Lanhydrock House to The Eden Project Restormal Castle at Lostwithiel and back along the Fowey river.

( I'm sorry but many of the pictures are large and best viewed via a broadband connection)

The car park at Respryn bridge on the Fowey river just below Lanydrock house makes a good starting point. Leaving the car park you turn right and cycle up the hill towards Bodmin. You quickly see the cycle route signs on your right pointing to Bodmin Parkway Railway Station and up the hill to Bodmin.

Turn left at the top of the hill and you then pass the car park on your right for Lanhydrock visitors. The visitor entrance to Lanhdrock is then on your left. Shortly after you meet another road and see the signpost for National Cycle Route Number 3 which you then join. Bear left and cross the B3268 Bodmin - Lostwithiel road at the roundabout. The NCR3 takes you along the edge of Penvivian Downs with views on your right over Bodmin. The NCR3 meets the Saints Way and at this point turn left and south to The Eden Project. Follow NCR3 through Trebell Green, past lovely Hellman Tor on the left, Lowertown and Roseny Mill with its little pigsty by the bridge over the stream. When you arrive at Luxulyan bear left past Atwell Farm Touring Park up the steep hill to the church. Here we part company with NCR3 and turn right and then next left over the railway line to Newquay. The first pit stop is the Kings Arms which does light lunches and the usual St Austell Brewery selection of ales. The road from the pub goes uphill and you shortly pass Croft Farm Holiday park on your right. Keep straight on and you arrive at the entrance to The Eden Project.

The first glimps of The Eden Project is a not very impressive landscape of car parks and the visitors centre, but as the trees in the car parks mature this will change. When you leave you want to take the road going off to the left shown in this view . Finally you get a glimpse of the biome tops peaking out of the their china clay pit. Arriving at Eden by cycle give you a concessionary entrance fee. A view of the Tropical Dome in early spring ..... The two main biomes and the little town growing around the project ..... The temprate biome ..... Carlyon Bay from The Eden Project's car parks .

When I left and cycle off back towards Lanhydrock I can't help help humming Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" (www.allmusic.com is a great reference). The route out is back the way you arrived and then right at the first junction. You are now back on NCR3 which you left at Luxulyan. At this side exit for Eden you turn left and climb up the hill. Take the first right near the brow of the hill. This is the back road to Prideaux House. On the right you get a distant view of the the old iron age hill fort which commanded the head of Carlyon Bay. Faint traces of the ramparts can still be seen in the hillside. Looking back you can just make out the Eden Project .You bear left passing the rear of Prideaux House which has amazing views . One wonders what it must be like to look out from one of their top story windows. Take the left turn and then it is down hill into Luxulyan valley. Shortly you arrive at Treffry Aquaduct / Viaduct a lovely sight flying and curving over the deep wooded valley. Just after the viaduct you turn right off NCR3 and up the hill. About half way up you meet a branchline Tramway which went to the viaduct and then off to Par. At Trethevey bear left and the last climb is up to Sandy Way Bridge . Turn right and stop and enjoy the rewarding view of the moorlands and pits of Roche to your right. The whole of Carlyon Bay down to the Lizard with distant views of the Rame peninsula on your left. It's now the start of a pleasant down hill ride to Lanlivery. Take the first left and in the village left again for 12th century Crown Inn by the church. When you leave Lanlivery follow the Saints Way towards Lostwithiel. Take the left fork at the little triangular green and immediately afterwards the next left. It is up hill to the Bodmin - St Austell road where you again turn left. The first right is the start of a steep decent into Lostwithiel. Before you shoot off down hill have a look at the view. At the bottom of the first hill bear left straight across the road and up a little uphill track which is tarmac but can be very muddy. Then right again, it's all downhill into Lostwithiel. Near the bottom of the hill you can go left to the The Royal Oak Inn which might make another convenient pit stop. They have a selection of real ales.

At the bottom of the hill you join the St Austell to Liskeard road. About 50 metres on take the first road left which leads on the flat to Restormel Castle which sits above the Fowey river. Restormel Castle is small and has an undistinguished history but is certainly worth the climb up the hill Click here for some history of the Castle, an illustration of what it looked like and the Bailey. Returning back down the hill on the left is the entrance to Restormel Farm and the start of the public footpath to Luxulyan House. The public footpath follows the tarmac road (looking back to Restormel castle) from the farm to the Waterworks. Though the footpath is tarmac you still need to dismount and pushing your "push bike". walking the last part of the trip is no hardship and hopefully a pleasant change. Following the river is relaxing and easy going as it is all on the flat. (The alternative is miles extra and you cannot avoid stretches of very busy road with fast moving traffic (60mph). At the Waterworks it is straight along the footpath ( the view looking back ) across the fields. You arrive at a red gate which is the entrance to the Lanhydrock House. (The view looking back from the gate towards the waterworks.) The route is still on public footpaths and Lanhydrock Estate does not allow cycling. At the gate you can turn left and then immediately right and take the Newton lane to Respryn Bridge car park. Alternatively you can turn right and follow the river. Crossing the Bridge in the woods to the far bank and crossing Respryn bridge to get back to the car park. Lanhydrock House is well worth a visit. This ride can comfortably take a whole day and presents a great cross section of Cornwall's landscapes and history.

( I'm sorry but many of the pictures are large and best viewed via a broadband connection)