5 Dog Friendly Woods in Cornwall
Bowie loving the mud of ethy woods
Some might say that Cornwall is all about the coastline. Or that Australians are all about the coastline. But I am actually much more of a forest (bush!) antipodean and Cornwall has so many great, protected forests to speak of.
I confess that I am a bit picky about my forests. Jim knows this too well. If we go past an area of pine plantation, where the trees are evenly spaced, he likes to point out that it does not get my seal of approval. And he would be correct. A true forest must have old growth, sporadic tree placement (ie, natural seed dispersal) and heterogenous heights of plants. Basically, some diversity in plant species which means it is a healthy system that has been working well without human intervention.
Anyway, with the help of my handy guidebook I picked up recently (Wild Guide Devon, Cornwall and the Southwest*), I’ve managed to find where some of these old gen’ woodlands are. The great thing is, with poochie now on board, woods are more often than not, very dog friendly. Which makes a difference to a lot of Cornish beaches at this time of the year (sans Newquay- aka dog city). Plus they are shady and will likely have a stream so pups can play about in relative coolness while the beach doggies bake.
So, following are a list of woods that we have recently been to that both fit my criteria, and Bowie had a great ol’ time in. (I’m a rubbish blogger as my photo game definitely needs improving, so use the links for a better idea of each place). There are many more and those we went to have much left to offer, so hopefully I will be able to do another 5 soon!
Cardinham Woods
I’ll start with a pretty popular one for this area. Cardinham Woods was mentioned to me by a friend when I first arrived, so I had wanted to check it out for a while. It has paid parking, well marked walking/ cycling/ horse riding routes, a cafe a picnic area and even a dog wash (you have to pay for it, but it’s a nice addition). We actually didn’t go too far in to the woods as Bowie was having such a great time in the stream that runs alongside one of the main paths. He couldn’t get enough of it. Lots of mud and pools and rock bridges for him, plus so much to smell. We weren’t too fussed about doing a big walk this visit, so we just let him play in the stream. It’s definitely one to return to.
Idless Woods
A smaller area of woodland in comparison to Cardinham, Idless has a mixture of different tree species in different areas. (Still fits my criteria as the majority are quite old/ big and intermingled with other foliage). It has free parking and a little cafe. We walked with Jim’s parents up the steep path that ends up overlooking a field and beyond, then circled around to the stream to return. The area of tall pines were allowed my grace as they were clearly planted, but a very long time ago. They were massive- I almost thought they were Redwoods. Plus they have eucalypts trees- always a win for me even if though they aren’t native- just getting that smell of home is the best! Bowie loved sniffing everything, racing up the hill, ploughing through some bracken and splashing in the stream. He did get a tick on him which I luckily spotted when we got back to the car.
Ethy Woods
Ethy is a ‘small mixed woodland that lies adjacent to the estuary of the River Fowey and its tributaries’ (couldn’t have said it better Woodlands Trust). It doesn’t have its own parking, but we found a spot in Lerryn’s free village car park. It is small so you’d want to go at a quiet time. We hopped over the stones that cross the river as it was low tide, then took a left up to the signposted woodland area. Although it does run alongside the Fowey, it is a bit of a drop in places, and super muddy when the tide is out. So watch your pooch. Bowie had to go on the lead for some parts and became very muddy in all. We walked up to a bend where you can see the tributary join Fowey main. If you keep going, you get to St Winnow and you can go a different way back. But Bowie had had enough by then. He enjoyed the mud the most. On the way back to the car, the tide was in so we had to wade/ bounce over the stepping stones. It was a bit disorientating with the uneven rock and reflective water. Bowie swam across without thinking which is more than he ever does on the beach! (You can walk up to the bridge if the tide is too high). Scones at the local cafe are up there with the best I’ve ever had.
Tremayne Woods
Tremayne was a wonderful little find, thanks to that guide book mentioned earlier. Quite out of the way, down a narrow, steep lane that you’d miss if you didn’t know to go there. You park up where the stream goes under the road- there is only space for a few cars, but it’s free and take the path towards the mouth of the Helford. Honestly, you feel like you’re in a different country when you pop out at the river. Shrubby and still with little sign of civilisation. Oh, apart from the wild campers who left a smouldering pile of plastic on their fire. (Story for another time, but it makes me so angry! Luckily, I checked the only other tent there to see if I could borrow a bin bag but they were just about to do the same thing. Honestly! It will be taken away from us all if you can’t use it properly!!! Maybe not story for another time- gotta get that rant out!).
The views were stunning, the weather was great and there was a great mix of vegetation and places for Bowie to play in the water- both stream and river. He loved it. We were told that sometimes there are aggressive dogs in the area though, so keep a close eye. I’d definitely come back and try to access another part of this woodland, or even hire a kayak and spend the day on the river. ‘Proper lush’ as they say here.
Carnanton Woods
We were told about the wild garlic and the Japanese Gardens at St Mawgan from a friend, but I didn’t realise how wooded it would be when we arrived. St Mawgan is a beautiful little village inland from Mawgan Porth, so not far from us in Newquay centre at all. We went in Spring and the wild garlic and bluebells were EVERYWHERE. I had heard also that there was a good long walk from St Mawgan to St Columb Major (and on to Mawgan Porth if you want it when you loop back), so we decided to check it out. This takes you through Carnanton Woods. There is a clear path up behind the village car park and many, MANY signs saying to clean up after your dog. It also says that you should keep your dog on a lead. I don’t know what’s prompted that but I don’t think it was always so. I expect the locals get pretty annoyed with irresponsible dog owners (who doesn’t?!), and also after doing a bit of online research, pheasants breed here- so that could spell trouble for some dogs. Regardless of being on the lead, Bowie loved this woodland. I think it was his first time experiencing forest smells and a stream is always a tick in his books. Definitely worth checking out as it is so accessible and the village’s well known Falcon Inn has a lovely beer garden! One day we will do the full walk to St Columb.
To note:
Please check online for most recent advice on where doggos are allowed and always obey signs.
Pick up your poop and TAKE IT WITH YOU! That goes for any poop bag. Any eco-credential a poo bag claims, they still don’t break down in the natural environment in a short enough time span to not potentially do damage to wildlife. Even the best ones will not break down in under three months under optimum conditions. Just bin it.
Don’t let poochie off the lead if it is likely to destroy wildflowers, harass wildlife, or if you can’t control them around other people, pets and livestock.
Check for ticks after any woodland walk time.
*I haven’t been sponsored for anything in this post. That guide book is genuinely great for finding hidden spots.
