Saints' Way

The Saints' Way (Cornish: Forth an Syns) is a long-distance footpath in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom.

It follows the probable route of early Christian travellers making their way from Ireland to the Continent. Rather than risk the difficult passage around Land's End they would disembark their ships on the North Cornish coast and progress to ports such as Fowey on foot. The footpath today between Padstow in the north and Fowey in the south is 26 miles in length and is well marked. Guide books are available.

Between 55 - 50AD a Roman trading centre was constructed at Nanstallon (near Bodmin) and it is thought its purpose was to serve the main communication and trade route linking the north Cornish coast at the River Camel and the southern coast at the River Fowey, the 'transpeninsular route'. However the centre was abandoned after only 20-25 years and it was never used again. It is thought that the trading route served the Celtic peoples of Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany as Nanstallon was built close to major mineral bearing areas. [Philip Payton. (1996). "Cornwall". Fowey: Alexander Associates]

References

External links

[http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5787 Saints' Way information at Cornwall County Council]