Bagging Brown Willy

Brown Willy Tor is the highest point in Cornwall, at 1378ft it is number 16 on the traditional county list. What it lacks in height, Brown Willy makes up for in remoteness. You can either walk 3½ miles from Jamaica Inn on the A30 or 2 miles from Rough Tor car park. I opted for the shorter route, which meant I had to walk over the second highest hill in Cornwall to get there.

It was a great afternoon for walking, plenty of sunshine and a gentle wind except on the tops where it did blow a bit. The path to Rough Tor was a very easy climb over lawn-like turf well mowed by the resident sheep and horses. Rough Tor is quite distinctive in shape, with high flat stones balanced on top of each other. There is a Logan Rock which you can move. Not being a Marilyn, I didn’t feel the need to explore it but scrambled down the other side towards Brown Willy about a mile and half away, only visible once you breasted Rough Tor.

Someone had thoughtfully put out some blue flags for a cross country race which led all the way to the top. It was a bit of a plod but not as steep as Lewesdon Hill last week. On the way I passed a ruined farmhouse surrounded by trees bent backwards by the wind, testament to how harsh the climate can be.

Brown Willy was marked by a trig pillar and a cairn, no topographs or aerials, with 360° views over Bodmin Moor. It was satisfyingly remote without being a totally knackering walk. I sat by the cairn enjoying the peace, watching kestrels hovering above. I met only three people on route from Rough Tor; one man who nearly caught with my pants down and two young men, obviously attracted by my powerful aura of knowledge, proceeded to quiz me on all thing geographical.

Topping good top!