Caradon Monthly Walkers
3 December 2025
Maker Heights, Pigshill and Clarrick Woods and Mount Edgcumbe
With lots of views over the Hamoze, Plymouth Sound and the Channel, our walk starts at the highest point on the Rame Peninsula, Maker Heights (1), 390ft, then heads through a community woodland to sea level in the Mount Edgumbe parkland and then back up again through the Deerpark and fields to the Heights. There’s an opportunity to cut the walk short by heading to Cremyll and catching the bus (2) back up to Maker Heights for those that would like a shorter walk. Many thanks are due to Rame Conservation Trust and Pigshill and Clarrick Woods CIC (3) for their help with this walk.
Date/time: Wednesday 3 December 2025. Meet from 10am for a prompt 10.30am start.
Meeting point/parking/directions: Maker Heights, Millbrook, PL10 1LA. SX 43389 51474. ///garden.blur.intend. From Millbrook take the B3247 towards Cremyll. Go past Fourlanesend Primary School and about a minute later, at the top of the hill, turn right into Maker Heights (there is a sign for The Canteen just before the turning). Park in the parking area to the right of the Nissen huts. Parking fee - minimum donation £1.50 please - to be placed in the yellow honesty box by the huts.
Dogs: Dogs should be under control. They should be on leads in Mount Edgcumbe deer park and the livestock field at Drywalk.
Clothing: Warm waterproof clothing with wind resistance for the Heights. Waterproof footwear with good grip. Walking poles useful.
Toilets: There are toilets behind Maker Barracks - about 5 minutes walk- at the start and finish of the walk. Please factor this into your arrival time if you think you will need the loo before we set off. We will also pass toilets about 1/3 of the way into the walk.
Refreshments: Please bring food and drink. Depending on the weather, we may have an early lunch and stop in the afternoon for a snack, rather than our usual morning coffee stop. The Canteen at Maker Heights is open 9.30-4.00.
Distance/Grade/Hazards: 5.5 miles. Most of the walk is on good paths or short grass. It’s moderate with some fairly demanding hills, one in the woods before lunch.After lunch, there is sustained climb back up from sea level although this zig zags up the slope so isn’t horrendously steep for the most part. Rough steps in the wood with loose leaf litter & slidey fallen chestnuts. Mud on some footpaths which is slippery. Some loose gravel. Two stiles.
Description: From Maker Heights we cross the B3247 and enter Clarrick Woods. We follow tracks steps and footpaths down and up through to Pigshill Woods. We cross the B road again to enter Mount Edgcumbe along Drywalk to the Barrow Centre. Weather permitting we will walk down to Barn Pool and then up hill through some of the National Collection of Camellias to join a multi use trail across the deer park to Maker Church. We then use a number of footpaths to return to Maker Heights.
Walk leaders: Jack & Brigitte Mann supported by the team.
1. Maker Heights has an extremely long and fascinating history - a former military site which played an important role in the defence of the Dockyard from the late 18th century and was still in use during the Cold War. Following an initiative by Nancy Astor, it was also a camp for school children from 1923 until the 1980s. www.makerheights.org.uk. Given sufficient interest, in the spring, the Rame Conservation Trust is willing to give us a guided tour around the redoubts and tell us more about the site and why it was fortified. Let us know if this might be of interest.
2. If walkers want a shorter walk they can leave the walk at this point (let the back markers know). Maker Heights is a request stop on the Plymouth City Bus 70/70A route from Cremyll. We understand that there are buses every hour on the hour leaving from outside the ferry building but please double check this info. The Orangery or The Edgcumbe Arms should be open for refreshments.
3. Pigshill and Clarrick Woods CIC manage 66 acres of community woodland and hold regular volunteer sessions www.pigshillandclarrickwoods.org.uk
Also check out other Meetups in Torpoint, Trips & Adventurous Activities in Torpoint, Nonprofit events in Torpoint.
