TREMENDOUS views of the River Tamar 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 magnificent coast of the county and has now followed the inland boundary with Devon along the beautiful Tamar Valley.

“We have visited a wide variety of locations and today arrive in one of the ancient towns in Cornwall. Saltash can trace its history back to Norman times, with the substantial remains of Trematon Castle standing away to the west of the town.”

A train crossing the River Tamar at Saltash. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
A train crossing the River Tamar at Saltash. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Saltash is a major gateway to Cornwall. The approach to the town from Plymouth is dominated by the Tamar Bridge, opened to road traffic in the early 1960s, and the Royal Albert Bridge which was built by the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel to carry trains into Cornwall just over a century earlier.

There are tremendous river views from both bridges. The road bridge was enlarged with cantilever sections in the early part of the 21st century and one of these can be used by pedestrians and cyclists.

From this cantilever, you can enjoy a good look at Brunel’s marvel of engineering and also the sight of an express train slowly crossing over the bridge.

A sign on the Tamar Bridge welcomes people to Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
A sign on the Tamar Bridge welcomes people to Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend) (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

Near the road bridge is a park with the Cornish Cross, an impressive 20-metre tall sculpture.

Next time we will be in the town of Torpoint, which sits on the western shore of the busy River Tamar.

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 also available as 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