The area around the river Tamar hosts some of Cornwall and Devon’s most spectacular scenery which is recognised through its designation as an area of outstanding natural beauty. With SSSI’s, nature reserves, and world heritage mining sites it is a truly unique place.
Exploring the Tamar Valley
With such a large area covering such a range of sites and activities we are putting together the map below with links to as many of the different areas as possible. There is an entire website dedicated to the Tamar Valley here.
Large sections of the area are open to the public both on foot and by cycling. Check out the Tamar Trails website for detailed information on some of the dedicated paths.
A World Heritage Site
The remains of Cornwalls mining industry are a World Heritage Site, including the remains that are scattered throughout the Tamar Valley.
Morewellham quay provides an oppertunity to see what life was like in the mines and features a ride through a real mine on a minature train.
Wildlife
The Tamar valley is host to a vast array of plants and animals, the diverse range of habitats make this area a great place to see a bit of everything.
I have been told the stretch of the Tamar around Gunnislake is host to Otters, although I’m yet to see one myself. It offers fantastic walks through some very dramatic valley either next to the river, or from high above. Look for Morewell rocks on the map at the top of the page to find the most spectacular views.
