Walk 8 - Water Lane, Wheal Butson and Jericho Valley

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Having reached a road at the top, turn left. From this road the view to the left is out- standing, although it does not appear to be high it gives a panoramic view of the countryside from Wheal Kitty to the north round to the wind-turbines at Carland Cross and the massive "mountains" of pit spoils in the clay country around St Austell to the east. Soon the road starts to descend to a bridge across a stream. It then sweeps right and climbs quite steeply before a branch to the left is seen. Take this left turn. (Instead of following the road around this steep corner you can take a short-cut by turning left shortly after the bridge and climbing up and over a steep, rocky hillock. Turn left as you rejoin the road.)

After the short, steep climb at the corner this pleasant road becomes more tree-lined as it makes a gentle descent. After about 1/4 of a mile, as the road starts to ascend, we can see on our left an even greater reminder of the dead railway C. A magnificent viaduct straddles the valley. Then a lane to the left, clearly marked Liberty House, is to be found. It looks very private but is the course of a public footpath; turn down this lane. On our way down we pass under a railway bridge D that is so close to the viaduct that it almost seems like a sixth arch. Then, when the lane splits to serve the two adjacent houses, a footpath sign on the right points to a well delineated path that skirts round the guesthouse, Liberty House. Take this path. Continue by a tree-lined descending path into a thicker wooded stretch. On the way down the path crosses a stream by a small footbridge. Our path now follows that stream on its way to the sea although it is not always visible in the thick woodland. The path then meets the Perranporth road at Barkla Shop. Cross the road to the path at the other side but take great care as fast cars may roar around the blind corner on the right.

We are now entering Jericho Valley; our path is another pretty woodland walk but it wasn't always like this . This is the beginning of what was a very active tin mining area. Over the years nature has fought back to hide the scars caused by both the dumping of the discarded spoils of the industry and the devastation caused by the surface workings. In the main it is now covered by trees or a mixture of gorse, heather and fern. as it leads down to join a lane. Follow the path to the junction with a lane, turn right and after a few strides turn right again over a bridge. Now follow the stream by taking the path to the left. This part is heavily wooded but leads on to a more open, steeply sided valley. This dreamy path with its tinkling water accompaniment leads to what is the very last tin producing establishment in Cornwall, The Blue Hills Tin Streams. Their buildings are to seen on the left of the path. F This cottage industry is run by a father and son who not only produce the tin but turn it into jewellery and souvenirs. They also give demonstrations of the many processes necessary to turn ore into the bright, shiny metal. The engine house of the old Blue Hills mine is to be found on the right just as the path joins the road. This point also gives us our first glimpse of the sea in the vee of the valley as it opens into Trevellas Porth.

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