For a few decades in the nineteenth century the Tamar valley was among the richest copper fields in Europe, and then, almost overnight, it became a major source of arsenic. The river divides Devon from Cornwall, and the hills on both sides are pocked with old mine workings, engine houses, spoil heaps and the cuttings of former railways. Devon Great Consols, near Gunnislake, was in the nineteenth century one of the richest copper mines in the world, and when copper prices fell the owners turned to arsenic, which was used in pesticides and paint, and for a time it made the valley a strategic industry. The whole area is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, listed by UNESCO in 2006.
The valley is one of the loveliest in the south-west, a steep, wooded gorge with orchards, market gardens and little quays. Calstock, a few miles south of here, is overlooked by a tall railway viaduct of twelve arches, built of concrete blocks in 1907 and 1908, that makes a striking sight from the river. Morwellham Quay, a restored port downstream, shows how the ore was shipped, and the Tamar Valley railway line from Plymouth to Gunnislake is one of the most scenic in England. The Tamar was famous for cherries and daffodils, which were grown for the London market.
For a rider, the roads of the valley are narrow, steep and twisting, with high hedges and sudden views of the river. Many are single-track, with passing places, and a loaded motorcycle needs a gentle hand. Gunnislake New Bridge crosses the river in a pretty setting, and the lanes on either side climb through woods to the edge of Dartmoor. Tavistock, a handsome market town, is a short ride to the east, with a Goose Fair each October.
Fuel is easy to find in Tavistock, which has several stations and a good range of shops and cafés, while Gunnislake and Bere Alston have small shops and pubs. Spring is lovely, with bluebells and wild garlic, and September brings fewer visitors and clear air. In winter the lanes can be icy and flooded.