Camel Trail - Wadebridge to Bodmin

Navigating The Route

This is a linear Treasure Hunt along the Camel Trail from Wadebridge to Bodmin, with Explorers following the legend of the Black Swallow as they search the River Camel and nearby landmarks for the ship's glittering hoard.

The quest covers 17 miles and should take around 2.5 hours to complete. You'll set off from the Camel Trail at the end of Guineaport Road in Wadebridge, follow the old railway track beside the River Camel, pass Nanstallon Halt and Boscarne Junction station, then continue towards Bodmin.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. The route is mainly traffic-free and level, but there are steps/path up onto a bridge at one clue, and the trail can be very busy in summer.

Take care at the road crossing near Camel Trail. Trains still frequently use Boscarne Junction station, so keep away from the platform edge and supervise children and dogs closely.

As this is a linear route, you'll need to retrace the route back to the start point; the ride back is slightly downhill.

Getting There

By car: Start your treasure hunt at the Camel Trail at the end of Guineaport Road in Wadebridge (PL27 7BP), using ///bracing.expectant.from. There is a small amount of free off-road parking around the start point, with further parking in Wadebridge itself.

By public transport: Make your way to the Camel Trail at the end of Guineaport Road in Wadebridge to begin the quest.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available on The Platt in Wadebridge, so it's worth making a comfort stop before setting off after the Black Swallow's glittering hoard.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Explorers are welcome on this treasure hunt. 🐾

The route follows a mainly traffic-free cycle track beside the River Camel, but keep dogs close around the road crossing near Camel Trail and supervise them carefully at Boscarne Junction station, where trains still frequently use the platform. The trail can also be very busy in summer.

Food & Drink Stops

Pirate treasure-hunting is hungry work, so keep your crew well provisioned.

Refreshments and snacks are available at the start and end of the route, as well as around Clues 11, 12 and 13. The Camel Trail Tea Garden at Nanstallon Halt is on the route too, making it a handy place to pause. You can also pack a picnic to enjoy along the way.

Want to Make a Day of It?

The Camel Trail and River Camel

The route itself is a big part of the adventure, following an old railway track beside the River Camel. With a mainly traffic-free, level route and plenty of riverside scenery, it's well worth taking your time between clue-hunting bursts.

Camel Trail Tea Garden at Nanstallon Halt

This tea garden sits right on the route at Nanstallon Halt, with refreshments available there. It's a natural place for Explorers to rest, refuel and compare theories about the Black Swallow's missing hoard.

Boscarne Junction station

Boscarne Junction is an active station on the route. The Bodmin and Wenford Railway is Cornwall's only full-sized railway still operated by steam locomotives, and Boscarne Junction is the junction of the original Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway and the Great Western Railway. Keep away from the platform edge and supervise children and dogs closely while you're there.

Bodmin Jail

Bodmin Jail was built by its very own prisoners in 1779, under orders from King George III. When it closed in 1927 it was Cornwall's last County Jail, and over the years it housed civil and naval prisoners, kept treasures such as the Domesday Book, state papers and even the Crown Jewels safe, and saw more than 50 public hangings. It still contains the only working execution pit in the UK and is known for reported ghostly goings-on.

Optional Explore Bodmin Route

If your crew still has energy after the treasure hunt, the data points to an optional Explore Bodmin map route through Priory Park, past the Regimental Museum to The Beacon.