The Kenidjack Valley at St. Just-in-Penwith

Kenidjack Valley at St. Just-in-Penwith

The little Tregeseal River rises somewhere around Lower Bostraze, a mile or so east of St. Just. It reaches the sea at Porthledden Cove, below Cape Cornwall and Kenidjack Head, no more than three miles later and is still only feet wide as it enters the Atlantic. Yet, its 300 foot descent in the mile from the hamlet of Nancherrow - which gave the alternative name to the valley - once powered some of Cornwall's most frantic tin mining activity. In the late 18th century there were fifty waterwheels powering the mines and mills in the valley. Even with the advent of steam power many of the mine engines only needed to work in dry weather. Mining here more or less ceased at the end of the 19th century; first the tin price collapsed in 1870 and then, in 1893 the river burst its banks and destroyed many mine buildings. However, there is still a lot to see, including a great wheel pit close to the cove - which once housed a 52 foot waterwheel - and Carn Praunter, recently conserved by the National Trust along with its mill pond. I visited the site in March 2008 and was glad to find that the NT has also cleared a lot of Japanese knotweed to make access easier - though it is still a struggle in places on the Boswedden Cliff side. For refreshment, I can recommend the good value egg and bacon baps at the Cape Cornwall Golf Club above the NT car park.

A short walk from the National Turst Cape Cornwall car park

Carn Praunter Mine, conserved by the National Trust

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