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Name:Hensbarrow Downs
Hill number:19290
Height:364.6m / 1196ft
RHB Section:40: Cornwall & Devon
County/UA:Cornwall
Catchment:Minor Rivers only (South)
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Tump (300-399m)
(Ma,Hu,Tu,3)
Grid ref:SX 00135 57483
Summit feature:vegetated rock embedded in long grass
Drop:250m
Col:114.6m  SX 0873 6546  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 200
(1:25k) 106 107
Survey:Leica RX1250
Comments:Replaced 2884 Hensbarrow Beacon in Feb 2017
Change log:show changes for this hill entry
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way.  Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass.  Please quote the hill number and hill name.

Logged Descriptions  (logged by 210 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
no issues encounteredmike.hartley23/02/2024
Should have done some more research on this beforehand. British Lithium have a pilot processing plant just to the NE of Hensbarrow Beacon where they have developed a patented process to produce EV battery grade lithium carbonate this year. On 29June they announced a partnership with local French miner Imerys to develop and expand production in the area. As a result the fp to the west has been closed and security in the viscinity tightened up with van patrols on the tracks. We managed to get to the trig point but no further. As a working day there was a lot of truck traffic on the roads/tracks, so next time we might try on a weekend.richard6930/08/2023
As per others straight up the path and then track from car parkStevooo26/06/2023
From quarry entrance to morth up quarry road then direct uphillmart079723/03/2023
Up the ROW from the parking area. At yhe gate go up LHS of fence to gate just ptheatrics trig, then through the gate, avoids all the gauze on the RGS of the fence. From the trig back to the path towards the derelict building. Trail goes to yge right through the trees and up onto the track. Followed the track up yo the left, then right up around the bend, when track stops climbing come to a big boulder with track leading diagonally left up onto the ridge. Then it's an easy ascent to the summit. On the way back followed the track around to the left at the bottom junction instead of heading towards ROW. This leads easily back to the car park.JulieB26/02/2023
Sunday walk, followed mining road from the road.G0HIO19/02/2023
From the parking area to the west, we followed the RoW up to the trig on Hensbarrow Beacon (the original top). The path got increasingly gorsey before the trig but was quite passable. As others have mentioned, we then headed to the disused building nearby and followed a trail up onto the quarry track. We followed the track for a little while before climbing up to the new summit. Both coasts are easily seen from the top and so is Brown Willy. We followed the track back down. No one about as it was a Sunday, apart from a dog walker. This was the 1st of 4 hills today. Afterwards we drove to and bagged Caerloggas Downs, Helman Tor and The Beacon at Bodmin.DanTrig16/10/2022
A return visit to bag the new summit of the landscaped spoil heap. From little car park small path towards white trig. Left through second of the two field gates on Public footpath to corner of field and wooden gate. Narrow path leads to trig. Observe notch in dyke hiding quarry road as it ascends from R to L. First follow narrow path to small concrete building, then to right edge of trees & bracken to back right corner of bracken filled clearing where path goes through trees to ascend the notch to quarry road. Left, uphill, round bend, 100m sharp left of grassed over track. When steep rough slopes ease on RHS turn R and head straight up. Summit is ill-defined.Minto01/07/2022
On a walk from Higher Trezaise, taking in Hensbarrow Downs, Hensbarrow Beacon and then on to Roche Rock (which I'm a little surprised isn't on here). The top of the Downs is settling into a nice grassy top, with decent views. Still seems sad that the Beacon which was the highest point for the barrow builders is now so dwarfed by this though.thesweetcheat20/06/2022
Parked by low double gates at 002578. The grid ref is shown on a notice. I'd have been unwilling to start here on a working day, so pleased it was Su. From the top of the quarry vehicle road, we walked W on an old track about 100m, then up directly to the HP. Lots of Salix scrub and lots of orchids, generally good underfoot and never obstructed by vegetation. We crossed a few more disused tracks going round the slope,a dog walker on one of them. I guess following them W from our line would lead round towards the trig pt, which we could see way below from the HP. Interesting views of the almost post-industrial land scape. On the way down, we noted how, the other side of the fence in the access land, the vegetation was more grassland, perhaps reclaimed more recently. We had bagged the trig pt 15 yrs ago and in the end, thought visiting the new top in this most human-altered landscape an interesting and wothwhile exercise. With Pete.pwheeler12/06/2022
Got completely drenched and couldn't see a thing in the wind and rain. From the trig made way to ruined building and found faint path through trees , that's literally through trees , it's so overgrown, then up path that had turned into a stream to meet quarry road . Soon switches back then you can break off left on another smaller quarry road to get to summit area.Mark Sims17/05/2022
The strangest aspect from a Marilyn that I can recollect.summitter13/04/2022
Another sunny day. Nice to go to trig with my Sister while Mum in hospital.davechaffey18/03/2022
Parked to the W then walked to the top via the trig.paulhilder21/02/2022
Walked in from Roche then circumnavigated the quarryPhilipChaston04/02/2022
Trezaise - Hensbarrow Downs - Caerloggas Downs - Carluddon Pyramid - Carclaze Downs - St Austell.Mark Jackson27/01/2022
Followed fence northwards down from Hensbarrow Beacon and over a gate to join a quarry track. Uphill next on rough ground. No fence to mark edge of Access Land. Surprisingly easy walk up to the summit. Dusk. Solo.Dangerous Dave10/01/2022
Not sure about this one, seemed a bit odd walking up here passing the trig point to get to get to the top of a spoil heap.Idris16/12/2021
Well it has taken just over 20 years to trapse the few hundred yards east. Went to the trig from the parking to the west. Then made for the notch in the bank to the track. After a short zig zag it was an easy climb to the flat summit area. I wandered around in the mist for a few minutes before returning the same waygaryhoney27/10/2021
From footpath slightly west of north. Easy parking. Bits of paths and tracks and plenty of heather to the top.destaylor20/10/2021
Finally final finally. Should've got here yesterday afternoon if I'd not spent forever snipping bush overgrowth on the path to the trig. Today its misty. No view English Marilyns re-completedvegibagger11/08/2021
with Evelyn - visited trig point and summit plateaujd1613/05/2021
Last English Marilyn - again. Did Hensbarrow Beacon years ago. Had to come all this way just to get the disappointing new top.davefh22/04/2021
from Trezaise, via minor road S then FP east to trig and found fair route to summit with minimum gorse. With K.IanHHill19/04/2021
From small parking area to W with J. Followed the somewhat overgrown & wet path to the trig point. Then aimed at the obvious notch in the bank on the spoil heap behind. Took 3 goes & a bit of a battle through the growing scrub & small trees to reach it. Then followed the quarry track round one bend & cut up straight to the top. However the actual top could be almost anywhere up there. The quarrying activity seems to be on the W of the minor road now & the landscaping of the spoil heap has been done quite sympathetically. Very little suggestion of GOML here now with a lot of Open Access land defined. Panoramic view but it's difficult to look past the quarrying unfortunately.NotReallyABagger28/09/2020
Did the old top years ago so had to try for this on my first visit to Cornwall for over 10 years. Parked up too far south on the road to west and had a real fight through bog and scrub to get to the trig. Then easy to the new top and discovered a much easier way on the way down, using the quarry roads. Typical!!!signyred13/07/2020
Summited a total of 7 times, absolutely phenomenal view from the manmade tip with a 360 degree view over a large portion of cornwall. Dartmoor is visible over 40 miles away on a clear day as well as plymouth. Roseland to the south is all visible. The lizard peninsula can be seen.FelixClayhill17/05/2020
Walked from our holiday cottage in Bugle, taking road over slag heap from B3274, which soon cuts back as a footpath at second switchback contouring round the north to the east side. Missed trig pillar on right as expected it to be above our eye-line so cut back to Marilyn summit first. There is another embedded stone 75m to WSW , which we came across on way back to trig pillar, but this one at SX 00134 57478 is clearly higher.mntainman20/01/2020
2/4 Marilyn day in Cornwall. Hensbarrow Down from the road. 3km in 40 minutes. (S)silveracorn_alan01/11/2019
From little used quarry entrance east side.Eddie10/07/2019
As previous visitor, parked near the gates to the north then up initially on the gravel tracks before hearing straight up over the scrub to the top. Then descended westwards to visit the trig point. A relief to get this one out of the way with no GOML interference.Father Ted05/05/2019
From road to north, old access gates to Quarry. Mostly direct line to summit, and also memorial stone nearby to the man responsible for the aggregate/clay firmN.Morters28/04/2019
From the gate to the North on the B3274, virtually straight up to the high point then down to the trig at the old Marilyn location. Being Saturday no sign of work at the clay pits.NormanW30/03/2019
Repeated due to new location on spoil heap above trig point. Walked in past trig point on my right, ascended gap in bank to quarry roads to reach pile of rocks on heap for shelter from wind at SX 00000 57547. Stayed on summit 50 mins, returned via mine vehicles track south of trig and shown on 25K map to car park area (SX992575). No mine vehicles or persons seen in area of summit for duration of activation - operated ham radio on summit for SOTA. I will not be returning.G4OBK (Phil)24/01/2019
Repeat but a different top, 535 miles each way. From the west, no security visible but plenty of vehicles. High cloud, mild and calm.iangalbraith06/01/2019
This was a lot more straightforward than I feared after reading some of the logs below. I parked in the little car park to the west and followed the path to the trig. A little to the right of the small building just beyond this a path leads up a short gully. This deposited me on a road. Roads and grassy tracks zigzag up all over the place and can be patiently followed but the terrain underfoot is a friendly, grassy affair so it is easy enough to cut corners.lenman03/01/2019
Followed Winterfloodians directions.Lionel Bidwell11/12/2018
Eventful! Without map struggled to find the best place to start. This walk had it all, a bramble scramble, odd quarry views, deer! I was eventually escorted off by two security men in a landrover who were helpful and friendly. They guided me to the old Marilyntumpawumpa05/10/2018
From car park on road to west. Path leads along fence to mound with trig point; (path on north side of mound avoids brambles and gorse and gives access to trig point). Continue past mound to small building. 30m south a track leads up through scrub onto access roads and easy slopes to the flat summit.Winterfloodian21/09/2018
From the north, parked beside and hopped over the no entry barrier. There is a regeneration project bill board. I would never have known it was artificial.Topographer5709/08/2018
Parked on B road to north beside low double gates at SX 00225 57899. Used zig zag track to SX 00226 57779 then aimed directly for summit over vegetated earth, rocks and stones.David Gradwell01/08/2018
Quarry workings under way on west side, so parked outside double gates on B3274 to NE of summit. Followed wide quarry road NW, then turned left for 400m before turning right up smaller path. Followed this path anticlockwise until trig point appeared due west on right when we joined a bend in a quarry road. A gap in the bank gave access to the trig point, descending a short, steep bank and making my way through gorse and bracken. After visiting trig point, headed due east to gain the plateau where a faint 4x4 track led the way directly to the summit stone - a flat, vegetated feature. 70 m further is a large rock commemorating the restoration work of David Woodland. Returned heading due N and descending to the quarry road. Hot, dry day.Dartmoorman06/07/2018
Used the Moorsman approach. Note the gate is 200mtrs along the ROW from the CP. Collected trig COU on the return. with Elizyanne. No issues.GmacT04/07/2018
Had heard so much about it that I was longing to see this hill. Great views of surrounding quarries, the trig point/summit below!! After a short time in the creation of the world, the sphagnum Moss is well established on Hensbarrow. Enjoyable walk.elizyanne04/07/2018
via trig point from 297m spot heightcjo21/06/2018
If you are climbing this hill along with the trig point, it is worthwhile bearing in mind that immediately after the trig the next 200m involve a scramble through bramble, bracken, gorse and the ascent of a short cliff face (only 20m in height). This takes longer than you might expect and is far easier done in descent on the way back. So, to reach this summit, follow the track from the car park to the west then access the quarry road through a gate after about 150m. This permits an easy walk to where the track from the trig meets it. Then head upwards across easy moorland. Take in the trig on the return journey.moorsman17/06/2018
walked from car park by masts to white trig point and onwards to the top. Very strange to see the trig so low compared to the surroundings.gettingonabit13/05/2018
In high wind and drizzle from west, with Maya in car waiting. Visited many summit rocks. Rounsfell01/05/2018
Parked to west. Revisit to go to HP. Went via trig which had been to on a previous occasion when hill was still ‘active’. Easily found way from trig up to summit plateau.PeterD23/04/2018
From gate to north - pretty much straight up and down. Early morning mist so no issue about being seen!SS13/04/2018