Blisland
OS Grid ref:- SX1073
The picturesque village of Blisland on the western slopes of Bodmin Moor has an entirely different character to the typical Cornish villages. The old village inn, the 'Blisland Inn' the manor house and a profusion of granite cottages huddle around an attractive green which could fairly be described as the only village green in Cornwall.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Glustone'.
The beautiful slate and granite Norman church is dedicated to St. Protus and St. Hyacinth. The tower dates from the fifteenth century. The church boasts a wagon roof with almost two hundred bosses and has a white walled interior. The pulpit, which is intricately carved, dates from the seventeenth century. The church was updated during the fifteenth entury and underwent extensive interior remodelling in the nineteenth century
The church of St. Protus and St. Hyacinth was a favourites of the poet John Betjeman (1906 - 84), the poet laureate, who described it as 'dazzling and amazing'.
The cosy Blisland Inn in the village was voted CAMARA pub of the year in 2001. The village has two quaint stone bridges over the De Lank River, which runs down from Brown Willy and is a tributary of the River Camel.
The parish contains a Neolithic Stone Circle known as the Striple Stone. A short distance from Blisland on Pendrift Common, stands Jubilee Rock at 213m above sea level which provides excellent views over Bodmin Moor.
Image copyright Neil Kennedy
The Camel Trail
Covering 16 miles (24km) The Camel Trail follows the course of the old railway line along the Camel estuary between Blisland and Padstow., covering 16 miles (24km) The trail can be joined at various points along its route.
The Camel Estuary
Open to cyclists and horse riders as well as walkers. The river itself is home to a variety of wading birds. The trail passes through some superb countryside.