Minions and South Phoenix Mine
Mine sites and mining settlements
Minions is a great example of one of the settlements that grew up during the Caradon mining boom, and you can still see the rows of former mineworkers’ cottages and chapels that once served this busy mining settlement. The village has plenty of parking and a few facilities for visitors. The road through Minions has no pavement so pedestrians and wheelchair users will be in the road. The roads that lead to the car parks, toilets and South Phoenix Mine are unmade, very rough, and uneven with some short steep sections.
The car parks in Minions serve the main attractions in the area, the Hurlers, a line of standing stone circles and the Cheesewring, an outcrop of balancing rocks on the moor. The Cheesewring car park is the more accessible of the two car parks. It has a better surface, easier entrances/exits and a shorter distance to South Phoenix Mine which houses the Minions Heritage Centre (currently closed) The car park also has good views over the remains of Wheal Jenkin Mine and towards the summit of Caradon Hill. The path from the car park is unmade however, and is very rough and uneven with some short steep sections and potholes with standing water following rain.
Nearby are the remains of the Liskeard and Caradon Railway and the various branches of this, which served both mining and quarrying here, can be seen to the east of the car park. The remains of the mine at Wheal Jenkin are also visible from the Cheesewring car park looking towards Caradon Hill.
Minions facilities, transport and parking
There are two free Cornwall Council car parks in Minions with plenty of parking, the Cheesewring car park and The Hurlers car park. There are no designated accessible parking spaces. There are no height restriction or barriers in either car park.
There are public toilets including an accessible toilet on an unmade road almost exactly the same distance from both car parks.
The Cheesewring car park is a compacted surface which is uneven and potholed in places. There are marked (24) and unmarked spaces and no designated accessible spaces. There is a picnic table at the car park edge on grass which is uneven and boggy after rain.
The Hurlers car park has an unmade and uneven surface. The paths out of the car park include steep gradients and steps. There are no marked parking spaces. There is a picnic table at the car park edge on grass which is uneven and boggy after rain.
There is no public transport in Minions.
There is a shop and tea room in the village.
Minions distances:
Distance
Description and other access considerations
Cheesewring car park to South Phoenix Mine
Distance
200m
Description and other access considerations
Unmade path, very rough and uneven with a slight gradient and some short steep sections (1:6). Standing water following rain.
Hurlers car park to South Phoenix Mine
Distance
500m
Description and other access considerations
Exit from car park onto the road with no pavement leading to an unmade road, very rough and uneven with a slight gradient and some short steep sections (1:6). Standing water following rain.
Where else to visit nearby with parking:
Cheesewring car park to South Caradon Mine car park (Tokenbury Corner) - 5km (3 miles)
Cheesewring car park to Caradon Hill (viewpoint) - 1.5km (1 mile)
Cheesewring car park to Liskeard - 8km (5.5 miles)
Liskeard to South Caradon Mine car park (Tokenbury Corner) - 6.5km (4 miles)
Liskeard to Caradon Hill (viewpoint) - 9.5km (6 miles)
South Caradon Mine car park (Tokenbury Corner) to Caradon Hill (viewpoint) - 6.5km (4 miles)