A circular walk on the Roseland from St Just to Messack Point
One sunny August morning, brilliant blue sky overhead, I set out to St Just-in-Roseland early before
the warmth of the day had time to build and before car parks became full with holiday makers.
The beautiful creekside church, set in its sub-tropical gardens, was largely in shade as I ambled down the hillside towards the water’s edge. Blue skies and fluffy cloud bounced back in the reflection of the still creek water, and a serene peace hung over the churchyard as birds chirruped in the morning air.
Despite my concerns I’d find it busy, the church gardener and myself were the sole people about!
Skimming the edge of the water I made my way along a tree lined path, enjoying the changing perspective of the church as I went, heading deeper along the creek with each step. After traversing
numerous stream tributaries through a cool wooded area, I soon found myself in open fields and climbing steadily uphill across hazel-lined meadows.
Onwards into another field, where suddenly the vista opened and views across the Carrick Roads and St Just Pool came into sight, white boats darting on the glittering open water. Finally at the top of the sloping land, what goes up must come down, and I began a steep descent towards Messack Point.
Here, the landscape changed and the path turned through tall pines, their branches weighted with huge cones swaying gently on the sea breeze. A densely wooded path took me alongside the mouth to the Carrick Roads, and both Falmouth and Mylor became visible across the watery horizon.
Striding upwards once again through tree lined fields, before descending back to that first section of wooded path I’d walked, I retraced my steps along the creek edge to St Just church, to find a much busier church yard.
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