Parked west of Pensilva on the edge at Tokenbury Corner.
Explored the mining landscape of Caradon Hill and the eastern side of Craddock Moor.
Mining in Cornwall began in the early Bronze Age, around 2150 BC, and ended with the closure of South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall in 1998. During the 19th Century, mining in Cornwall reached its peak, with around 2,000 mines in action across the county. Some of the mines stretched out to sea including the Levant Mine which extended for over 2.5km under the sea, and reaching depths of 640 metres.
The presence of valuable rocks and minerals was due to the intrusion of granite into the surrounding sedimentary rocks around 280 million years ago. Minerals formed when fluids escaped along fractures in the hot granite as it cooled and are typically found in veins or washed into streams to form loose rock (alluvium). Minerals included copper, tin, arsenic, lead and zinc, amongst others.
The extraction of minerals became integral to the economic success of Cornwall and was successful until the 20th century when other countries across the world became commercially more viable. Mining still exists in Cornwall today, with a small amount of tin, kaolin, granite, building stone and aggregates.
Caradon Hill was once famous for its copper mines but these are now closed. The South Caradon Copper Mine was the biggest copper mine in the UK in its heyday in the second half of the 19th century. It was started in 1833 and closed in 1886, and produced over 200,000 tons of copper ore. Before it was closed, it was the 6th most productive copper mine in Cornwall. Other disused copper and tin mines are scattered around the base of the hill, including the Wheal Phoenix, well known among mineral collectors. The ruins of the Prince of Wales engine house are prominent at Wheal Phoenix. Granite was also quarried nearby. The mining area around the southwest base of the hill form part of Crow's Nest SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
Caradon Hill is today an area littered with disused mines and associated mining buildings. Instead of multitudes of miners, the landscape is peppered with flocks of sheep. The disused railway has been adopted by the Railway Paths Charity which which owns and manages a portfolio of former railway land to provide routes, roads and paths suitable for cycling, walking, horseriding and wheel-chair use. It is still clear to see the stones which would have held the railway sleepers and these now form part of the pathway.
Heading back out of St Clears I stopped to look at three stone circles, known locally as "The Hurlers". 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 stone circles are thought to be from around the Bronze age era. One of the circles may have been paved in its centre, whilst another may have been inlaid with quartz crystals. The purpose of stone circles is still out for debate amongst archaeologists. However, it is commonly accepted that they provide a setting for rituals or ceremonies.
Weather, ~10 degrees celsius, brisk breeze when exposed.
Conditions underfoot, generally dry bar one footpath which had a river running down it.
