Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.tamarvalley.org.uk/explore/access/walking/tamartrails
)
Much of the land is privately owned, but
the new Tamar Trails have opened up 25km of hiking and biking trails which were previ-
ously off-limits to the public. The trails start at Bedford Sawmills car park, just off the
A390 between Gunnislake and Tavistock, and wind their way along the banks of the river,
passing through riverside copses and several disused mine-workings.
The Tamar was once a heavily industrialised landscape, with rich mineral lodes and
several bustling river-ports, where copper and tin would be loaded before being shipped
out across the country. Like many former mining areas, nature has now reclaimed the
land, and wildflowers, butterflies and birds abound in summer. Unsurprisingly, the Tamar
was declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1995.
Canoe Tamar
( 01822-833409;
www.canoetamar.co.uk
; adult/child £25/21)
It'd be a shame to come to the Tamar
and not see the river scenery close-up. Canoe Tamar leads daily expeditions up to the
river's tidal limits in beautiful wooden Canadian canoes.
CANOEING
Information
Tamar Valley Information Centre
( 01822-835030;
www.tamarvalley.org.uk
; 10.30-3.30pm Mon-Fri)
Of-
fers general info on the Tamar area in Drakewalls, near Gunnislake.
Getting There & Away
The scenic
Tamar Valley Line
(
www.greatscenicrailways.com/tamar.html
;
day-pass adult/child £5.20/2.60)
runs
for 14 miles from Gunnislake to Plymouth, stopping at various small stations en route.
