Adventure Forums - View Single Post - Guide to visiting The Lost Crown/Barrow Hill Locations

amunptah · 06-28-2011, 11:10 AM

Walk 2 - Looe (1 mile) - Do at low tide

There are a few game locations to visit in Looe, but you can only see some at low tide, so plan accordingly. For example, if you missed The Pinnacles at Hannafore Beach on Walk 1, return at low tide in order to explore the rocks.

Just south of the Tourist Information Centre in East Looe is the EXTERIOR of Gruel's Antiques and Saxton Station, on Fore Street. You can't miss it, as it is on the main route through the heart of the town.

Keep walking down Fore Street and turn left into Higher Market Street. On the right down this road is the Old Guildhall Jail and Museum. The museum is great, and the lower level is the INTERIOR of Gruel's Antiques, with a bit of creative photoshopping from Jonathan.

Turn right when you come out of the museum, and follow the road all the way to the end at the beach. You can walk along Banjo Pier to the Martello Tower, or down onto the beach at low tide to get the in-game view of the tower.

At low tide, go east along the beach, climb up the large, ugly concrete sea defence wall, and down onto the rocky beach the other side of the rocky outcrop at the far end. Pick your way across the rocks at the base of the cliff. About 100 metres east is a small cave, that inspired the smugglers caverns scene in The Lost Crown. It is a small, square opening in a recess of the cliff. Take extra care when climbing up to it as the rocks are treacherous here, and can be slimy and wet.

I have not visited it yet, but you can see the mobile phone mast from Barrow Hill on West Looe Downs (SX252535).

Walk 3 - Sedgemarsh, Northfield, Raven Lane, Barrow Hill (5 miles)

This one is a bit more complex as the locations are more spread out, and you will need to use public transport to get to them. Do stick with it though, as these are some of the prettiest and most diverse locations from the games (including my personal favourite).

Sandplace Station (Sedgemarsh Station) - SX249571
To get to the first location, head north out of East Looe to Looe Railway Station. You can take a train here along the picturesque Looe Valley Line. I don't know about ticket prices, but there are usually 2 or 3 trains per hour. The train functions much like a bus, so you will have to request it to stop when you want to get off.

The first stop is Sandplace Station (Sedgemarsh Station from the very beginning of the game). If the train driver is friendly, you may be able to get out for photos etc. for a minute or so. If not, you can return here on foot at the end of the walk.

Causeland Station (Northfield Junction) - SX249591
The next stop after Sandplace is Causeland. You want to leave the train here. The station itself is not very impressive, but opposite the exit gate is the little bridge at Northfield Junction in The Lost Crown. Jonathan did a lot of photoshopping on the field behind it to incorporate a lane and woods!

St Keyne's Well (St Anneka's Well) - SX248602
This one is a bit of a detour, but well worth the visit. Of the three Holy Wells in the area, St Keyne's is the one that Matt Clark based St Anneka's Well on the most. Exit from Causeland Station, and turn right. Follow the lane north, ignoring the next lane on the right that crosses the bridge. Follow the lane uphill for about half a mile, passing a hotel. Where the road forks, you will find the well on the right. When you are finished here, head back down the lane to Causeland Station.

The Old Barn - SX247590
Continue south past Causeland Station. Fifty metres along is a crossing of three roads. Take the rightmost road, Stocks Lane. The Old Barn is a few metres along here.

Stocks Lane (Raven Lane)
Continue down the lane past the barn. After a short stretch with high hedges on each side of the road, you will reach the crossroads area of "Raven Lane". Across the stream on the right there are two paths, one leading up the hill into Stocks Wood (Carrion Wood). The other leads to Northfield Church in The Lost Crown, but in reality it only leads to a locked gate, and is not worth the walk. If you like, you can head up the hill and explore the woods.

When you are done, head back to the road and continue up the hill. This is my favourite location, especially on a sunny day, as it is so peaceful and green. Further up the lane, another path will join from the right. Look back down the hill at this point to recreate another scene from the game.

Pass between the hedgerows, crammed with plant and animal life until you reach a gate on the right opposite a cottage. This is the location of some ingredients for the Karswell's stew.

Continue walking to the end of the lane, and then turn left and follow the B3254 for half a mile until you reach Duloe. Take extra care here as there can be fast moving traffic along the road and there is no pavement.

The Plough Inn (The Bear Interior) - SX235585
Continue walking through Duloe, passing some convenient toilets, and look out for The Plough Inn on the left. The interior of this pub was photoshopped for use as The Bear. The internal layout is fairly similar, with the bar and fireplace, and toilets around the corner, but the details are quite different. When you are finished at the pub, continue to walk down the road.

Duloe Stone Circle (Barrow Hill Stone Circle) - SX236584
You can visit Duloe Stone Circle, the inspiration for Barrow Hill, by following signs along a footpath between some cottages. The stones are quite unusual because of their large size relative to the circumference of the circle. The stone circle is located in a small field, populated by sheep and two friendly cats, and a sign gives a little bit of history.

Duloe Church (Northfield Church) - SX235581
A few metres further down the road from the stone circle is the church, usually open every day. The in-game version is remarkably similar to real life, although there is now a large tree in the graveyard obscuring the view through the churchyard towards the tower. Look out for the flock of crows in the trees! The vestry in the game is located elsewhere

St Cuby's Well (St Anneka's Well) - SX241579
Continue along the road from the church for about half a mile, through two sharp bends. Take care when walking as there is no pavement for part of the route. When the road heads downhill, you will soon pass Cornish Orchards (worth a quick visit!). Just a few metres past the entrance to the orchard, on the right, is St Cuby's Well, part of the inspiration for St Anneka's Well in Barrow Hill.

This is the last location on this walk. You can either walk back into Duloe and take a bus to Looe from there, or continue down the hill for another half a mile, winding through the beautiful woods until you get to Sandplace Station. You may want to do this if you didn't get to stop there earlier on. Then you can either take a train to Looe, or catch a bus just across the road.

Extra Locations

There are a few other places featured in the games that are more difficult to get to, but if you have time and transport, are worth the trip.

Pelynt Church Vestry (Northfield Church Vestry) SX203551
The church at the centre of Pelynt, a couple of miles north of Polperro, is home to the vestry at Northfield. It has been heavily photoshopped for the game, but the layout is quite similar.

St Nonna's Well, Nun's Well (St Anneka's Well) SX224564
The third Holy Well that inspired St Anneka's Well. Pretty tricky to get to without a car/taxi. It is two miles in either direction to Pelynt or Duloe, either along the lanes from Pelynt, or along footpaths from Duloe. The religious paraphernalia, structure and location of the well make this a rewarding trip however.

Cothele Mill (Bob's Workshop Interior)
If you get chance to head to this National Trust property, north-east of Looe (on the banks of the Tamar river that divides Cornwall and Devon), you can see the interior of Bob's workshop.

Morwhellam Quay, Devon (Ager/Karswell House)
Over the border into Devon, on the bank of the Tamar, is this living history museum. There is a mining museum, train ride and various shops and workshops. Near the waterwheel is a cottage and laboratory, the Ager/Karswell House. This is almost identical to the scenes in the game. If you get chance to stop here, the ticket price is excellent value for the thrill of seeing the well-preserved Lost Crown location, and for the other exhibits around the quay.

06-28-2011, 11:10 AM	#2
amunptah Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 91	Walk 2 - Looe (1 mile) - Do at low tide There are a few game locations to visit in Looe, but you can only see some at low tide, so plan accordingly. For example, if you missed The Pinnacles at Hannafore Beach on Walk 1, return at low tide in order to explore the rocks. Just south of the Tourist Information Centre in East Looe is the EXTERIOR of Gruel's Antiques and Saxton Station, on Fore Street. You can't miss it, as it is on the main route through the heart of the town. Keep walking down Fore Street and turn left into Higher Market Street. On the right down this road is the Old Guildhall Jail and Museum. The museum is great, and the lower level is the INTERIOR of Gruel's Antiques, with a bit of creative photoshopping from Jonathan. Turn right when you come out of the museum, and follow the road all the way to the end at the beach. You can walk along Banjo Pier to the Martello Tower, or down onto the beach at low tide to get the in-game view of the tower. At low tide, go east along the beach, climb up the large, ugly concrete sea defence wall, and down onto the rocky beach the other side of the rocky outcrop at the far end. Pick your way across the rocks at the base of the cliff. About 100 metres east is a small cave, that inspired the smugglers caverns scene in The Lost Crown. It is a small, square opening in a recess of the cliff. Take extra care when climbing up to it as the rocks are treacherous here, and can be slimy and wet. I have not visited it yet, but you can see the mobile phone mast from Barrow Hill on West Looe Downs (SX252535). Walk 3 - Sedgemarsh, Northfield, Raven Lane, Barrow Hill (5 miles) This one is a bit more complex as the locations are more spread out, and you will need to use public transport to get to them. Do stick with it though, as these are some of the prettiest and most diverse locations from the games (including my personal favourite). Sandplace Station (Sedgemarsh Station) - SX249571 To get to the first location, head north out of East Looe to Looe Railway Station. You can take a train here along the picturesque Looe Valley Line. I don't know about ticket prices, but there are usually 2 or 3 trains per hour. The train functions much like a bus, so you will have to request it to stop when you want to get off. The first stop is Sandplace Station (Sedgemarsh Station from the very beginning of the game). If the train driver is friendly, you may be able to get out for photos etc. for a minute or so. If not, you can return here on foot at the end of the walk. Causeland Station (Northfield Junction) - SX249591 The next stop after Sandplace is Causeland. You want to leave the train here. The station itself is not very impressive, but opposite the exit gate is the little bridge at Northfield Junction in The Lost Crown. Jonathan did a lot of photoshopping on the field behind it to incorporate a lane and woods! St Keyne's Well (St Anneka's Well) - SX248602 This one is a bit of a detour, but well worth the visit. Of the three Holy Wells in the area, St Keyne's is the one that Matt Clark based St Anneka's Well on the most. Exit from Causeland Station, and turn right. Follow the lane north, ignoring the next lane on the right that crosses the bridge. Follow the lane uphill for about half a mile, passing a hotel. Where the road forks, you will find the well on the right. When you are finished here, head back down the lane to Causeland Station. The Old Barn - SX247590 Continue south past Causeland Station. Fifty metres along is a crossing of three roads. Take the rightmost road, Stocks Lane. The Old Barn is a few metres along here. Stocks Lane (Raven Lane) Continue down the lane past the barn. After a short stretch with high hedges on each side of the road, you will reach the crossroads area of "Raven Lane". Across the stream on the right there are two paths, one leading up the hill into Stocks Wood (Carrion Wood). The other leads to Northfield Church in The Lost Crown, but in reality it only leads to a locked gate, and is not worth the walk. If you like, you can head up the hill and explore the woods. When you are done, head back to the road and continue up the hill. This is my favourite location, especially on a sunny day, as it is so peaceful and green. Further up the lane, another path will join from the right. Look back down the hill at this point to recreate another scene from the game. Pass between the hedgerows, crammed with plant and animal life until you reach a gate on the right opposite a cottage. This is the location of some ingredients for the Karswell's stew. Continue walking to the end of the lane, and then turn left and follow the B3254 for half a mile until you reach Duloe. Take extra care here as there can be fast moving traffic along the road and there is no pavement. The Plough Inn (The Bear Interior) - SX235585 Continue walking through Duloe, passing some convenient toilets, and look out for The Plough Inn on the left. The interior of this pub was photoshopped for use as The Bear. The internal layout is fairly similar, with the bar and fireplace, and toilets around the corner, but the details are quite different. When you are finished at the pub, continue to walk down the road. Duloe Stone Circle (Barrow Hill Stone Circle) - SX236584 You can visit Duloe Stone Circle, the inspiration for Barrow Hill, by following signs along a footpath between some cottages. The stones are quite unusual because of their large size relative to the circumference of the circle. The stone circle is located in a small field, populated by sheep and two friendly cats, and a sign gives a little bit of history. Duloe Church (Northfield Church) - SX235581 A few metres further down the road from the stone circle is the church, usually open every day. The in-game version is remarkably similar to real life, although there is now a large tree in the graveyard obscuring the view through the churchyard towards the tower. Look out for the flock of crows in the trees! The vestry in the game is located elsewhere St Cuby's Well (St Anneka's Well) - SX241579 Continue along the road from the church for about half a mile, through two sharp bends. Take care when walking as there is no pavement for part of the route. When the road heads downhill, you will soon pass Cornish Orchards (worth a quick visit!). Just a few metres past the entrance to the orchard, on the right, is St Cuby's Well, part of the inspiration for St Anneka's Well in Barrow Hill. This is the last location on this walk. You can either walk back into Duloe and take a bus to Looe from there, or continue down the hill for another half a mile, winding through the beautiful woods until you get to Sandplace Station. You may want to do this if you didn't get to stop there earlier on. Then you can either take a train to Looe, or catch a bus just across the road. Extra Locations There are a few other places featured in the games that are more difficult to get to, but if you have time and transport, are worth the trip. Pelynt Church Vestry (Northfield Church Vestry) SX203551 The church at the centre of Pelynt, a couple of miles north of Polperro, is home to the vestry at Northfield. It has been heavily photoshopped for the game, but the layout is quite similar. St Nonna's Well, Nun's Well (St Anneka's Well) SX224564 The third Holy Well that inspired St Anneka's Well. Pretty tricky to get to without a car/taxi. It is two miles in either direction to Pelynt or Duloe, either along the lanes from Pelynt, or along footpaths from Duloe. The religious paraphernalia, structure and location of the well make this a rewarding trip however. Cothele Mill (Bob's Workshop Interior) If you get chance to head to this National Trust property, north-east of Looe (on the banks of the Tamar river that divides Cornwall and Devon), you can see the interior of Bob's workshop. Morwhellam Quay, Devon (Ager/Karswell House) Over the border into Devon, on the bank of the Tamar, is this living history museum. There is a mining museum, train ride and various shops and workshops. Near the waterwheel is a cottage and laboratory, the Ager/Karswell House. This is almost identical to the scenes in the game. If you get chance to stop here, the ticket price is excellent value for the thrill of seeing the well-preserved Lost Crown location, and for the other exhibits around the quay.