Thursday, April 17

Magic Of The Fowey Hall Walk Where King Charles I Narrowly Escaped Death - 30+ Exclusive Photos

River Fowey, Cornwall

Yesterday we went on one of my favourite walks, known locally as the Hall Walk. For me it's very magical, to think that King Charles I trod the very same paths in the mid 1600s: during the civil war on 17th of August 1644 King Charles narrowly escaped death when a shot killed a poor fisherman who was standing where the King had stood but a short while before.

The walk is at Fowey, Cornwall and is about 10 miles from where I live. The photo above shows the banks of the river where the walk takes us.

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After parking the car we head straight to the road over looking the river ...

Polruan Cornwall

... and take in the views until we reach from what was once Sir Arthur Quiller Crouch's house - by the side of this is the small passenger ferry that will take us across the River Fowey to the small village of Polruan.

House of Sir Quiller-Couch at Fowey Cornwall

We didn't wait long for the ferry, they run quite frequently.

Passenger Ferry Fowey to Polruan Cornwall

From the ferry there are good views. This old sailing boat was moored up.

Old sailing ship on River Fowey Cornwall

Once at Polruan we pass the Lugger Inn on the small quay ...

Lugger pub Polruan Cornwall

... and then wind our way along the narrow street as we head for the hills along by the river.

Polruan Cornwall

We climb quite steadily but the views are magnificent once there is a break in the trees.

View of Fowey from Polruan

You never know what you might see on the wooded path. Goodness knows how this cockerel got there, but he didn't seem too bothered about us.

Woods along Hall Walk Cornwall

As we walk further along the path  we leave the villages behind and the part of the river we are now walking is a small tributary of the River Fowey called Pont Pill.

Hall walk Fowey Cornwall

The tide is out so the river here is very low as we walked.

Hall Walk - National Trust - Cornwall

After quite a climb we see Pont below us and this is where we will cross Pont Pill.

Hall Walk Cornwall

First though we make a detour to visit the lonely church at Lanteglos-by-Fowey. I'll write more about the church another day (see The Saint Carried His Decapitated Head To Where This Cornish Church Was Built) but will just say for now that Daphne Du Maurier was married here in 1932. She renamed it 'Lanoc Church', and featured it in her first novel, The Loving Spirit.

Lanteglos-by-Fowey church

We return to the walk and reach the tiny quayside hamlet of Pont. It's hard to imagine that this was once a thriving quay where sailing barges would unload coal, fertiliser and limestone.

It's now a lovely quiet spot and we had some lunch here - which we had brought with us - sitting by the wooden bridge.

Pont, Cornwall

There's a sign on the building from 1894 showing charges once made at this quay for discharging Grain, Timber, Manures, Coal and Sand. Today though we sit there completely undisturbed.

Old sign at Pont Cornwall

After our lunch, having crossed the Pont bridge, we head up the other side. The rocks can be quite slippery when wet but for us the sun was shining.

Hall Walk rocky path from Pont

For a while a lot of the views are hidden by the trees.

Hall Walk heading towards Boddinick Ferry

We cross an old stone cattle grid ...

Very old stone cattle grid Cornwall

... and into a farmer's field where there is a 'right of way'.

Farmers field Cornwall

Once out of the field and back on a path the views open up before us, showing the entrance to the River Fowey. On the hill to the right of the photo it's possible to just make out the Gribbin Beacon on Gribbin Head. This is where much of Daphne Du Maurier's book Rebecca is based and also the house Manderley. The Gribbin farmland is the location for the murderous avian attacks on The Birds.

River Fowey view Cornwall

Continuing the walk we can now see the small town of Fowey on the opposite of the river.

Fowey and river Fowey Cornwall

We leave the coastal path and head down a road to the Boddinick Ferry to make our way across the Fowey River once again.

Near Boddinick Ferry Cornwall

We pass The Old Ferry Inn and ...

Lugger Pub Cornwall

... wait for the ferry. This time it also transports cars as well as walkers.

Boddinick Ferry Fowey Cornwall

Slap bang next to the ferry terminal is Ferryside the house where Daphne Du Maurier once lived. By a fluke the gate was open so I snapped a quick photo of the property.

Ferryside Daphne Du Maurier's house Cornwall

On the ferry there is a frontal view of Ferryside.

Daphne Du Maurier house Cornwall

Once off the ferry we make our way through the streets of Fowey ...

Approaching Fowey Cornwall

... but the river is always within reach.

Fowey and Fowey River

We pass the shops ...

Fowey main street, Cornwall

... a pub, of course ...

The Lugger pub, Fowey Cornwall

and the local Fowey church.

Church at Fowey Cornwall

From here we head back to our car, once more taking in the river views.

Fowey River Cornwall

It's not a long walk. I think we did about 6.5 miles by taking taking in the Lanteglos church as well.

Fowey walk

Photos: © Mike Perry

Other Similar Cornish Posts:
Menabilly Daphne Du Maurier's Manderley In Cornwall
Magical Walk With Daphne Du Maurier To The Gribbin
The Magic Of Fowey Cornwall

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12 comments:

  1. Suzie17:27

    Wow! All I can say is amazing. How beautiful (and magical) it all looks. Love the photos, thanks.

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    1. The weather made the day. After all of the rain it was sunshine all the way.

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  2. You know Mike that you could turn these posts into a book/s.
    "Walks in Cornwall" or something like that and sell them to us Emmetts ?-)

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    Replies
    1. Trish has suggested something similar, but I always find an excuse not to do it. Perhaps when the time 'feels' right. As you say the emmetsmight buy them.

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    2. I saw "The Lego Movie" the other night and I thought of you and your "emmets" term for tourists Mike,when I saw the main character was named Emmet and wore a name badge with the name on it.Good movie,too.

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    3. I was thinking of watching that with my grandson who loves his Lego. Interesting that the main character is Emmet. In Cornwall it's because the tourists are like ants.

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  3. As I was going through this post, I was thinking, again, These walks should be a book! This 6.5 mile walk is gorgeous! And to be surrounded by so much history....The book is whispering to you, Mike.

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    Replies
    1. I think it'll have to whisper a bit louder at the moment - but who knows I may well listen one day.

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  4. have a happy easter mike. always like your cornish posts and the photos. makes me envious

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Tom - have an enjoyable Easter.

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  5. Mike... This is a splendid share, the walk was gorgeous and your narration entertaining. I just loved this article.... thank you very much for the recommendation, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, glad you found it interesting.

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