Gunnislake combines mining history with listed buildings; a circular walk from the railway station also provides a specific time frame for planning your day.
Mining History on the Tamar
Gunnislake Clitters Mine is a Scheduled Monument, with remains of a copper, tin, arsenic and tungsten mine dating from the 19th to the early 20th century. It lies 1 km west-northwest of the village of Gunnislake in southeast Cornwall, on a steep slope down to the River Tamar. Tin and copper were produced intermittently at the mine from the 1820s for about 100 years. Public access is permitted. Take care around the old buildings, spoil heaps and other structures.
Bridge, Quay and Church
New Bridge, also known as Gunnislake Bridge, is a Grade I listed structure. Built around 1520, the bridge over the River Tamar is 55 metres long in total and has six slightly pointed arches. The ruined buildings at the quay by New Bridge in Gunnislake were built by the Tamar Manure Navigation between 1801 and 1802.
The Church of St Ann in Gunnislake is also listed, in this case as Grade II. It was built in 1880–81 as a chapel of ease for Gunnislake. The construction dates of the bridge, quay buildings and church therefore range from around 1520 to 1801–02 and 1880–81. The Tamar Canal at Gunnislake includes a canal, a lock, an island and a pond for holding salmon.
Circular Walk and Getting There
The From Gunnislake Station Hingston Down & Albaston Circular Walk is classified as easy. The circular walk is about 4½ miles (7.2 km) long and takes approximately two hours. It starts and ends at Gunnislake railway station. The Tamar Valley Line connects Plymouth with Gunnislake. If you are planning an overnight stay in Gunnislake, you can check your travel arrangements and plans for the day separately: Does the rail connection suit your journey, and can you fit the approximately two-hour walk into your plans? Check the timetable for your intended travel date.
Information about the Tamar Valley
The Tamar Valley Centre offers a self-service visitor information area with an interactive screen, videos and information on websites. It is also possible to book accommodation through the Visit Tamar Valley website and buy the book Coast to Coast.
The wider regional context can also be explored: the Tamar Valley Trail is a 35-mile recreational route connecting the outskirts of Plymouth with Launceston and running alternately along the Cornish and Devon sides of the valley. In the area above and around Calstock and Gunnislake, the Tamar Valley forms part of the Cornwall and West Devon World Heritage Sites because of its mining heritage. The trail therefore describes a regional connection, while the World Heritage reference names the area around Calstock and Gunnislake.
Discover more destinations: Penzance, Morval, Crowan, Constantine Bay, Saint Gennys, St Pinnock, Bude, Bodmin
For the main travel overview: Cornwall.
