Trevarno Estate Walk
The walk takes you out of the gardens to visit parts of the Trevarno Estate with its rich variety of history, scenery, wildlife and plants. It is through open country and Estate farmland. It takes about forty-five minutes to walk and is just under two kilometres in length.
Following the clockwise route indicated on the reverse of these directions will provide the best coastal views. Please keep your dog on a lead where signed.
From the Conservatory, go through the Italian Gardens to the tarmac road, turning left up the North Drive. After about 100 metres you will find the Ornamental Pheasant Sanctuary where a few of our pheasants from around the world may be seen (reference E1 on the map). Occasionally you will see a Golden Pheasant outside the sanctuary, he was released some years ago but remains within the gardens sometimes close to the sanctuary.
Continue up North Drive climbing steadily and passing between the tall Scots Pines which line the drive.
After 300 metres you will come to a wooded area on your left (E2). This is a former mining area and MUST NOT BE ENTERED. The mines were worked between 1785 and 1826 and again between 1840 and 1848. After another 50 metres there is a track on your right with a sign Helston Railway Preservation Society. Turn right here (E3) and follow the track to the railway line. For a slight deviation you may wish to visit the railway bridge just a little further up North Drive before returning to E3 and turning right to the railway line.
At the railway line turn right and follow the line. This railway line was a branch line from the main Paddington-Penzance railway and was built in 1887. The first passenger train ran at 9.40 am on 9th May 1887. Sadly the line was the first to be closed as a result of the Beeching report with the last passenger train on 3rd November 1962. The last freight train ran on 5th October 1964 and then the tracks were lifted. Early in 2005 the Helston Railway Preservation Group commenced clearance work to reopen part of the line. www.helstonrailway.co.uk
Continue alongside the railway bed until you are signed to the left (E4) to go on to the railway bed. Turn right and you will shortly come to the start of a cutting. At this point keep to the right and follow the path which climbs between fences to reach a gate (E5). Pass through the gate to the point marked ‘VIEW’ on the plan.
From here you can see Sithney Church on the near right and to your left RNAS Culdrose and Goonhilly Earth Station. In the distance you can see Halzephron Cliff and the sea further to your right is near Porthleven.
You are now on the public footpath. Please keep to the hedge line on your right and keep dogs on leads. Follow the hedge to the field corner (E6). At a field gate you will be able to see Trevarno gardens below you. Continue along the hedge line until you enter some woods and join a farm track. At a gateway take the stile (E7).
From the stile follow the farm track for 2 metres into a clearing. To your immediate right is a gate and next to this a pedestrian gate and field gate into a stock proof lane (E8). Go through the pedestrian gate.
You have now left the public footpath and may allow your dog off the lead until you reach the gate to enter the garden.
Follow the lane through the woods until you enter a field. After two hundred metres you reach a series of gates on a corner (E9) directly ahead of you is Trevarno gardens (sheltered within the Beech woods).
The lane veers left down “Royal Parade” towards a gate at the bottom. As you descend on your left in the woods are the millponds for the old mill further downstream (which is a future restoration project).
Go through the gate at the bottom of the field and cross the small bridge. Follow the lane to the right and after 30 metres turn right through a break in the garden wall to pass over a wooden bridge. Continue ahead for 30 metres and you will arrive at point ‘E’ in the gardens.
From ‘E’ you can go left to the lake, straight ahead to the Woodland Adventure Play Area and Conservatory Tea Room or right through the Beech Woods.
Disabled access is suitable from ‘C’ along North Drive to the bridge and return to ‘C’.
Dog waste bins are provided at E3 and the gate at the end of “Royal Parade”.
