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Discover Bodmin Moor holiday cottages

Discover Bodmin Moor

Deborah Caine 21 August 2024

Rugged, atmospheric, vast and wildly beautiful are just a few words to describe Bodmin Moor, situated in the heart of north-eastern Cornwall. It comprises 80 square miles of granite moorland and is the source of several rivers including the River Fowey and the River Camel. It’s also the location of the Duchy’s two highest points, Brown Willy which is 420 metres above sea level and Rough Tor, which comes in at around 400 metres above sea level. 

The moor dates back to the Carboniferous period and is a designated National Landscape. Hundreds of farms are located on the moorlands and tens of thousands of cows and sheep, as well as a population of around 1,000 ponies run free. Bodmin Moor, Cornwall is also the location of the well-known, olden-day smugglers’ haunt, Jamaica Inn.

As you would expect, the moor attracts plenty of visitors each year, keen to don their hiking boots and discover its stunning scenery and secrets. Our guide will give you the lowdown on what you can expect when taking your own trip out to the moor, including its sights and attractions, parking information and Bodmin Moor’s many myths and legends. On that note, do keep your eyes peeled for the Beast of Bodmin Moor...


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About Bodmin Moor

Photo of The Cheesewring, a natural rock formation on Bodmin Moor

As a designated National Landscape, it’s no surprise that the 80 square miles of moorland in the centre of Cornwall’s north-east, houses an abundance of interesting wildlife, free-roaming ponies and sites of historic interest. There are peaks and tors to explore and views for days. Yes, Bodmin Moor’s untamed, sometimes bleak beauty has a lot to offer!

The ancient moorlands were first farmed during the Bronze Age and evidence of settlements can still be found there. Up on the Moor, you can climb Cornwall’s highest point, Brown Willy, as well as nearby Rough Tor.

From the village of Minions, you can take a short walk to the Hurlers, three mythical Bronze Age stone circles and carry on to the Cheesewring, an astonishing and natural rock formation on top of Stowe’s Hill, comprised of a pile of seven huge rocks which look like they’ve been placed just so. The two stone Pipers and ruins of both Phoenix Mine and Houseman’s Engine House are also in the vicinity. The latter has an exhibition about the area’s history.     

Bodmin Moor is also famed for its Arthurian links with Dozmary Pool. And let’s not forget the infamous feline-esque, Beast of Bodmin Moor which is said to appear every now and again to unsuspecting hikers! The Cornish town of Bodmin itself lies on the edge of the moor and on the town’s outskirts, you’ll find the notoriously spooky and historic Bodmin Jail, which nowadays operates as a popular visitor attraction.   


Bodmin Moor FAQs 

There’s no one answer for this! As well as being a celebrated National Landscape, Bodmin Moor, Cornwall hosts the Jamaica Inn, made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s 1936 novel and subsequent film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself. There have been several other films and television shows made on Bodmin Moor since, including many of the scenes from the BBC’s recent adaptation of Poldark. In addition, tales about the mysterious Bodmin Moor Beast continue to intrigue people worldwide, along with the abundance of other myths and stories surrounding the moorlands.

Yes! Many people drive through the moorlands en route to their coastal holiday, but as an area with beautiful scenery in its own right, Bodmin Moor is certainly worth visiting. And if you’re an avid walker or want to explore the great outdoors with the family, Bodmin Moor offers plenty of scope for adventure.

Quite a lot over the years! Bodmin Moor was first farmed during the Bronze Age and remnants of its past then and since, are dotted throughout the entire area. 

In April 1844, a pretty young woman named Charlotte Dymond who served at Penhale Farm, was tragically murdered on the Moor. Her lover Matthew Weekes was hung for the confessed crime, after having learnt of her intention to run away with another, though there has always been a degree of speculation as to his guilt. At the time, the murder attracted huge interest with the Victorian public. A granite memorial was erected at the base of the Rough Tor near to where Charlotte’s body was found, which remains there today. 

Alfred Hitchcock filmed Jamaica Inn in 1939, after the novel penned by Daphne du Maurier, and more recently, Bodmin Moor lent its visual drama to the BBC in the way of various Poldark filming locations.

It depends where you want to go and what you want to see! For example, there are two free car parks in both the south and north ends of the village of Minions (we had to double check the name too), which provide easy access to the moorlands. 

If you want to see the ancient stone rings, the Hurlers and Cheesewring rock formation, park up at Hurlers car park, PL14 5LE. 

If you’re feeling fairly energetic and fancy climbing Cornwall’s highest peak, Brown Willy, and nearby Rough Tor, you can park for free at Rough Tor car park, Roughtor Road, Camelford, PL32 9QG on the edge of Bodmin Moor.

Though most of the moor is privately owned, the public have the right of way to walk across the majority of the moorlands, and dogs are allowed but should be kept on a lead during nesting season and around sheep and wild ponies. Thick fog and weather changes can roll into the moor in a heartbeat, so go prepared. Take a look at our guide to Bodmin Moor walks below.

You can drive on the roads and lanes of Bodmin Moor, but off-road driving is not permitted.

In 1939, Alfred Hitchcock directed an adaptation of Rebecca Du Maurier’s thriller novel, Jamaica Inn on the Moor. In more recent times, various locations up on the Moor were used during the filming of BBC’s Poldark. Television’s Time Team also took to the moorlands to uncover its ancient history, while Most Haunted investigated the paranormal activity of Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor, as well as that of Bodmin Jail.

Yes, there are around 1,000 ponies roaming the moor. They’re owned by local farmers but live a pretty much free-range life. Similarly, there are tens of thousands of hardy sheep and cattle living out on the moorlands.

Dartmoor National Park is the larger of the two moorlands, coming in at 368 square miles. Bodmin Moor, on the other hand, covers 80 square miles.


Myths and legends of Bodmin Moor 

Photo of Golitha Falls on Bodmin Moor

Bodmin Moor definitely has a unique and mysterious – even mystical – ambience. And it’s no wonder, considering the number of legends and ghostly tales that haunt this area. Visitors quite often describe Bodmin Moor as spooky, and the shrouds of fog which often roll in at a moment’s notice, certainly add to the sometimes-lonely feel of the landscape.

Beast of Bodmin Moor

Does the Beast of Bodmin Moor exist? Oh, the question asked time and again. The Beast of Bodmin Moor is said to be a huge, roaming, black panther-like cat. Though some dismiss the claims, many have claimed to see the infamous huge, black feline stalking Bodmin Moor, and over the years, multiple sightings have often seemed to occur in fairly close succession. Is it a panther, a puma, a wild cat … or possibly something supernatural?   

Said to have been first spotted in 1983, there have since been some 200 reported sightings and videos have been posted online. Some people believe it’s actually a phantom feline, which may explain its typically swift disappearance and now, very old age. You decide.

The Hurlers

Stroll out from the Hurlers car park in the village of Minions, and you’ll come across three circles of Bronze Age stones, known as the Hurlers. The myth surrounding this site claims the stones were once boys and men, who were turned to stone as punishment for playing hurling on a Sunday.

Dozmary Pool and King Arthur

In the parish of Altarnun, this mysterious lake is located in the northern end of the moors of St Neot. In one popular Arthurian myth, it’s said that Dozmary Pool, Bodmin Moor, is where the Lady of the Lake gives Arthur the enchanted sword ‘Excalibur’ in return for an unspecified favour to be paid at a later date. Years later, as Arthur lies dying after battle, he entrusts Sir Bedivere to hurl the sword back into the lake by way of return, whereby the legend says that an ethereal female arm arises from the lake to catch the sword, taking it back down into the deep waters of Dozmary Pool.  

Bodmin Moor ghosts

Bodmin Moor is believed to be haunted by many ghosts and wandering spirits – hence the long section! The ghost of beautiful Charlotte Dymond who was murdered on Sunday 14 April 1844, at just eighteen years old, has been seen dressed in her Sunday best, wandering the area of Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor where she died.


Bodmin Moor walks

Photo of a person walking a dog on moorland

Bodmin Moor offers numerous different walking routes, depending on whether you’re after a jaunt with the kids or something a bit hardier. Just be aware that some parts can be boggy, so take a spare pair of socks! The weather on Bodmin Moor can also change very quickly and the area is prone to mist and fog, so go prepared.

Minions Cheesewring Walk: This circular walk of about 2 miles directs you to the Hurlers stone circles and on to the Cheesewring rock formation. Start and end the walk from the Hurlers car park in the village of Minions. For a short stroll with very young children, you can opt to just walk to the Hurlers stone rings, which is only about 0.25 miles from the car park. It’s also easy to extend your route if you prefer.

Brown Willy and Rough Tor Circular: This 4.5-mile circular route starts and ends at Rough Tor Car Park and directs you to Cornwall’s two highest peaks for stunning, far-ranging vistas. Note that there is rocky ground to navigate near the tors.

The Copper Trail: This very adventurous 60-mile circular walk starts and ends in the village of Minions. It was devised by Mark Camp, who has authored several books about walking on Bodmin Moor, including a book about this particular route. This walk has an emphasis on the region’s mining history but also allows time and space for stunning views and nature spots throughout.

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Pubs on Bodmin Moor

Photo of the outside of Jamaica Inn

There are several pubs on Bodmin Moor and in the nearby surrounds, including the famous Jamaica Inn, as well as one of Cornwall’s oldest pubs.

Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor, sits off of the A30, about halfway between Launceston and Bodmin. Built in 1750 as a coaching inn, it was strategically set between the two towns as a place where horses were changed and passengers, as well as smugglers and pirates, could take a meal and a bed. Jamaica Inn was catapulted into the realms of celebrity after the mysterious thriller, penned by Daphne du Maurier, was published in 1936 and the subsequent Hitchcock film adaptation. To gauge the history and mystery of one of the spookiest of pubs on Bodmin Moor, drop in for a drink, hearty meal or Cornish cream tea!

The Crown Inn, in the village of Lanlivery, is one of the oldest pubs in Cornwall. It is a 12th-century pub built along Saint’s Way, which originally provided accommodation for those building St Brevita Church nearby. Self-described as a ‘pub’ pub, this establishment offers customers a warm Cornish welcome, and a good selection of food and drinks including real ales. Inside, the pub has traditional wooden beams and a real fire and outside, there is a pretty beer garden.

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Things to do on Bodmin Moor

Aerial photo across Bodmin Moor

Bodmin Moor is a haven for nature lovers, history enthusiasts and adventurers. The area is also home to some of Cornwall’s most popular visitor attractions including Bodmin Jail, Pencarrow, Golitha Falls, Lanhydrock and Camel Valley Vineyard to name a few. 

Built in 1779, Bodmin Jail which is now a renowned tourist attraction, has a dark history where a total of 55 prisons were executed until its closure in 1927. You can now visit and learn all about the historic jail building and the day-to-day life of the inmates who were kept here over the centuries. If you’re feeling brave, then you can uncover some of Cornwall’s dark history in its immersive experience, walking in the grim footsteps of the condemned inmates on the state-of-the-art 'Dark Walk'.

Or if you prefer the outdoors, Golitha Falls is well worth a visit. Situated on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor, Golitha Falls is a stunning series of cascading waterfalls set within a serene, wooded gorge. The area is perfect for walkers and is a great, free place to visit.

And lastly, if the adults need a little ‘me’ time, Camel Valley Vineyard is the place for you. Nestled in the picturesque Cornish countryside between Wadebridge and Bodmin, the vineyard is renowned for producing award-winning English wines. The vineyard also offers tours and tastings, all whilst being surrounded by breathtaking views.

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Stay on Bodmin Moor

If you’re looking for adventure and are eager to discover Bodmin Moor for yourself, do check out our range of accommodation options in the local area. From cosy cottages to houses big enough to host the whole gang, we have plenty of holiday let options, ready to welcome you on your next Cornwall getaway.   

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing, please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.

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