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Bike touring routes & trails

Carn Marth Quarry Pool – Poldice Valley Mining Ruins loop from Penryn

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Carn Marth Quarry Pool – Poldice Valley Mining Ruins loop from Penryn

Hard

3.0

(1)

riders

Carn Marth Quarry Pool – Poldice Valley Mining Ruins loop from Penryn

06:52

94.6km

1,460m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: March 1, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Cornwall National Landscape

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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13.0 km

Gweek Village Green and Creekside

Highlight • River

Gweek village green is a great spot to stop for a picnic beside the creek. There are benches to sit and enjoy the creekside views. The village store is not far from here.

Gweek is the head of the Helford River and was once a thriving port. Mining ore was exported from Gweek, and coal and timber were imported for the mines. There used to be a tin smelting house and processing plant for pilchards. The creek has silted up since being a busy port. Now, Gweek is better known for the National Seal Sanctuary.

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15.9 km

Roskymmer Wood

Forest

28.9 km

Coverack Harbour

Highlight • Beach

Coverack is a picturesque village with a harbour and beach offering plenty of choice of refreshment, from cafes, restaurants and a pub.

As Coverack is on the eastern side of the Lizard Peninsula, the beach is generally very sheltered. Although there are 150 shipwrecks just off the coast due to a section of hidden rocks called the Manacles.

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64.6 km

Stithians Reservoir Dam

Highlight • Monument

The Stithians Reservoir is a man-made, dammed reservoir dating back to 1962, with construction being completed in five years. The valley behind the dam was flooded, including 274 acres of land and three country houses.

On a good day, taking the paths around Stithians Reservoir can often offer plenty to watch, whether that's sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, SUP and canoeing activities on the lake from the watersports centre, or plenty of bird watching and fly fishing to be enjoyed.

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69.9 km

Tresavean Trail and Cashalen Branch Historical Marker

Highlight • Trail

The Tresavean Trail follows the old Hayle railway branch line, used between 1838-1936. The line was used to move copper ore and Welsh coal.

Along the trail, a recreated section of railway demonstrates what the track would have looked like.

The trail surface is generally smooth, with occasional exposed granite setts which were used for the gauge rails.

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70.0 km

Tresavean Tramway

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

A mile or so of beautifully smooth gravel. Pure joy to ride. Good for all seasons. Doable on a road bike with care

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72.8 km

Carn Marth Quarry Pool

Highlight • Summit

Just south east of Redruth, Carn Marth hill has a summit reaching 771 feet (235 m). Once heavily quarried for granite, there's a large pool near the top which can be eerie in cloud and stunning sunshine.

From the summit, enjoy rather extravagant views in every direction, particularly of Cornwall's western coastline. The hill also has an amphitheatre, frequently showing wonderful performances from local and touring groups.

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77.7 km

Poldice Valley Mining Ruins

Highlight • Viewpoint

Poldice Valley is a beautiful spot with a rich mining history. A mine has existed in the valley as far back as the 16th century, extracting tin ore and copper from the area. The Portreath Tramroad was opened in 1812 to transport the materials to Portreath harbour. The mines slowly declined towards the end of the 19th century and ceased operating in 1930. Today, you can still see many ruined mine buildings and mineshafts in the valley.

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