nature and history the emphasis you prefer. Specific names and route destinations provide reliable guidance, rather than generalised promises about distances or accessibility.

For more ideas for places on the portal, you can also view Cardinham, Looe, Mawnan Smith, Camborne, Gorran Haven, Feock, Ruan High Lanes and Penryn.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cornwall.