Starting in the town centre, this walk follows the River Tavy, passing by the remains of the town’s medieval abbey and through The Meadows, the attractive park which includes a popular children’s playground, tennis courts and bowling green.

The route then follows the canal, built during the early 1800s to transport copper from the rich mines around Tavistock to the bustling port of Morwellham on the River Tamar. You can walk along the canal through quiet woodlands as far as the Grade-2 listed viaduct over the River Lumburn.

 

Built in 1889, the viaduct spans 700 feet to a maximum height of 100 feet courtesy of 12 arches (Williams, 1973 ; Historic England, 2019). It’s an impressive sight and testament to the workmanship of those who built it 130 years ago. ,

​

This walk is a simple ‘out and back’ flat route from the town centre. You can find this point on OS Explorer Map 108, grid ref: SX 476,739. For visitors to the town, parking in the public car parks at the Wharf, Bedford or Riverside car parks is recommended. 

​

Depending on where you start, the entire walk is approximately 4 miles.