A few months ago, we stayed at Penbugle Organic Farm near Liskeard. The owners of Penbugle recommended Golitha Falls to us and plenty of the campers spoke highly of the woodland walk. When I heard about this enchanting place, we just had to investigate for ourselves! We explored the walk on the last day of our stay and loved it. We’d highly recommend a visit next time you’re Liskeard way.
Golitha Falls (pronounced Gol-eye-tha) is situated on the Fowey (pronounced Foy) river. They’re a series of waterfalls situated in the ancient oak Draynes Wood. The site is a National Nature Reserve and is managed by English Nature. It’s also a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI.) Dogs are welcome all year round, however there is plenty of wildlife roaming free so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled and your dog’s lead to hand!
To say Golitha Falls is enchanting is an understatement. It’s completely and utterly spellbinding. You’re instantly transformed to a mythical world as you walk – I half expected to see Cornish piskies and fairy folk hiding in the trees. In fact, we did come across a wild deer, daintily drinking from the river. It was the last thing I was expecting to see! I was less than subtle and nearly screamed before rushing to grab Woody and put him on his lead.
There are a number of paths to explore at Golitha Falls. We decided to cling close to the water’s edge. The river twists and turns through the woodland and the paths can get rocky and steep at times. It’s definitely advisable to wear sensible footwear, not flip flops and canvas shoes like we did! There were plenty of other dog owners out when we visited and families of all ages. It’s a beautiful place for children to explore, particularly in summer. I enjoyed paddling in the shallows with Woody and searching for fish in the crystal clear water.
Woody really enjoyed Golitha Falls. His tail was constantly wagging! My boyfriend found a rope that stretched across the river and decided to climb across. Woody found this incredibly exciting and loved swimming between us and exploring the other side of the river. I was really impressed with Woody’s confidence, particularly in the water. It’s been a long journey getting him to swim!
I’m not sure how but we eventually ran out of path. Serves us right for not looking where we were going! So, we headed uphill into the woods. We visited at the peak of summer, the trees covered in a mossy green and plants were in full bloom. In fact, we visited mid-heatwave and it was the perfect place to escape the midday sun.
Toilet facilities and amenities can be found nearby. The satnav takes you straight to the car park, which is a matter of metres from the walk. On our way back we stopped at Inkie’s Smokehouse, an American diner in the car park. It’s an incredibly popular place to eat, with raving reviews online. They serve a variety of burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork and more. There are also gluten free and vegetarian options available. I highly recommend their hotdogs and milkshakes, it was the perfect post-walk snack!
We spent a couple of hours walking and exploring at Golitha Falls. We didn’t follow a set walk or agenda. Wandering and getting lost in nature was the perfect experience, it makes a change to keeping to a set path! Golitha Falls is family friendly, there were plenty of pushchairs and young children playing on the paths. Of course, it’s also suitable for dogs and Woody certainly had a whale of a time!
Have you visited Golitha Falls? If so, what did you think?
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