CTC Eastern Area Tractor Excursion
 Sunday 5th April 2009



What a difference a day makes ! Most of you will know the song which has that title but I am talking about the weather, back in 2008 we had snow and this year nice sunshine which warmed us all up ready for the off from Duchy College at Stoke Climsland where 41 tractors waited eager to get going.
We left at 10 and headed East with Andrew Medland being the fox, laying a trail for all to follow by way of marker flags (smart fox !)
 


Reaching Lucket we turned onto a farm track, past a herd of Highland cattle that were still in their winter quarters waiting patiently to be taken up onto Kit Hill, were they do an excellent job all Summer controlling the vegetation that would otherwise take over the Hill.


Moving onto Monks Cross, a left turn took us to the main Callington to Gunislake road then a right turn was executed taking us through Harrowbarrow to drop into the valley toward Cotehele House and past Cotehele Mill which still grinds flour for various bakeries and is well worth the visit.
The view of the Tamar River just past Cotehele was amazing and was discussed comprehensively by the passengers on my trailer, they were still talking about it when we came into Halton Quay with its little chapel perched right on the rivers edge.  



Next up were the hairpin bends on the outskirts of the Pentillie Estate and then we joined the Callington to Saltash road to head South towards Cargreen, which gave us good views of Pentillie Castle, which is now in safe hands and is undergoing extensive restoration work.
The next piece of road was very interesting as it traversed the salt marsh via very narrow gateways and is impassable on spring tides, but as usual everyone took it in their stride and dodged the very low branches of Blackthorn and dog rose (ouch) before emerging into a bungalow estate in Cargreen.
Motoring on towards our dinner stop, we just missed Ellbridge to go up a narrow lane which brought us to Hatt and the Holland Inn where a very good carvery was enjoyed by most whilst a number of others enjoyed a picnic in the sun in the extensive grounds of the Pub.






 It was now time for the afternoon stint so we retraced our steps to Hatt roundabout and went towards Pillaton to pass the Weary Friar ( its a Pub not a bloke ! ) and then dropped down into the valley of the River Lynher to Clapper Bridge, through land forming part of the Newton Ferrers estate. This land is little known in this age but in times past was of immense importance controlling vast tracts of land and had family links with numerous other large West Country estates, so it is in a way quite remarkable that so little is known about it today.



The next piece of history to hove into view was Cadsonbury Rings, a vast iron age fort now in the custody of the National Trust which again very few people know about and for those of you who are fit enough it is well worth the climb up to it as it has an ambience which I can personally vouch for.
It was now time to cross the River again at Newbridge then turn left to Trevigro, then onto Maders to go off road again this time on a very rough road indeed ! This was a mining road linking the great mines of Caradon Hill to those on Kithill and beyond at Gunnislake. It was made from mine waste and was probably never maintained but it proved to be useful in waking everyone up !

 

This lane brought us out close to The Swingle Tree Inn at Kelly Bray which has a beautiful painting of Shire horses working as its pub sign. We were heading back to the Duchy College now to end an excursion of around 36 miles and when we landed back in the yard everyone seemed to have enjoyed the day and no one seemed in a great hurry to get off home. Here are a few more pictures for you.



And now the final paragraph.
Thank you to Duchy College for once again allowing us to start from this lovely setting.
Thanks to Colin and Sandra Jane for their assistance,
to the various land owners whom were very helpful in allowing us passage over their land,
All the staff at the Holland Inn,
and lastly but by know means least to Andrew Medland for laying the trail
and Paul and Yvonne for picking up the markers (whipper ins !)
you all did an excellent job.

I hope that's everyone, so that's it from me folks, next year? don't know yet, watch this space

Bob Ball