From Helston to Porthleven by Loe Bar

This undemanding walk leads from below the town of Helston to the fishing village of Porthleven, via the valley of the River Cober and the remarkable Loe, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall. What makes the Loe exceptional is that its southern end is separated from the sea by a sand bar, known as Loe Bar. The Loe's name derives simply from the Cornish word logh, meaning 'pool'. The Loe evolved in medieval times from its origins as the estuary of the River Cober because of a build-up of silt washed down from the countless tin and copper mines inland. The silt added its weight to encroaching shingle spits at the seaward end of the estuary and by the 13th century, a formidable dam, or 'bar', of sand and shingle separated the pool from the sea. The Loe is as deep as 30ft (9m) at its seaward end.

Until the middle of the 19th century Loe Bar was regularly breached by gangs of diggers to ease flooding in the Cober valley below Helston. The rush of water out of the pool is said to have left a thin yellow stain for miles offshore. Today, modern flood release systems alleviate the problem of flooding and the Loe has become a splendid reserve for wildlife, while the Bar makes for a dramatic flourish between peaceful pool and restless Atlantic. The Loe lies within the Penrose Estate, ancestral home from the late 12th to the late 18th century of the Penrose family and then of the Rogers family who gave the estate to the National Trust in 1974. Today the Trust maintains the landscaping and carriageways established in the 18th century and has created a network of paths for the enjoyment of the public. The walk begins at the public car park beside the Penrose Amenity Area to the south west of Helston.

What to look for

The Loe is a sanctuary for birds including moorhen, mallard, teal and mute swan. Most of these are winter visitors, but some mallard and moorhen nest here and there is always something to see. Ospreys have been known to stop off at the Loe for a taste of the lake's trout. Look for cormorants and herons that often perch in the Monterey pines just inland from the Bar. Aside from birds, there are many exotic shrubs within the Penrose estate. Near Bar Lodge look for the bright red spiky leaves and blue flower of Fascicularia pitcairniifolia, a member of the pineapple family.

Where to eat and drink

Porthleven has several pubs, restaurants and cafés. The Crab Pot Restaurant serves breakfast, morning coffee, lunches, cream teas and evening meals. The Harbour Inn is a long-established harbourside pub with a pleasing atmosphere, good food and a fine selection of beers.

While you're there

Stroll across Loe Bar up to the Anson Memorial on its south eastern side. This simple stone cross commemorates the loss of the 44-gun frigate Anson, wrecked on Loe Bar in 1807. Over 100 sailors drowned, many of them as they tried to struggle ashore through the surf. Those on the beach could do nothing to save them, but the frustration of one local man Henry Trengrouse led him to devote his life to developing a rocket apparatus that became standard life saving equipment for coastguards.