Parish Churches

[Mick F]

If I've got this right mick, you often don't go inside these churches you visit?

I was doing, but gave up as it would add too long to each ride. Maybe I could have called in them an signed the register and given them a number. I didn't bother in the end.

Of the ones I did go in, they were the derelict ones that were the most interesting. Yes, it's true, some derelict churches are STILL parish churches and they have services in them every so often.

Notable one is Merther just west of Truro.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Mer ... d-5.000844

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/histo ... ost-817344

[Sweep]

Thanks for the reply mick, and for info on that church, but I do think you should slow down and enjoy them and their surroundings more.

[Mick F]

I suppose so, but I'm a cyclist who needed a new task as I'm tired of riding round in circles from home. I've done lots of tours up and down this fair country of ours, and I set my sights on "tasks" some years ago. I'm an obsessive sort of chap who likes to get to grips with stuff and see it through.

I rode over all 23 bridges over the River Tamar. (Basically, the border between Cornwall and England)
I've ridden over all 79 bridges over the A30 from Exeter to LE.
I'm in the process of riding all the roads of Cornwall ............ impossible task, but I'm well on my way to completing it (within reason!)
Now riding to all the Cornish parish churches - 226 of them, and 25 left to do. This task also helps with the roads task.
I've done the whole of the Cornish coast roads too.

Next idea that appeals to me, it to ride to all the Cornish railway stations - present ones and past ones too. I could combine the rides with crossing the lines over the over-bridges, under-bridges and level crossings. Maybe take my bike and travel on all the present Cornish lines.

Our regular pub is The Rising Sun, and I know there are more in Cornwall - been to at least three of them - Botus Flemming, St Mawes, Altarnun - could have been to another one or two maybe. Is this is another task? Visit ALL the Rising Suns in Cornwall?

[Sweep]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is all the spoons in the country.

No doubt would entail some serious route planning.
(Free wifi would allow you to plan much of it as you went along.
And would enforce a bit of chilling.

Get to it mick

[Mick F]

The hard part of the 'spoons, is that most aren't cycle friendly. If they have a garden, they're usually inaccessible from the outside.
Penzance one, and also the Bedford one, to name but two that I've been to. Nice gardens, but only accessible from inside the pub.

This is subject to a different thread!

[Sweep]

If they have a garden, they're usually inaccessible from the outside.
Penzance one, and also the Bedford one, to name but two that I've been to. Nice gardens, but only accessible from inside the pub.

This is subject to a different thread!

yes I don't know why they do that - alarmed exits only as a general rule.

back to your churches.

[Cyril Haearn]

Went cycling somewhere new today, Sunday
Saw a church, went to look at it
Heard music, a service was in progress!
Went inside, joined in, an agreeable break, +1

[Mick F]

......... and 25 left to do ............

Nearly twelve months after the last ride to ten parish churches from Falmouth, I'm off on a ride from Helston working my way anti-clockwise down to the Lizard and round back to Helston to get eleven Cornish parish churches.

The list in order is:
Gunwalloe
Cury
Mullion
Lendewednack
St Grade
St Ruan
St Keverne
St Anthony-in-Meneage
Manaccan
St Martin-in-Meneage
St Mawgan-in-Meneage

Leaving home and driving with Moulton in the back to Helston tomorrow morning 70miles there, and then back after a 40odd mile ride.
Ride report after getting home.

The last fourteen will be done from Penzance in a week or three's time.

[Cyril Haearn]

Very good
Your next mission: all train stations. Including closed ones

[simonineaston]

How did Mr J select a thousand best (?!) churches?

Same criteria as Nikolaus Pevsner used, I expect.

[simonineaston]

Went cycling somewhere new today, Sunday
Saw a church, went to look at it
Heard music, a service was in progress!
Went inside, joined in, an agreeable break, +1

Same thing happened mid-way through my mum's funeral service at St Mary's in Bampton, which by virtue of its film-star role in Downton Abbey, is a popular venue for tourists. Mid-way through saying goodbye to me dear 'ole ma, the transcept door creaked slowly open & three smart elderly ladies peered around to see what was going on. I bumped into them later and took delight in laying it on a bit thick. They (American) were all super-apologetic. As a determined aetheist, I was not so much upset as amused

[sjs]

Our regular pub is The Rising Sun, and I know there are more in Cornwall - been to at least three of them - Botus Flemming, St Mawes, Altarnun - could have been to another one or two maybe. Is this is another task? Visit ALL the Rising Suns in Cornwall?

There might not be many left after the grand reopening.

[Mick F]

Pubs may be in short supply.
They certainly will be tomorrow on my ride or post-ride.

I've tried the "Railway Idea", but it needs refinement to get it do-able.
Some of the Cornish Main Line crosses and re-crosses the A38 - including the dual carriage way - a few times - and cycling infrastructure is few and far between, let alone junctions to get on and off it. Liskeard area is the worst. Try the Looe Valley Line.
It goes under the A38 twice with no road junctions to get on and off for miles.

If I get back to this idea, it'll only be to the the stations but including pre Beeching as well.

For the moment, I'll do the last 25 Cornish parish churches and sit in the glow of yet another achievement on the Cornish roads.

What's that song?
I've been everywhere, man?

Never a trouble or care.

[Mick F]

Done it down The Lizard way.
Eleven parish churches done, and fourteen to go.
45miles in rather high temperatures, so it was difficult if only for that.

Although the 45miles had only 3,200ft of ascent, it belies the steepness and suddenness of the hills. There were a few that I was sorely tempted to get off and walk .......... but that's against my religion!

There was one bit that I had to walk though, as my route was on a bridle way across Mullion Golf Course. It was steeply up from the beach area and there was soft sand interspersed with big rocks. At the top, I was able to get back on and ride. No doubt with a decent MTB I could have done it without issue, but a Moulton with 28mm tyres dug into the sand and nearly had me off ........... so I walked.

[Mick F]

Oh, here's a few facts regarding my journeys so far.

Been to:

Furthest east Cornish parish church, is St Andrew's, Calstock.
Furthest north St John the Baptist, Morewenstow.
Furthest south St Winwallow, Lendewednack. Also the furthest south parish church on the mainland of UK.

Yet to do the furthest west in Cornwall. Maybe in the next week or three.