SPY Walks The Bodmin Way

news279
Jun 16
2 min read

Updated: Aug 16

A summer stroll through nature, pilgrimage, and heritage

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in June, SPY (St. Petroc’s Youth) took to the trail, walking a section of The Bodmin Way from St. Stephen’s Church, Nanstallon, to St. Petroc’s Church, Bodmin.

The adventure began at St. Stephen’s, a charming Victorian church named after the first Christian martyr. Standing beneath a stained-glass window of saints and vines, the group was introduced to the themes of the day: nature, pilgrimage, and heritage.

Quiz sheets in hand, the young people were quick to call out answers. At the bridge, they spotted sycamore, beech, holly, field maple, and mystery heart-shaped leaves. One question asked: Where did the River Camel get its name? The answer? From the Cornish Dowr Kammel, meaning “crooked river”, a reference to its winding path to the sea. Contrary to popular belief, the name has nothing to do with the animal!

A hidden left turn off the Camel Trail led the group to Scarlett’s Well, a sacred and historic site. Once part of the Priory of Bodiniel, it was Bodmin’s most renowned holy well, famed for its healing waters. Pilgrims flocked here centuries ago, and Carew’s Survey of Cornwall (c.1600) even describes the well’s rainbow colours from mineral veins. The well takes its name from the prominent Scarlett family, who provided three MPs for Bodmin in the 14th century. In 1995, the well was carefully restored by the Bodmin Old Cornwall Society.

The walk ended with SPY joining the church’s first cream tea of the season at St. Petroc’s a grand 15th-century, Grade I listed church with parts dating back to the 12th century. Named after the missionary who brought Christianity to Bodmin, St. Petroc’s is part of a wider heritage stretching across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and even Brittany.

Scones, jam, cream, cakes, and lashings of tea were enjoyed by locals and visitors alike an ideal way to end a day of discovery.

Asked to share their highlights, SPY members said:

“It was fun.”

“What I liked about the walk was the walk… oh, and climbing inside the well!”

“Stepping into Scarlett’s Well.”

Their journey, from a peaceful Victorian church to Bodmin’s historic centre, was a walk through nature, faith, and centuries of local history.

Next up for SPY: surfing at Polzeath on Sunday 13th July.

Want to explore more?

Caroline.bailey@bodminway.org – Contact SPY

bodminway.org/routes – Walk or cycle The Bodmin Way

bodminway.org/heritage – Discover the story of five churches

Bodmin-Well-Trail.pdf – Bodmin Town Council’s guide