Germoe: Discover Heritage and Walking Routes

Germoe combines sacred architecture, archaeological traces and outdoor activities. In the village are the Well and the Church of Saint Germoe; on Tregonning Hill are the Iron Age site of Castle Pencair and the Preaching Pit. This offers a choice of different focuses for a stay: sacred architecture, the history of the hill and the designated outdoor uses. The routes also have different geographical contexts—from the parish of Germoe to the ancient parishes of Breage and Germoe.

Heritage in Germoe and on Tregonning Hill

The Well in Germoe is a Grade II listed building. It is located on the side of Tresowes Hill and is thought to date from the 18th century. It lies unusually deep underground for a well of this type. A flight of eight steps leads down to the entrance.

The Church of Saint Germoe is unusual in Cornwall, as it has some architectural features dating from the 14th century. The historical periods of these architectural and cultural sites differ: the Well is thought to date from the 18th century, the church has features dating from the 14th century, and Castle Pencair is an Iron Age hillfort.

The archaeological landscape on Tregonning Hill includes Castle Pencair, a small multivallate Iron Age hillfort. It survives as an oval enclosure with concentric double ramparts up to six metres high; the ditches reach a depth of up to 0.6 metres. The Germoe War Memorial, a roughly hewn Celtic granite cross, stands on the scheduled hillfort.

The Preaching Pit, a long-disused quarry, is also on Tregonning Hill. Anglican clergy are thought to have once preached there to the miners of Breage and Germoe. At Pentecost, Christians of different denominations gather at the Preaching Pit for an ecumenical service. Check the seasonal arrangements before your trip.

On Palm Sunday, a procession goes from the church to St Germoe’s Chair. A reading and the singing of hymns follow there. Together with the Pentecost service at the Preaching Pit, this Palm Sunday custom provides another religious occasion with its own location and order of events.

Routes and outdoor activities

The parish of Germoe has more than 14 km of public rights of way, including footpaths, bridleways and byways. Tregonning Hill is designated as Open Access land within the parish and can be used for walking, running, wildlife watching and climbing. There are also six waymarked walks through the ancient parishes of Breage and Germoe; guidebooks are available for them.

The route information refers to different geographical areas: the more than 14 km relates to the parish of Germoe, the Open Access designation to Tregonning Hill, and the six waymarked walks to the ancient parishes of Breage and Germoe. This helps you distinguish between the different types of route when you are interested in public rights of way, designated land or a marked walk.

When searching for a hotel, you can enter Germoe as your destination and consider whether you would like to focus your stay more on heritage and religious traditions or on outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: Bodmin, Landrake, Saint Cleer, Duloe, Chacewater, Penzance, St Hilary, Washaway.

For the broader travel overview: Cornwall.