Rough Tor and Brown Willy

A mostly circular walk to Cornwall's two highest tors, passing prehistoric remains including the holy well, summit cairns and settlements.

Get the app to guide you around the walk

App Store

Download iPhone/iPad app from App Store

Scan with your phone to get the Apple app

Google Play

Download Android app from Google Play

Scan with your phone to get the Android app

Download the (free) app then use it to purchase this walk.

Phone showing Google navigation to start of walk

The app will direct you to the start of the walk via satnav.

Hand holding a phone showing the iWalk Cornwall app

The app guides you around the walk using GPS, removing any worries about getting lost.

Phone showing walk directions page in the iWalk Cornwall app

The walk route is described with detailed, regularly-updated, hand-written directions.

Each time there is a new direction to follow, the app will beep to remind you, and will warn you if you go off-route.

Phone showing walk map page in the iWalk Cornwall app

A map shows the route, where you are at all times and even which way you are facing.

Phone showing facts section in iWalk Cornwall app

Each walk is packed with information about the history and nature along the route, from over a decade of research than spans more than 3,000 topics.

Person looking at phone with cliff scenery in background

Once a walk is downloaded, the app doesn't need wifi or a phone signal during the walk.

Phone showing walk stats in the iWalk Cornwall app

The app counts down distance to the next direction and estimates time remaining based on your personal walking speed.

We keep the directions continually updated for changes to the paths/landmarks - the price for a walk includes ongoing free updates.

either as a GPS-guided walk with our app (£3.29) or a PDF of directions (£2.79) Example of directions

Fullscreen map

The walk climbs to the summit of Rough Tor, via the Holy Well, and follows the ridge Showery Tor, where there are spectacular views to the North Cornish coast. The route then drops into the valley and climbs to the top of Brown Willy - the highest point in Cornwall - where there are views south to the China clay hills around St Austell. The return route circles the base of Rough Tor, through the remains of prehistoric settlements overlooking the Fernacre stone circle.

Highlights

Roughtor - Bodmin Moor's most rugged and iconic tor
Weather-sculpted granite on the top of Showery Tor
Spectacular panoramic views from the summits of Rough Tor and Brown Willy
Cairns, stone circles and other remnants of ancient Neolithic civilization
Brown Willy - the highest point in Cornwall
Bronze Age hut circles, field systems and enclosures

Considerations

There are granite boulders that need to be negotiated particularly towards the summit of Roughtor and when descending into the valley between the tors.

Dogs

There are 2 stiles on the ascent to Brown Willy. The first is easier for dogs and beside a gate. The one higher up is wired-over and dogs will need lifting over to reach the summit. Sheep and ponies are grazed on the open moor. Dogs on leads no more than 2m long between 1 March and 31 July (breeding period for ground-nesting birds).

The walk is available through the iWalk Cornwall app for Apple and Android for £3.29 which each include everything listed here.

This removes worries about getting lost by tracking you using GPS, reminding you when you need to follow the next direction and warning you if you wander off the route.

To install on your phone, search the app store for “iwalk cornwall” to download the (free) app. Then either use it to scan the code at the top-right of the page to locate this walk or search for the walk title in Walks Shop > Search All Walks.

Once you've installed the iWalk Cornwall app from the app store, click on the button below to locate this walk:

Open walk in iWalk Cornwall app

Buy walk

This walk is in your basket. Proceed to your basket to complete your purchase.

My Basket Remove from basket

You own this walk.

Price: £

Buy now Add to basket

An error occurred while checking the availability of this walk:

Please retry reloading the page. If this problem persists, please contact us for assistance.

Reload page

Vital statistics

OS Explorer: 109
Distance: 5.2 miles/8.4 km
Steepness grade: Moderate-strenuous
Recommended footwear: walking boots (marshy even in summer)

OS maps for this walk

OS Explorer 109

Points of interest

Links for this walk

Bodmin Moor AONB info
Short URL: http://iwkc.co.uk/w/75

Adjoining walks

Stannon Moor prehistoric relics

Walks nearby