Welcome to the Tamar Trails Explore the mines and quays of the Tamar Valley...

Explore the Tamar Trails and journey through the Tamar Valley (on the /Cornwall border), along old mineral tramways and Discover what was once the railways, learn about the mining largest copper mine in Europe, history and enjoy the stunning , or natural landscapes. follow the trails in and around

This project is part financed by the European Union under the European Morwellham Quay - an historic Regional Development Fund. mining port and gateway to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

For more information please visit: www.tamarvalley.org.uk www.cornish-mining.org.uk

Designed by Colin Fearon Design and printed by Fourway Print Ltd, Launceston Chipshop

Horsebridge Scrub Tor (Start of Wheal Maria Trail) DEVON N

DEVON GREAT CONSOLS

Wheal 0 1km Maria Wheal Wheal Emma Fanny Chimney Wheal Josiah Opening June 2011 uphill uphill Bedford Sawmills Wheal Blanchdown Anna Maria Car Park Wood (pay & display

Tamar Trails - Points of Interest Wheal P underpass Frementor uphill A390 Along some of the trails you will find a series of to numbered markers relating to features of interest. Road Crossing A brief description of these features is given Clitters Mine below the general trail information. uphill South Bedford Mine Steep gradient CORNWALL Gunnislake Wheal Maria Trail (walking, horseriding & cycling) A390 Wheal Josiah Walk (footpath only) to Callington

Wheal Josiah Walk (walking & horseriding only) Russell United TAMAR Mine Devon Great Consols Railway Trail (walking, horseriding & cycling) VALLEY CENTRE Chimney Rock Walk (footpath only) to Maddacleave Woods Downhill Mountain Bike Tracks Footpath George & Woodland only Charlotte Mine P Viewpoint Join in with a high-tech treasure hunt uphill Morwellham Quay Newquay Dogs on lead please here in the Tamar Valley, with the (private site, charges apply) Maddacleave Pub/Café Hidden Depths Geocache Trails - Wood

Picnic area located along parts of the Tamar Trails. r a Ta m Please visit www.tamarvalley.org.uk ver Ri This map is for illustrative purposes only. We recommend the for further details. use of Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No 108, Lower Tamar Valley & Plymouth (1:25000) Blanchdown wood Wheal Maria Trail

This wide trail passes through mixed woodland, revealing spectacular views across the Tamar Valley and mining remains. The trail is a compacted stone Wheal Maria Trail track, with some loose stones in parts. It is generally level with steep, WHEAL MARIA TRAIL 4. Blanchdown Wood. These woods have had only three owners since records challenging sections in parts. It is recommended to complete this circuit in a (multiuse, began. Tavistock Abbey originally held the land until the Dissolution of the clockwise direction. 4 length 5 km. Blanchdown Wood Monasteries in 1540 when it went to the Dukes of Bedford; finally it was purchased

Approximate time CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE from the Dukes in 1959 by the 6th Earl of Bradford. Scrub Tor www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk to walk 2 hours) (Start of Wheal Starting point Maria Trail) for circular route, WHEAL MARIA 5. Wheal Anna Maria. Part of Devon Great Consols, the mine covered 3.2 TRAIL Scrub Tor Car Park - hectares and had over 6,850 cubic metres of arsenic flues - the equivalent of grid ref SX 414 743 Arsenic calciner 5 approximately 185 double-decker buses! Demand for arsenic increased due to its Wheal DEVON GREAT CONSOLS Maria Wheal Anna Maria use in the dyeing, paint and glass industries as well as a pesticide in the cotton fields 2 Wheal non-public CORNISH MINING 1 Fanny access WORLD HERITAGE of the USA. Unlike copper, large amounts of arsenic were refined on site using the 4 www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk 3 ‘calcination’ process and in total yielded 72,000 tons of arsenic. Chimney Wheal uphill Josiah WHEAL MARIA 7 TRAIL 6. Wheal Frementor. Again, part of Devon Great Consols. On the river bank arsenic 8 calciners opposite are the remains of Gunnislake Clitters. The large opening in front of you is 5 Blanchdown 6 Wheal Frementor an extensive open stope (this is the space left behind after the has been removed). Wood Wheal Anna Maria Bedford Sawmills The main output was tungsten and tin. Car Park P CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE (pay & display) www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk

uphill Wheal Frementor 7. Blanchdown Wood. The Earl and his forester, Phil 6 Hutt, developed what is known as the ‘Bradford-Hutt Plan’ WHEAL MARIA Heath Fritillary Gunnislake TRAIL for growing conifers. The woods are divided into sections Clitters Mine 7 and then coupes (small areas of forest) 18 metres square, Blanchdown Wood each with trees of different ages. Each year, some are felled WHEAL MARIA Trail markers TRAIL CORNISH and some planted, which allows for continuous cover in the MINING WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk woodland despite commercial felling regularly taking place. 1 1. Wheal Maria. Discovered in 1844, this mine was part of Devon Great Consols Wheal Maria Look out for the rare and beautiful Heath Fritillary butterfly, and was named after the Duke of Bedford’s wife. It produced copper, lead and arsenic CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE which can be found here and only a few other spots across www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk until its closure in 1920. Phil Hutt (right) with the UK. former woodsmen

WHEAL MARIA TRAIL This was the location of the deepest shaft on Devon Great 2. Wheal Maria. Rich deposits of copper were found in `Gard’s’ shaft just 18 fathoms WHEAL MARIA 8. Wheal Josiah. TRAIL 2 (36 metres) from the surface. The lode (a vein of mineral ore) was 12 metres in width and Consols, sunk at the insistence of the Duke of Bedford who hoped to find tin at Wheal Maria stretched eastwards for over three kilometres. Large, arsenic contaminated dumps can be 8 greater depths. This, however, proved a costly failure and no tin was found. CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE Wheal Josiah www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk seen in front of you. Nearby, rare Nightjars have made their home on the heathland that emerged after

CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE the industrial decline. www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk

WHEAL MARIA TRAIL 3. Wheal Fanny. When Wheal Fanny was started in 1845 the mineralised vein was 3 hit at only 3 fathoms (5.5 metres) from the surface. The lode here lies some 200 metres Wheal Fanny southwards of the other lodes of Devon Great Consols.

CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk 1/2 Nightjar 2/2 Devon Great Consols Trail

Journey through this working coniferous woodland along parts of the old mineral railway that once linked Devon Great Consols mines with the port Devon Great of Morwellham. Pass by some of the picnic sites, popular in Victorian times, WHEAL JOSIAH 12. Wheal Josiah Railway Tunnel. You can see here a few feet of remaining WALK Consols Mineral with dramatic views over the Tamar Valley. The trail is a wide path with a tunnel under an archway dump marking the line of the mineral railway which ran 12 from the ore processing plant, around the contour of the hill past the Wheal Emma Railway Trail compacted stone surface, that is occasionally muddy after wet weather. Wheal Josiah Railway Tunnel section and then on down the Tamar Valley to an incline plane for delivering ore to The trail is level in parts with some steep sections, which may be challenging. CORNISH MINING (multiuse, WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk Morwellham Quay. total length of Wheal 13 one-way linear Emma 14 route - 6.5km. Wheal Josiah Opening June 2011 WHEAL JOSIAH Approximate time WALK

to walk - 3 hours, 12 uphill 13. Wheal Emma. The easternmost working on the Devon Great Consols site, cycling 1-1.5 hours) 13 Bedford Sawmills Wheal Emma opened in 1848. Car Park

CORNISH (pay & display) MINING ‘Tree Surfers’ WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk

15 Choose the P underpass WHEAL JOSIAH sections along WALK this linear route A390 14. Wheal Emma Railway Bridge. The remains of a disused railway bridge to Tavistock 14 that you would like Wheal Emma spanning the railway line can be seen just off the path here. Railway Bridge to explore further, CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE and look out for Road Crossing www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk the following

points of interest 20 WHEAL JOSIAH along the way. WALK 15 15. Bawden’s Corner Bridge. Bawden’s Corner Bridge Gunnislake uphill CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk

uphill

A390 WHEAL JOSIAH to Callington WALK 20. The Mineral Railway. Built and paid for by the mine it ran for 7.5 kilometres 20 from Devon Great Consols to Morwellham. The journey time for 8 to 10 wagons The Mineral Railway from mine to port was 20 minutes. Pleasure CORNISH Tree Surfers is located at the start of the MINING WORLD HERITAGE Rock www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk Tamar Trails, near the Bedford Sawmills

car park. This complex of ladders, rope 21 WHEAL JOSIAH bridges, zip wires and walkways gives you WALK 21. Morwell Rock. This slate outcrop is situated high up in Morwell Woods. the freedom to explore the tree tops close From the Rock there is a wonderful view over the Tamar Valley down to Gunnislake uphill 21 to the Trails. Created by local business, Morwell Rock and into Cornwall. Outdoors, the course is an CORNISH MINING WARNING WORLD HERITAGE - precipitous rock face, keep away from edge. adrenalin-fuelled complement to the www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk Morwellham Quay (private site, Trails Network. charges apply) www.treesurfers.co.uk 1/2 2/2 Wheal Josiah Walk Chimney Rock Walk

Explore mining landscapes on this wide, mainly level path, with moderate Explore beech, oak and conifer woodland, with sweeping views over the inclines in parts. The path has a compacted stone surface offering a less steep sides of the River Tamar. This is a narrow footpath, steep and Wheal Josiah steep walking route to view mining works and to join the Wheal Maria Trail. challenging in places, passing near to a vertical drop. It can be muddy Walk Chimney Rock after wet weather and includes short sections of rocky, uneven ground. (footpath only, Walk length 3.5 km. Approximate time (footpath only, A390 to walk length 2 km. to Tavistock 11/ hours) joins Wheal Approximate time 4 Maria Trail 9 Starting point, to walk 1 hour) BedforBedfordd Sawmills Sawmills Bedford Sawmills Wheal Starting point, CarCar Par Parkk P Car Park - grid ref: Anna Maria uphill Bedford Sawmills (pay(pay and and display) display) SX 438 728, Car Park - grid ref: 11 10 arsenic SX 438 728, sat nav - PL18 8JE calciners sat nav - PL18 8JE A390 to Tavistock P Road Crossing Bedford Sawmills Car Park uphill (pay & display)

P 17 Gunnislake

WHEAL JOSIAH 18 WALK 9. Wheal Anna Maria Arsenic Tailings. The red sand tips are waste from A390 R 9 the arsenic recovery phase of this mine. In the 1870s a handful of mines in the Tamar .

Wheal Anna Maria to Callington T Arsenic Tailings a Valley mining district were producing over half of the world’s arsenic. m

CORNISH MINING a WORLD HERITAGE 19

www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk r CHIMNEY ROCK WALK WHEAL JOSIAH A good place to see the orange-coloured waters WALK 10. Blanchdown Adit. discharging from the Blanchdown Adit, particularly after heavy rains. 17 17. Bedford Leat. The remains of the leat can be seen on the left-hand side. Bedford Leat 10 The water is coloured by ochre, the pigment which usually comes from iron Built in 1828, it served a 12 metre diameter wheel for pumping, hauling and CORNISH Blanchdown Adit MINING WORLD HERITAGE ore in the earth. www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk crushing at Wheal Russell.

CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk CHIMNEY ROCK WALK 18 18. Chimney Rock. Chimney Rock commands wonderful views from its Blanchdown Adit Chimney Rock precarious position, perched on the hillside overlooking Gunnislake.

CORNISH MINING WORLD HERITAGE WARNING - precipitous rock face, keep away from edge. www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk

WHEAL JOSIAH WALK CHIMNEY ROCK WALK 19. Wheal Russell. The mine is a nineteenth century amalgamation of smaller 11 11. Wheal Anna Maria Copper Tailings. These are dumps containing the eighteenth century mines, which between 1852 and 1891 produced copper, tin Wheal Anna Maria copper slimes (the residue left over after the processing of the copper ore) and 19 and arsenic. Copper Tailings Wheal Russell

CORNISH date from an earlier phase of the mine’s life. MINING WORLD HERITAGE CORNISH www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk MINING WORLD HERITAGE 1/1 www.cornishmining.org.uk www.tamarvalley.org.uk 1/1 Maddacleave Wood Downhill Tamar Trails Code of Conduct Mountain Bike Trails Using the Trails Three tracks have been built on the Gawton Mine site on the Devon side of • Please be courteous to other users. Walkers have right of way. the Tamar. The full-on downhill track named ‘Super-Tavi’ has some very • Please keep to designated trails. The trails pass through sites containing historic difficult sections and, along with the second downhill track ‘Egypt’, really mining remains, which have a number of associated hazards including old buildings requires a downhill bike, body armour, some downhill experience and nerves and structures, contaminated ground and open shafts, as well as areas of nature of steel. The third track, named ‘HSD’ (High Speed Descent), is more of a conservation importance. Do not climb fences or structures or disturb the ground. free-ride, cross-country track and can be easily ridden with a cross-country Do not drink from, or swim in, any open water. (hard-tail) bike with front suspension and a cross-country helmet. You must • Dogs should be kept under close control. Please clean up after your dog be a member of Woodland Riders to use the courses. Day passes or full and use a lead when signs request you to do so. Refer to trail map. membership is available. • Please supervise children at all times.

Call Dartmoor Cycles on 01822 618178 or go to www.woodlandriders.com • Please respect the privacy of adjoining properties & landowners – there is no public access to any adjoining land except on signed paths. • Please take litter home with you. • Be aware that many trails pass through operational forestry land, and forestry machinery may be at work during your visit. Take heed of temporary warning notices. • No smoking within woodland. Do not start fires. • Be prepared. Ensure you have the right equipment and clothing, and know your ability, and that of others in your group. • Cyclists, please keep your speed down. High speed makes it harder to avoid other users and can cause accidents. Use a bell or shout to warn other users of your approach. Try to warn others of your approach. If in doubt, stop. • Horse riders, please keep to a walking pace at all times, except within designated What’s happening! areas where there are no other users. There are lots of exciting new projects we’re working on at the moment including: Maddacleave - New reception hut for the downhill and cross country trails from the established car park.

Trails Centre - New trails, interpretation and education facility at the Gulworthy car park in conjunction with Tree Surfers. There will be toilets, a small cafe and new family friendly facilities complete with a play area for small children.

Bedford United Trails - New walking trails created in this beautiful deciduous woodland containing Bedford United mine.