Walk 7 - Wheal Coates, Chapel Porth, Wheal Lawrence Valley and Goonvrea

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Follow the path through the willow bushes and at a crossroads in the paths, turn left through the 'kissing gate'. Cross the stream, and a concrete bridge over a smaller spring. Turn right and follow the track along the Wheal Lawrence valley, ignoring a turning to the left by an open gate, where the track again crosses the stream. In recent years oak, beech, larch and other young trees have been planted in this area.

On the left by the stream, a copse of small elms has grown again after larger specimens succumbed to Dutch elm disease. On the right, there are the heaps and shafts of further mineworkings. A bend in the valley provides shelter from the prevailing winds, and on the left, a cottage with early-flowering camellias, magnolias and azaleas fits snugly into the hillside. The trees in the garden provide homes for many birds, including jays, long-tailed tits and goldcrests. In spring, the lush vegetation in the valley J encourages migrant birds such as chiff chaffs, black caps and, less frequently now, willow warblers. In sunny weather, dragon and damsel flies appear, and speckled wood butterflies are resident. 150 metres from the cottage the track passes, on the right, a pipe from which water flows all the year round K. This spring and the stream it joins must have been used for thousands of years by local people. Flint scrapers and flakes dating from 5,000 BC have been found in the field behind the water-chute.

A few metres beyond the spring, turn left, (stepping over a little stream if it's wintertime!) into a narrow lane L and follow this up the side of the slope, listening for the buzzard which nests in the nearby pine trees. Part of this lane probably follows the line of the ancient Bolster Bank or Dyke as it runs towards Chapel Porth. At the top end, it emerges by houses on to a wider lane. Turn left up a steep slope. Head straight across the Chapel Porth road, following a footpath sign which says 'Public Bridleway'. Turn left when you reach another road, Beacon Drive, and follow it for a kilometre, looking out (between July and March) for curlews in the neighbouring fields. You will then find yourself back at Wheal Coates car park.