Golitha Falls

When you think of Cornwall images of rugged coastlines, isolated moors or beautiful fishing villages often come to mind.  I discovered however on my recent trip to Cornwall, there are also the most wonderful ancient woodlands to discover…

Golitha Falls is close to the town of Liskeard and are on the southern edge of the Bodmin Moor.

The falls aren’t a traditional ‘waterfall’ as such, rather a series of rapids on the River Fowey (pronounced ‘FOY’).

There’s a lovely walk to them along the river, which meanders through oak woodland. As it’s quite damp, there’s an abundance of moss and lichen creating the most amazing green vista.

Our party took the ‘scenic’ route on our journey to the falls, which involved a few stream crossings, a couple of wet feet and a little mud. I wouldn’t say it was the easiest walk, but our party, which partly consisted of a toddler in a buggy, an expectant mum-to-be, and a pair of grandparents, managed quite fine.

To me the cool, leafy woodland felt a little like the rainforest to the west of the childhood home in Queensland.  With the light streaming in through the trees, it felt magical and definitely the sort of place Cornish pixies might hide out in ;p.

The falls actually sparked a lovely memory for me, of a beloved calendar I had as a young girl, based on the fairy drawings of English/Australian writer/illustrator, Shirley Barber. Does anyone else remember her work?!

Golitha Falls were an unexpected highlight of the Cornwall visit – a landscape I just didn’t really associate with England.  I’m so glad I had the chance to visit.

Here’s hoping you find a little magic too this weekend. x