Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England. It is 208 square kilometres (80 sq mi) in size, and dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. Many of Cornwall’s rivers have their sources here. It has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic era, when primitive farmers started clearing trees and farming the land. They left their megalithic monuments, hut circles and cairns, and the Bronze Age culture that followed left further cairns, and more stone circles and stone rows. By medieval and modern times, nearly all the forest was gone and livestock rearing predominated.
Stowe’s Hill
Is a prominent granite ridge located about 1500 metres north of Minions, the highest village in Cornwall. It is dominated by Stowe’s Pound, a huge tor enclosure comprising two massive stone-walls. The smaller enclosure surrounds the tors at the southern end of the hill; the larger one encircles the rest of the ridge. At the southern end is a large, disused quarry.
The hill is best known as the site of the Cheesewring, the extraordinary granite formation that gave the quarry its name. It is a natural geological formation, a rock outcrop of granite slabs formed by weathering. The name derives from the resemblance of the piled slabs to a “cheesewring”, a press-like device that was once used to make cheese.
Legend
A local legend says that the Cheesewring is the result of a contest between a man and a giant. When Christianity had just been introduced to the British Islands, the giants who lived at the top of the mountains were not happy about it. The saints had invaded their land and were declaring their wells as sacred. One of the larger giants, Uther, was given the task of ridding their land of the saints. He confronted the frail Saint Tue, who proposed a rock throwing contest. If Uther won, the saints would leave Cornwall. If Saint Tue won, then the giants would convert to Christianity. Uther took his turn first and easily threw a small rock to the top of nearby Stowe’s Hill. Tue prayed for assistance, and picking up a huge slab found it was very light. One after the other, they threw their rocks, stacking them up in perfect piles. When the score was twelve stones each, Uther threw a thirteenth stone, but it rolled down the hill. Tue picked up this fallen stone, and as he lifted it, an angel appeared to carry it to the top of the pile of rocks. Seeing this, Uther conceded, and most of the giants decided to follow Christianity after that.
The Hurlers
Are a group of three stone circles in the civil parish of St Cleer. The name “Hurlers” derives from a legend, in which men were playing Cornish hurling on a Sunday and were magically transformed into stones as punishment. The “Pipers” are supposed to be the figures of two men who played tunes on a Sunday and suffered the same fate.
Conservative grazing
Areas such as Davidstow, West Moor, East Moor and parts of the ancient manors of Hamatethy and Blisland provide extensive grassland with cattle, sheep and ponies
Close by is the Bodmin General Station with working old steam trains. The railway takes you on a short ride either to Boscarne Junction or Bodmin Parkway.
I enjoyed the Bodmin area and especially liked climbing the Cheesewring slabs as from there you have a magnificent view across the land. Definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area.