A5 Camborne & Redruth with Wheal Peevor & Portreath
Kammbronn ha Resrudh gans Porthtreth
The capital of Cornish mining
Called the Capital of Cornish Mining, this was the centre of the Cornish mining industry, and home to many of its most important mines and individuals. World changing inventions were created right here.
The impressive bulk of Carn Brea – a high granite ridge with jagged outcrops and fantastic 360° vistas – frames most views of Camborne and Redruth, serving as a reminder of the geology that underpinned their rapid growth. Mining built and shaped these mining communities; the decline of the industry had, and continues to have lasting effects.
This Area features essential rail links to Portreath harbour, historic mining cottages, the Great Flat Lode, (an extensive flat-dipping mineral vein extremely rich in tin), and South Crofty, Cornwall’s last operating tin mine. Heartlands, a unique visitor attraction and the mid Cornwall gateway to the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, is situated nearby and offers a wide range of events and activities all year round. King Edward Mine; the training mine for Camborne School of Mines is also close by and has an award winning museum.
It includes rugged open countryside, a lovely sandy beach, and bustling towns with the remains of its mining history ever-present.
The Camborne and Redruth Mining District became significant internationally for the pioneering technological progress made here, such as Richard Trevithick’s steam engines, William Bickford’s invention of the safety fuse, (which saved countless miners’ lives), and William Murdoch’s house, being the first in the world to be lit by gas (in 1792). A visit to East Pool Mine reveals the story of this Area and its huge achievements.
This is classic Cornish Mining landscape, with the highest concentration of historic mining sites anywhere in the world.
This is classic Cornish Mining landscape with the highest concentration of historic mining sites anywhere in the world.
Visiting Heartlands, the mid Cornwall gateway to the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site
Cycling or walking along the Great Flat Lode trail, which, along its extent of just under four miles, has the highest concentration of historic mining sites anywhere in the world
Climbing up to the Basset memorial on Carn Brea, which dominates the Area, and then seeing the spectacular views from its summit
Visiting East Pool Mine, and seeing the interiors of two complete engine houses with engines in situ
Walking along the headland at Portreath, and imagining the harbour in its industrial heyday as a bustling copper port
Exploring Wheal Peevor, which has three fine engine houses close to the A30
Attend the International Mining and Pasty festival in Redruth held every September
Witnessing the unique collection of restored tin processing equipment at King Edward Mine, a former training centre for mining students dating from the turn of the 20th century—one of only a few remaining mine sites with extensive collections of machinery in Cornwall
Heartlands
King Edward Mine
East Pool Mine
The most heavily industrialised tin and copper mining district in the Site
The most significant urban centres of mining population
Three in situ beam engines
Transport infrastructure
Ancillary industries; the Bickford Smith Fuseworks and Tuckingmill Factory Row
The Great Flat Lode
Important mining settlements such as Redruth and mining engineering “new town” of Camborne
The coastal mining port of Portreath
Important mine site of Wheal Peevor
Some of the richest, and deepest, eighteenth-century copper mines and nineteenth-century tin mines in the world; Dolcoath, Basset Mines, Marriott’s Shaft Complex, West Basset, Wheal Basset, King Edward Mine
The Audio Trail guides below explore South Wheal Frances on the Great Flat Lode and introduce the principal features of this impressive site. There are also further guides available for Portreath, which is also located within this Area of the World Heritage Site. These guides are only available to our members though, so why not sign up today?
Information sheets are also available to accompany the Audio Trail guides and please see the links to these below.
South Wheal Frances Audio Trail Delve Deeper
Mining Trails Guide
Explore 60km of mining trails in and around Camborne and Redruth using the free to download guide
