Rough Tor car park up Brown Willy: route map, distance and time
420 m · South West England · OS grid SX158799
Brown Willy is the highest point in Cornwall, a granite tor on Bodmin Moor reached on foot from the Rough Tor car park.
You cross the moor, cross the De Lank River and climb grassy slopes to the summit cairn.
Rough Tor car park at a glance
| Distance | 2.4 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 130 m |
| Time up | 0h 40m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 1h 10m, down the same way |
| Grade | Moderate |
| Start | Rough Tor car park, near Camelford |
| Start grid reference | SX 145 807 |
| Summit grid reference | SX158799 |
Rough Tor car park map
The start (green) and the summit (blue). Peakify has no GPX track for this route yet, so follow the description and your map.
Height profile and getting to the start
How long Rough Tor car park takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 0h 35m | 1h 0m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 0h 40m | 1h 10m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 0h 50m | 1h 30m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:46, sunset 18:20. Start by 16:10 to be down before dark, allowing 1h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:47, sunset 18:18. Start by 16:08 to be down before dark, allowing 1h 10m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Brown Willy summit weather for this route
There is no recent summit forecast cached for Brown Willy right now. The main Brown Willy page loads the live forecast when you open it. Open the live Brown Willy forecast.
About Brown Willy
Brown Willy is the highest point in Cornwall, a granite tor on Bodmin Moor reached on foot from the Rough Tor car park. More about Brown Willy, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Marilyn, historic county top, county top.
Challenges that include Brown Willy
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at SX 145 807, the summit at SX158799), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Rough Tor car park: questions and answers
How far is Rough Tor car park?
Rough Tor car park is 2.4 km one way to the summit of Brown Willy, with 130 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 4.8 km.
How long does Rough Tor car park take?
About 0h 40m to the summit of Brown Willy and 1h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 1h 30m for the round trip.
Where do you park for Rough Tor car park?
Rough Tor car park starts from Rough Tor car park, near Camelford. The grid reference is SX 145 807.
Is Rough Tor car park suitable for beginners?
Yes, for fit walkers on a clear day. Peakify grades it Moderate: a long climb on a made path, but the top is high, exposed and colder than the start. Turn back if the cloud comes down and you can't navigate.
What time should I start Rough Tor car park today?
By 16:10 at the latest. Sunset on Brown Willy today is 18:20, Rough Tor car park takes about 1h 10m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for Rough Tor car park?
Not yet. The Peakify iPhone app can plan the route and export a GPX (Peakify Pro).