Penpont Water is one of several meandering streams and rivers that rise from the centre of Bodmin Moor in the middle of Cornwall. This stream flows through Altarnun before joining the River Inny near the village of Polyphant, just off the A30. The Inny then flows into the River Tamar to the north of Horsebridge. The Tamar eventually reaches the sea via Plymouth Sound. This was pictured near the village of Bowithick. Penpont Water has several separate sources within a mile of here. The source of the River Fowey is also in this area of the moor.
Tags: Cornwall Bodmin Moor Penpont Water streams trees
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Having visited Altarnun we decided to investigate a country lane on the north side of Bodmin Moor, and found ourselves driving parallel to Penpont Water, where we came to this old rough stone packhorse bridge, footbridge and ford just this side of the village of Bowithick. I then realised that this must almost certainly be the ford I had crossed some fifty years ago when I first visited this area with a couple of friends in a rather ancient Hillman Minx. We hadn't really known where we were, and I hadn't found the ford again. It brought back a few memories.
We drove gingerly through it and up to the small herd of cattle who were resolutely blocking the road. We sat there for a few minutes and then a couple of quick toots on the horn persuaded them to move and we were on our way.
Tags: Cornwall Bodmin Moor Bowithick Bridge Grade II-listed bridges Penpont Water fords streams cattle Bowithick
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Altarnun is simply one of the most beautiful Cornish villages that I have come across. There has been a church here since the sixth century, though the present church dates mainly from the 15th century. The rectory is featured in Daphne du Maurier's novel, "Jamaica Inn". The inn itself is about five miles up the road from here at Bolventor. This beautiful village lies in the valley of Penpont Water, which is crossed by a 15th century packhorse bridge. The stream eventually joins the River Tamar and thence to the sea at Plymouth.
The grade I-listed Church of St Nonna was built from stones from an earlier church plus unquarried stones from the moor. It is regarded by Simon Jenkins as one of England's Thousand Best Churches.
Tags: Cornwall Altarnun Bodmin Moor St Nonna's Church, Altarnun England's Thousand Best Churches Grade I-listed buildings medieval packhorse bridges Penpont Water Georgian cottages villages
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This was taken from a little lane that runs along the eastern edge of Bodmin Moor between the villages of Minions and Henwood. Sharp Tor, which is some 1,230 feet high, absolutely dominates the area. This is old copper- and tin-mining country, with the large remains of the Phoenix United Mine just on the eastern side of this lane.
Tags: Cornwall Bodmin Moor Sharp Tor country lanes trees
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During a long weekend one dank November over forty years ago we used to drive across Bodmin Moor from Liskeard in the evenings to sit with a pint in front of a blazing log fire in the Jamaica Inn. In those days it was not the highly commercialised place that it has become now, and I still cherish memories of that off-season weekend break.
The Grade II-listed building dates from 1750, and having an association with smuggling, it was the setting for Daphne du Maurier's novel Jamaica Inn, which was made into a film in 1939 by Alfred Hitchcock.
Located just off the A30, near the middle of the moor by the hamlet of Bolventor, it was used as a staging post for changing horses. The inn is alleged to be one of the most haunted places in Great Britain. Daphne du Maurier wrote her novel in 1930 when, having gone horse riding on the moors, she became lost in thick fog and sought refuge at the inn. During the time spent recovering from her ordeal, the local rector is said to have entertained her with ghost stories and tales of smuggling. He would later become the inspiration for the enigmatic character of the Vicar of Altarnun.
Tags: Cornwall Bodmin Moor Jamaica Inn pubs inns
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