Lanhydrock Parkland Walk
This moderate difficulty, circular walk is a great way to explore the ancient woodland and riverside paths as well as open parkland and beech avenue.
A beautiful estate with ancient woodlands and tranquil riverside paths
Explore part of the 900 acres (364ha) of land surround Lanhydrock House and discover organic parkland full of traditional grassland flowers, bluebell woods, ancient trees, amazing fungi, wildlife and a magnificent beech-lined avenue.
Map
Start:
Lanhydrock main visitor reception, grid ref: SX088636
1
Leave the main car park and follow the signs for Lanhydrock House, crossing the road and entering the park by the reception building.
2
Follow the path down the hill towards Lanhydrock House. Continue past the 17th-century gatehouse, towards the woodland.
Beech Avenue
The magnificent double beech avenue leading away from the gatehouse actually started life as a single avenue of sycamore trees to commemorate the Parliamentarian’s victory in the civil war. In the early 19th century it was converted to a double beech avenue, but a few remaining sycamore trees can be seen in the inner two rows.
3
Go through the wide, unpainted gate next to the cattle grid and continue straight ahead up Garden Drive. Keep going until the path forks ahead of you. Take the left-hand path into the woodland.
Woodland Garden
The Lanhydrock woodland garden extends up the hill to your right. From here, paths wander through a woodland landscape planted in in a semi-formal, Cornish fashion with stands of mature rhododendrons and Himalayan magnolias, wreathed in green lichen. The woodland garden offers superb views down over the house, garden and the Fowey valley landscape.
4
Follow the winding path through the woodland, until the path forks again. Take the right-hand fork.
Lanhydrock Plant Nursery
Through the trees to your right, you will be able to see the Lanhydrock Plant Nursery. The buildings were originally constructed in 1840 when the walled kitchen garden was moved further from the house. Today the Lanhydrock plant nursery provides plants to 43 National Trust properties across the South West, South East and Midlands.
5
Continue along the path as it curves through Great Wood. Eventually it reaches a junction with another path. Turn right and head downhill. Go though the gate and out onto the old Lostwithiel road. Turn right.
Roe Deer
Deer were kept at Lanhydrock hundreds of years ago; you can still spot the old deer wall in places around the estate. Although the herds are long gone, you might still spot the occasional roe deer here in the woods.
6
Follow the lane past the Cornish hedge steps, until you see a gate ahead of you. Take the curved path around the corner to your left and follow it downhill towards the river.
Cornish hedges
Cornish hedges have a stone faces and a core of soil. They make a great home for wildlife; large trees growing from the hedge are a good sign that it is very old.
7
Cross the little stream and take the gate on the left. Follow the path alongside the river and up the hill until you pass through the gate and reach the crossroads again. Turn right and follow the lane toward Newton Lodge.
Bats
Lanhydrock is home to eleven of the UK's fourteen bat species. You can see bats in the evening, swooping and hunting insects over the River Fowey.
8
Walk until you can turn left through the gates by Newton Lodge. Carry on up the hill along Beech Avenue until you see a unpainted wooden gate in the fence on your right.
Horse Trough
This spring-fed feature is thought to be an eighteenth-century horse trough. The quiet lane where it sits was once the busy main road to the town of Lostwithiel.
9
Enter the gate and head across the field towards the Victorian swimming pool. The pool is located in a small copse of trees; you can choose to enter the wooden gate and explore, or you can follow the path as it curves around to the left and head up the field towards the track.
Victorian swimming pool
The swimming pool was installed in 1873; the foundations of the covered changing room can still be seen near the shallow end. Today it is a haven for wildlife including palmate newts, which can often be seen in the warm, shallow water near the steps.
10
Follow the track up hill, past the Ranger's yard and Regional Office buildings on your right. The tracks will lead you back to the reception building where you can head down toward the house and garden or enjoy some refreshments at the Park Café.
Veteran oak trees
There are large numbers of veteran and ancient trees at Lanhydrock. Just before the swimming pool area there is a tree with a hole through the middle. At around 600 years old, this is thought to be one of the oldest trees on the estate, pre-dating the house.
End:
Lanhydrock main visitor reception, grid ref: SX088636