Spooked at Wheal Peevor

Walk Length: 30 minutes
Muddy Rating: Not very

The Coast to Coast trail, which connects Portreath harbour on the North Cornish coast and Devoran on the South coast, has become increasingly popular over the past few years.  A great deal of money has been invested in making the trail paths well signposted and smooth under foot.  Wheal Peevor, near Redruth, has benefited from this investment.  Until 2003 it was largely forgotten and overgrown, but now boasts being one of Cornwall's best preserved mining complexes. 

Like so many mines in this area, Wheal Peevor was first used to extract copper until tin was discovered beneath.  Eventually by 1887 the price of tin had dropped meaning the mine was no longer financially viable and was abandoned. 

If you've never seen Cornish engine houses, Wheal Peevor is a great place to start.  Or if like me you've seen lots of them, this is still worth a visit, because rarely do you see such in tact buildings which give you the opportunity to explore them safely. 

The site benefits from lots of information boards telling you about each of the mine buildings and how they worked. 

Here I am checking out the buddles.  I always wondered what these things were called.  Apparently large circular brushes were pushed over mined sediment to separate the minerals from the worthless rock dust. All I know is that when I've found them on other walks the buddles have usually turned into big muddy puddles that I can get messy in.  Not at Wheal Peevor though which was dry as a bone. 

Mum was keen to explore all the other mine buildings and I never like to miss out so I tried to go with her but.....those viewing platforms are too scary!!!

In several of the buildings the platform is at ground level but I didn't like the look of the metal walk way.  It had little holes in it so I could see the gap underneath and I don't like heights! I stood on the edge and barked at mum to come back in case something terrible happened to her.  Then mum went up the stair case beside one of the bigger buildings.  I tried to be brave and follow but when I got to the top I got so scared my legs went wobbly and I had to rush back down the stairs to the safety of the grass.

 

Finally, just as I was starting to relax again and enjoy the walk, mum went over to look at a covered mine shaft.  The sign said it was over 600 feet deep so naturally I was very nervous going near it.  I barked down the hole and it echoed back at me making me jump backwards and my legs wobble again.  
  
Hopefully now that mum has had a good look around, next time we visit Wheal Peevor we can just go and walk about and not have to visit the scary bits!!