HISTORIC buildings and natural beauty feature today as the Voice continues its serialisation of the travel book, Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County.

Voice journalist Andrew Townsend, the author of the book, says: “Our tour of Cornwall has gone all round the coast of the county and now we are following the inland boundary with Devon along the Tamar Valley.

“We have visited a wide variety of locations taking in towns, such as Fowey, Falmouth and Padstow, and beautiful scenic spots like Whitsand Bay, Veryan Bay, the Tin Coast and the Camel estuary.”

The Tamar Valley around the historic Cotehele estate, a few miles north of Saltash, is an absolute picture in the springtime.

Cotehele House dates back to Tudor times. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
Cotehele House dates back to Tudor times. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

The slopes of the river valley have long been used for growing flowers and market produce, and they burst into colour as the cold of the winter ebbs away.

Cotehele House, dating back to Tudor times, was a country home of one of the wealthy families in the area, the Edgcumbes.

Today, the house, Cotehele Quay, with its restored sailing barge Shamrock, and Cotehele Mill are run by the National Trust.

A castellated section at Cotehele House. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
A castellated section at Cotehele House. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

The Victorian mill, which can be reached via a woodland walk from the quay, has a waterwheel.

A walk in the other direction from the quay takes you towards Calstock and offers a tremendous view of the railway viaduct that crosses the valley there.

Next time we will be at Saltash, a major gateway to Cornwall, which can be approached by road and rail.

Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as an ebook on Amazon.
Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as a book and an ebook on Amazon. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Our lovely tour around the county, taking in well-known spots but also lesser-known locations, offers something for everyone, from brilliant beaches, wild moorland, storm-beaten cliffs and scenic rivers to welcoming towns, pretty villages, mining heritage sites and visitor attractions.

• Andrew Townsend is a journalist and writer. More details of Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County, which is also available as an ebook, can be found via this link to Andrew’s author page on Amazon - bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor