Camel Trail

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Camel Trail
Camel Trail, Cornwall, Oct 1987 (5454543438).jpg
The trail beside the Camel Estuary, near Trevanson, 1987
Length18.3 miles (29.5 km) as of 2024
Location Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
Trailheads Padstow
50°32′16″N4°56′05″W / 50.5377°N 4.9347°W / 50.5377; -4.9347 (Camel Trail (Padstow trailhead))
Wenford Bridge
50°32′41″N4°42′14″W / 50.5447°N 4.7039°W / 50.5447; -4.7039 (Camel Trail (Wenford Bridge trailhead))
Use Hiking, Cycling, Horseriding
Grade 0.23%

The Camel Trail is a permissive cycleway in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, that provides a recreational route for walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders. As a rail trail, the route has only a slight incline following the River Camel from Padstow to Wenford Bridge via Wadebridge and Bodmin, at a total of 18.3 miles (29.5 km) long.

Contents

An estimated 400,000 people use the trail each year, generating approximately £3 million year for the local economy. [1] [2]

The trail is jointly managed by Cornwall Council and the Camel Trail Partnership. [3]

Background history

The trail follows the trackbed of two historic rail lines—a section of the North Cornwall Railway between Padstow and Wadebridge, in addition to the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway (B&WR) between Wadebridge and Wenfordbridge along with a short branch toward the former Bodmin North station. [4]

Railway history

The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway was originally built at a cost of £35,000 following a study commissioned in 1831 by local landowner Sir William Molesworth of Pencarrow. The line was originally used to carry lime-rich sand from the Camel estuary to inland farms for use as fertiliser. [5] [6] [7] In 1862, the railway started shipping china clay which, became its most reliable trade. [8] Additionally the line would be used to ship slate from inland quarries to ships in Padstow, and also to transport fish landed in Padstow inland; primarily to London and other cities.[ citation needed ][ when? ]

In 1868, the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) purchased the B&WR without parliamentary consent. [6] [8] Although an ultra vires purchase, the acquisition would become legalised in 1886. [8] In the interim, the LSWR nonetheless supported the B&WR and sought to connect the isolated railway to its own network via the LSWR-backed North Cornwall Railway. [8] The now LSWR-owned NCR line from Halwill Junction reached Wadebridge station in June 1895, and then Padstow in March 1899. [6] [9]

In 1923, as a part of the railways Grouping Act the lines were taken over by Southern Railway, and then again by British Railways (BR) during nationalisation. Under BR, the lines repeately changed hands between the British Railways Southern Region and the British Railways Western Region, causing management issues. [10] As quarrying and fishing diminished, and lorries reducing delivery by rail, the railway lost much of its freight traffic. [11] Despite this, the line's passenger services remained frequently used by holiday makers and students. [12] [11]

Like much of the British Railways network, over the course of the 1960s the services between Padstow and Bodmin's three stations (Bodmin Road, Bodmin General and Bodmin North) were subjected to closures as a part of the "Beeching Axe"—an attempt by the UK government to increase the profitability and efficiency of British Rail. [5] [12] As a result, passenger services between Bodmin and Padstow were terminated, with the last passenger train running in 1967. [7] Freight services continued between Bodmin Road and Wadebridge until 1978. [5] [7] The last services on the line to close were the china clay freight services from Wenfordbridge to Bodmin in September 1983. [5] [13]

Conversion to trail

The Camel Trail passing through the disused Dunmere Halt Dunmere Halt (7421025652).jpg
The Camel Trail passing through the disused Dunmere Halt

With the cessation of Padstow–Wadebridge services, Cornwall County Council purchased the trackbed from British Railways and in 1980 converted the bed to a public trail. [13] Following this, the trackbed of the Wadebridge–Boscarne stretch was also acquired by County Council.

In 1983, Nigel Wiggett opened Bridge Bike Hire in Wadebridge, the first bike hire along the trail and first in the West Country. [14] Since then, more bike hire vendors have been established Wadebridge, and joined by ones in Padstow, Bodmin, and Wendfordbridge. [3]

After the closure of the Wenford's clay freight services, the North Cornwall District Council (NCDC) acquired the Boscarne–Wenfordbridge trackbed for use as a footpath. [13] In 1988, NCDC requested funding to make improvements to the Boscarne–Wenfordbridge stretch so as to integrate it with the rest of the Camel Trail. [13]

In 1991, the Wadebridge and Egloshayl bypasses were constructed, removing much of the traffic that those passing through Wadebridge along the trail would otherwise have to contend with.

In 2002, the Camel Trail Partnership Trust was established to co-ordinate management of the trail between local town and parish councils along the trail, the NCDC, Cornwall County Council, the Chambers of Commerce of Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow, the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Forestry Commission. [2]

In 2006, two further extensions to the trail were completed. The first was from Scarlett's Well car park in Bodmin, following into the town. [15] The second was from Poley's Bridge near St Breward, to Wenfordbridge through the old clay dries, which was made possible by Imerys donating the land.[ citation needed ]

In 2009, Cornwall County Council and the NCDC—along with the rest of Cornwall's district councils—were disbanded and replaced with Cornwall Council, which inherited the ownership and responsibilities of the Trail that were held by the County Council and the District Council. [3] [16]

Current trail

Approaching Padstow, the Camel Trail crosses Petherick Creek on this bridge which formerly carried the North Cornwall Railway DisusedLSWRailwayBridgeOverPetherickCreekCornwallUK.jpg
Approaching Padstow, the Camel Trail crosses Petherick Creek on this bridge which formerly carried the North Cornwall Railway

The trail is managed and maintained by Cornwall Council and the Camel Trail Partnership. [3] The bike hire shops operating along the Camel Trail in Padstow, Wadebridge, Bodmin and Wendfordbridge pay an annual licence fee the council, which is used to help with the trail's maintenance. [3]

As an erstwhile railway turned mix-use trail, the trackbed was built such that trains would have only a moderate incline and smooth turns—making it suitable as a cycle trail. [17] Only a small part of the trail passing through Wadebridge is on roads, with the trail also infrequently junctioned by rural backroads. [3]

The Camel Trail shares the Padstow trailhead with the Saints' Way trail. The Trail also constitutes part of the National Cycle Network, with the Padstow–Dunmere section a part of Route 32, and the Bodmin–Wenfordbridge section overlapping with Route 3. [18] [19] The trail also constitutes part of The Cornish Way.

Between the Wadebridge and Padstow, the trail passes through the Camel Estuary section of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. [3] [20]

Further proposals

The then newly created Bodmin and Wenford Railway sought to reopen the Wenford branch to allow for china clay to again be moved from Wenfordbridge by way of rail. A separate company, Bodmin and Wenford Rail Freight Limited, was set up in 1992 [21] but the line was not reopened. There were objections from cyclists as at this point the rail bed had been used for the Camel Trail [22] [23] and the china clay drier closed in 2002. [24]

Following the closure, attempts at potential expansion has since changed to the route from Boscarne Junction towards Wadebridge, although this route also follows the Camel Trail. The Bodmin and Wenford Rail Freight company was renamed as the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway Company Limited in 2004 to facilitate this scheme. [21] Initially referred to as 'The Wadebridge Trailway' [25] it became the 'RailTrail' project in 2008. It was supported by the North Cornwall District Council but only by a single casting vote. There were objections from cyclists, environmentalists and some residents of Wadebridge. A bid for government funding was made in 2020. [26]

In September 2020, Scott Mann, Conservative MP for North Cornwall, stated his support for linking up the Camel Trail with the Tarka Trail, arguing it would increase the economic benefits brought in by the Camel Trail. [2]

On 18 December 2020, Sustrans published a study regarding a potential extension of the Camel Trail from Wenfordbridge to Camelford and on to Delabole. The study also looked at another proposal regarded branch of the Camel Trail from Wadebridge to Launceston (via the North Cornwall Railway trackbed) and on to Lydford (via the Launceston and South Devon Railway trackbed.) The study split plans into trail segments—typically between disused stations or towns—and assessed both the feasibility and value of each segment. [27]

Sustrans assessment of deliverability against value of proposed trail segments [27]
Deliverability of
each segment		Value of each segment
Lower Impact ValueHigher Impact Value
Less challenging
deliverability
More challenging
deliverability

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Padstow</span> Town in Cornwall, England

Padstow is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Wadebridge, 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Bodmin and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Newquay. The population of Padstow civil parish was 3,162 in the 2001 census, reducing to 2,993 at the 2011 census. In addition an electoral ward with the same name exists but extends as far as Trevose Head. The population for this ward is 4,434.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Camel</span> River in Cornwall, England

The River Camel is a river in Cornwall, England. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and with its tributaries its catchment area covers much of North Cornwall. The river flows into the eastern Celtic Sea between Stepper Point and Pentire Point having covered about 30 miles (50 km) making it the second longest river wholly in Cornwall. The river is tidal upstream to Egloshayle and is popular for sailing, birdwatching and fishing. The name Camel comes from the Cornish language for 'the crooked one', a reference to its winding course. Historically the river was divided into three named stretches. Heyl was the name for the estuary up to Egloshayle, the River Allen was the stretch between Egloshayle and Trecarne, whilst the Camel was reserved for the stretch of river between its source and Trecarne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustrans</span> British walking and cycling charity

Sustrans is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodmin and Wenford Railway</span> Heritage railway in Cornwall, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadebridge</span> Town in Cornwall, England

Wadebridge is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel five miles upstream from Padstow. The permanent population was 6,222 in the census of 2001, increasing to 7,900 in the 2011 census. There are two electoral wards in the town. Their total population is 8,272.

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Bodmin Parkway railway station is on the Cornish Main Line that serves the nearby town of Bodmin and other parts of mid-Cornwall, England. It is situated 3 miles (4.8 km) south-east of the town of Bodmin in the civil parish of St Winnow, 274 miles 3 chains from London Paddington measured via Box and Plymouth Millbay. Network Rail’s National Rail Timetable dated May 2023 records the distance from London Paddington to Bodmin Parkway as 252.50 miles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Cornwall Railway</span> Disused railway line in Devon and Cornwall, England

The North Cornwall Railway (NCR) also known as the North Cornwall Line, was a standard gauge railway line running from Halwill in Devon, to Padstow in Cornwall, at a distance of 49 miles 67 chains via Launceston, Camelford and Wadebridge. The line was opened in late 19th century by the North Cornwall Railway Company with support throughout much of its construction and existence by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolling stock of the Bodmin and Wenford Railway</span>

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References

  1. ↑ North Cornwall District Council (June 2003). "North Cornwall Matters - Partnership Improves The Trail" (PDF). North Cornwall Matters. North Cornwall District Council. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 Vergnault, Olivier (17 September 2020). "Huge cycle route would link the Camel Trail with north Devon". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Camel Trail". www.cornwall.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  4. ↑ "Cornwall's iconic Camel Trail had a hidden former life". Cornwall Live. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "History of the line". BodminRailway.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Wadebridge Museum". wadebridgemuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Vinter, Jeff (1990). Railway Walks: GWR & SR. The History Press. p. 79. ISBN   978-0-7524-5103-9.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Vinter 1990, p. 80.
  9. ↑ Vinter 1990, p. 81.
  10. ↑ Vinter 1990, p. 82.
  11. 1 2 Vinter 1990, p. 84.
  12. 1 2 "Beeching Report Proposes Closing Nearly a Third of Britain's 7,000 Railway Stations". The Times. No. 55661. 28 March 1963. p. 8.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Vinter 1990, p. 83.
  14. ↑ "40 years of Bike Hire On The Camel Trail". Bridge Bike Hire. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "The Camel Trail". www.wadebridge-tc.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  16. ↑ Whitehouse, Richard (29 March 2019). "Council's first 10 years: the controversies, conflicts and Cannes trip". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "The Camel Trail". Cornwall Guide. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  18. ↑ "Route 32". Sustrans. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  19. ↑ "Route 3". Sustrans. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  20. ↑ "Cornwall AONB Management Plan | 2022 - 2027" (PDF). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  21. 1 2 "Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway Company Limited". GOV.UK. Companies House. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "Rough ride for rail". Railwatch. RailFuture. October 1997. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  23. ↑ Vaughan, John (2002). Branches & Byways - Cornwall. Oxford Publishing Company. p. 107. ISBN   0-86093-566-3.
  24. ↑ "Wenford Dries". Historic England. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  25. ↑ "The Wadebridge Trailway" (PDF). Bodmin and Wenford Railway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  26. ↑ Greenaway, Aaron (6 July 2020). "Cornish railway lines axed in Beeching cuts could be restored". Cornwall live. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  27. 1 2 "The North Cornwall Trail". Sustrans. 1 March 2021 [18 December 2020]. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
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