FOOTPATH WALK - Twelveheads – Tolgullow & return

5.5 miles, approx. 1hr 45 mins.

A longer walk this time, and good footwear required for those muddy parts.

• START by leaving your car in the large lay-by on the right as you approach Twelveheads (1) from Point Mills.
• Walk towards Twelveheads and take the track that leads straight on signed “Poldice Valley”. This is the Mineral Tramways cycle route passing through Hale Mills (2) and Todpool (3) to Portreath. Follow the black arrows pointing to Portreath on the granite posts along the route UNTIL you see one that says “Devoran, (walkers only)” (4). Portreath is arrowed on the same stone but ignore it this time.
• Follow the Devoran route on your left for 100 metres, turning sharp LEFT just before the main St Day to Scorrier road. Go through the small swing gate with the misleading rough sign about “Phypophtholia” on it. Ignore the sign, this is a public footpath open to everyone. You are now heading back in the direction you came, with the cycle trail across the valley to your left.
• Follow the wide path before taking a LEFT turn onto a narrow track some 10 metres before a farm gate with a sign saying “Private” & “Cattle in Field”. A glance to your left will see Wheal Unity looking down over the valley. Over the stile and continue until the path meets the St Day to Chacewater road (5). You will have noticed granite stones set in the path – they were the bed of the Portreath – Crofthandy tramway.
• LEFT at the road, down the hill 20 metres then RIGHT at the black arrow on the granite post. STRAIGHT ON, bearing LEFT past a shaft with a new stone wall around it until you meet the road (6). STRAIGHT ACROSS towards Devoran. A choice of 3 paths very soon, take the middle one passing the tall arsenic stack immediately on your left. Then RIGHT up the track towards Crofthandy village.
• LEFT before you reach the main road (some 40 metres away), up past the property “Pensilva” (7). Bear RIGHT where the path forks and continue on this track. It will get narrow after the last property on your left, then even narrower as you now descend. Keep bearing left down over the mine waste (the orange water of a Wheal Maid tailings pond is below you on the right).
• This path will then meet the original cycle trail at Hale Mills (8) so turn RIGHT and follow it back to Twelveheads and your start point.