I WANDERED over the moor the other day past Dozmary Pool. I always think it’s one of those places that should be better known but I would hazard a guess that few tourists venture there, although it is signposted from the Jamaica Inn beside the A30 main road. It’s a small lake on Bodmin Moor that was formed after the glacial period and which drains, eventually, into the River Fowey.

Dozmary Pool is a pretty enough spot, in a bleak sort of way, and there’s nothing in the way of amenities or facilities. You can park your car in a small layby and walk down to the pool.

This low-key approach exists despite the pool’s main claim to fame, other than being home to a rare water flea, that this is where King Arthur received his sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake and where Bedivere returned Excalibur as Arthur lay dying after the Battle of Camlann.

However, the story might be a bit unlikely as Dozmary Pool’s maximum depth is nine foot and it dried up completely in 1899. The Lady might have chosen somewhere better.

In 1951, Dozmary Pool was the first site in Cornwall to be declared a Site Of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and it is an important habitat for a variety of waders and ducks. This was especially true before the Colliford Lake and Siblyback Lake reservoirs were built in 1983 and 1968 respectively. It’s home to curlew, snipe, lapwing and stonechat and a variety of duck in the winter.

Despite the bleakness and remoteness, it is an incredibly atmospheric place and there are many worse days than a walk around the pool, less than two miles, and a visit to the facilities at the Jamaica Inn. And it’s free, which is even better – the pool that is, not the pub!