Bodmin Moor

Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in north-eastern Cornwall. It covers about 208 square kilometres and dates from the Permian period. Brown Willy, the highest point in Cornwall, and Rough Tor stand on the moor. Several of Cornwall’s rivers begin here, including the Fowey and the Camel. The area has been farmed since at least the Neolithic era, leaving behind megalithic monuments and hut circles. By medieval times, most of the forest had gone and livestock rearing became the main use. The moor is one of five granite masses in Cornwall and contains blockfields and peat deposits. Rough pasture, heather and marshes cover much of the land. Around 500 holdings farm beef cattle, sheep and horses on the moor. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The moor supports about 260 pairs of European stonechats and wintering Eurasian golden plovers. The National Trust and the Ministry of Defence own parts of the land. Visitors find dramatic granite tors like Brown Willy and Rough Tor rising from the rolling moorland. Dozmary Pool, Cornwall’s only natural inland lake, lies on the southern slopes. Three reservoirs supply water to much of the county. Prehistoric sites include stone circles, cairns and King Arthur’s Hall. The traditional Jamaica Inn, built in 1750, stands on the moor and is linked to smuggling. The landscape also includes medieval stannary boundaries and later granite quarries.