The Kenidjack Valley

The Kenidjack Valley Grid reference SW356325

The Kenidjack or Nancherrow Valley lies just to the north of Cape cornwall in north west Penwith and about half a mile to the northeast of St. Just. The valley is cut by the Tregeseal river - a valuable source of power for the tin streams and other workings along its length. Many waterwheels have diverted the flow of the river over the centuries and a small reservoir is still visible today. A walk southwest from Botallack through the former Wheal Owles sett leads to the remains of the former Wheal Castle atop Kenidjack Castle - an ancient settlement. A track runs down the hillside to the floor of the Kenidjack Valley. Upstream across a bridge lies the unmistakeable remains of the Kenidjack arsenic works whilst a less distinct path runs along the northern bank of the Tregaseal river down to the rocky beach at Porthledden Cove.

The river tumbles over rocky boulders into the sea passing the substantial remains of what used to be the wheelpit housing a 32 foot waterwheel of the Wheal Call or Boswedden Mine. This valley is often overlooked by the more casual visitors who tend to focus more on the attractions of Cape Cornwall or the nearby Crowns engine houses at Botallack.

For a map of the area please follow this link at the excellent St. Just Mines Research Group website.

For those of you with possibly a little more time to explore, once you've done 'the tourist bit', why not explore Cornwall's industrial heritage through its Tin and Copper Mines or learn more from my Cornish Bookstore