Cardinham, Cornwall – Cardinham Woods & Village on the Edge of Bodmin Moor

CARDINHAM

This small village and its surrounding parish on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor, about 3½ miles east-north-east of Bodmin, where steep wooded valleys plunge down from the moorland heights, is unusually rich in relics of the past.

The parish church, dedicated to St Meubred, has two of Cornwall’s finest early Christian crosses in its churchyard – one dated to the 5th–8th centuries and the other, tall and beautifully decorated, to the 10th or 11th century. Both carry Latin inscriptions and were found built into the walls of the 15th-century church. Nearby is the privately owned site of Cardinham Castle, held after the Norman Conquest by Richard Fitz Turold and later by the Dinham family.

CARDINHAM WOODS – WALKING & CYCLE TRAILS

South of the village, Cardinham Woods is a working woodland of conifers and broadleaves on the slopes of a river valley, managed by Forestry England. Five waymarked walking trails range from easy-going to more strenuous, and there is a mountain bike trail open all year. The woods are popular with walkers, cyclists, runners, horse riders and dog walkers.

At the main car park, the family-run Woods Café serves freshly prepared food and drinks every day, and there are toilets (including an accessible toilet), a picnic area, a play area and a dog wash. All-terrain mobility scooters can be hired.

Forestry England – Cardinham Woods