Cardinham Woods
Just ten minutes from Bodmin town centre, Cardinham Woods is one of those places locals keep to themselves — 650 acres of ancient and managed woodland rolling across a steep valley, threaded with streams, mining ruins, and trails for every pace and ability.
Trails, Bikes & Wildlife
Four waymarked walking trails range from the gentle Lady Vale streamside stroll to the strenuous Wheal Glynn climb, where the ruins of an old Cornish bubble mine emerge dramatically from the treeline. Buzzards, kingfishers, and dippers are regularly spotted; listen for deer in the quieter glades.
Mountain bikers are well catered for with the Bodmin Beast trail — a blue-graded route with optional red sections that carves through the high forest — plus the Dialled-In-Dave and Hell's Teeth routes for those who want more challenge.
History Hidden in the Trees
The 650-acre woodland harbours a traditional clapper bridge and the remnants of old Cornish tin and copper mines, giving even a gentle walk a sense of discovery. Native woodland flowers carpet the valley floor each spring, and the dappled light through the canopy is genuinely photogenic in every season.
No trip is complete without stopping at Woods Café for homemade cakes and a proper coffee — the perfect reward after the Callywith Hill viewpoint walk, which rewards with sweeping views over the surrounding countryside.
Cardinham Woods on video
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