Carnkie is a semi-rural village located between the towns of Redruth and Camborne. It sits on the southern side of the lofty Carn Brea hill (not to be confused with Chapel Carn Brea in West Penwith), which is topped by a distinctive monument to Francis Basset, Lord of Dunstaville, whose family played an important role in the mining industry for many centuries. The granite monument, which stands thirty meters high, was erected in 1836. It is clearly visible from the A30.
There is a single track road leading from Carnkie village up the hill, which degenerates into a rough track and culminates in parking for five cars. There are walks from here to the monument and to an imposing castle, now a restaurant, which is also the legacy of Lord Basset. Legend has it that the large stones with which the hill is strewn are bones belonging to a giant who, when standing, could put one foot on Carn Brea and the other on St Agnes Beacon, ten miles away. The giant lost his life in a battle with another giant and the stones are all that remains of him.
