Free Clay Walk Festival returns to mid-Cornwall
Visitors invited to discover clay country's evolving landscape
Families, walkers, and nature enthusiasts are set to explore the striking and ever-evolving landscape of mid-Cornwall’s clay country as the Clay Walk Festival makes its return from 26th May to the 3rd of June.
The festival offers a diverse programme of free guided walks, ranging from 1.5 to 8.5 miles, along with family-friendly activities and community events across the Clay Villages near St Austell.
This area, moulded by over 250 years of China clay mining, is now undergoing significant regeneration for both nature and people.
Participants can experience various landscapes from heathland and wetlands to grassland and developing woodland.
Among the unique species thriving here are rare mosses, liverworts, birds, insects, and butterflies, including the uncommon dingy skipper.
Highlights throughout the nine-day festival include a Nature Discovery Day with activities for families, an immersive butterfly walk, and a leisurely family walk and picnic at Tregoss Moor.
Recent ecological restoration work by Imerys has expanded public access with more than 38 miles (62km) of new permissive paths, allowing visitors to explore the area and connect with local communities.
Sites like the newly opened Dubbers Nature Reserve are proving vital for wildlife, including breeding little ringed plovers and wintering jack snipe.
The Eden Project, celebrating its 25th year, lies at the heart of the Clay Villages, featuring gardens within a gigantic former china clay pit.
Emma Tolley, outreach projects manager at Eden Project, highlighted the festival's aim: “The Clay Walk Festival is all about helping people connect with nature in a landscape that tells an incredibly powerful story,” she said.
Tolley added, “The legacy of mining has created a distinctive environment where new habitats are developing, supporting a rich and unusual mix of flora and fauna.”
The festival coincides with Eden Project's The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out, linking community celebration and volunteer opportunities.
Visitors can engage with nature-based activities, lend a hand preparing local gardens, and join shared meals during the event.
Partners delivering the festival include Natural England, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Imerys, Wheal Martyn Museum, among others, reflecting a joint commitment to enhancing access to nature and supporting wellbeing.
Mark Hewson of Imerys said: “Nature restoration is built into the planning of a modern mine.”
He added, “The butterfly walk at Dubbers would not have been possible even a year ago, so it's a real delight to see all our hard work allowing the community to enjoy this fascinating landscape.”
The festival connects venues such as Tregoss Moor, Goss Moor National Nature Reserve, and paths around the Eden Project, presenting a distinctive area for visitors to explore Cornwall’s lesser-known sides.