River Tamar
The 50-mile stretch of the River Tamar forms a unique county boundary between Devon and Cornwall. Rising just four miles short of Bude and the Atlantic Ocean, the river flows slowly south through reed-fringed mudscapes until it widens out and eventually meets the English Channel at Plymouth Sound.
Here the Tamar merges with the rivers Tavy, Plym and Lynher to form the Tamar Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
The natural wonders of the environment contrast sharply with the manmade industrial relics which are strewn along the middle reaches of the river. The cries of the raven and the peregrine falcon echo around the site of abandoned mines in which men toiled for more than two centuries. The Tamar has always played an important role in the region's economy with mineral extraction a key industry in the Tamar valley. The Tamar has also served naval interests since 1691, when William of Orange commissioned a new dockyard at the mouth of the river in Devon.
Today, the Tamar is largely recreational, a place to visit, hire a canoe, take a boat trip or enjoy a scenic stroll along the riverbank. Tourists admire the medieval stone bridges, which stand out against the innovative Tamar Bridge - the longest suspension bridge in the UK when it first opened to traffic in 1961.
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