Stiles

Cornwall has a habit of keeping its secrets tucked away in hedgerows, buried beneath brambles, or disguised as something entirely ordinary. And sometimes, all it takes is a curious eye or a community project to bring those secrets back into the light.

I feel compelled to write about stiles because they are part of our landscape which is fast disappearing. More and more stiles that I have known, some of them I have loved, are being removed and are being replaced by the ubiquitous galvanised kissing gate. Stiles are under danger from political correctness!

County Councils via their Highway Departments are replacing stiles in order to allow greater access to the countryside for those with disabi