Cardinham Woods

Cardinham Woods is a 650-acre woodland managed by Forestry England, located about 10 minutes east of Bodmin in Central Cornwall. The forest fills a valley carved by a stream and offers five waymarked walking trails ranging from gentle streamside strolls to longer hikes of up to four miles.

One trail passes the remains of Lady Vale Chapel, a 12th-century ruin beside the river, and nearby Lady Vale Bridge - thought to have been built using stones from the chapel. Another route leads to the old Wheal Glynn lead and silver mine, which had a shaft dropping 34 fathoms (about 63 metres) below the forest floor and produced 18 tons of lead in a single year in 1859.

The on-site Woods Cafe serves food and drinks, and there is a children’s play area nearby. Parking is card-only and costs around 3 pounds for two hours, though Forestry England members park free. An all-terrain mobility scooter is available to hire through the Countryside Mobility Scheme for anyone aged 14 and over with limited mobility.

Holiday properties near Cardinham Woods put visitors within easy reach of Bodmin Moor and the coast at Fowey or Polperro, both about 30 minutes by car. The woods are particularly good in autumn when the mixed broadleaf and conifer canopy produces strong colour, and the stream paths stay sheltered from wind. Mountain bikers can use a dedicated trail with optional technical sections graded blue and red by difficulty.