After the Dartmoor Marathon: The Tamar Valley

The Route: Tavistock → Tamar Valley Logistics: By car; the Tamar Valley sits close to Tavistock itself, forming the border between Devon and Cornwall. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Tavistock ──(short drive)──> Tamar Valley

For runners not wanting to travel far but still after a genuine change of scene from Dartmoor's open moorland, the wooded Tamar Valley, close to Tavistock itself, offers a quieter, more sheltered landscape for a single relaxed night. April in the Tamar Valley: the woodland is coming into leaf, a noticeably softer, greener landscape than the moor above it.

Night One: The Tamar Valley

The River Tamar, forming the border between Devon and Cornwall, runs through a genuinely picturesque, wooded valley quite different from Dartmoor's exposed moorland above. Cotehele, a National Trust Tudor house and estate on the river, offers gentle, largely level walking through its gardens and grounds, a low-effort option for legs recovering from the marathon. The valley's old mining heritage, part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site, adds a further layer of interest for anyone wanting to explore beyond the immediate riverside.

Where to stay: Small guesthouses and inns are scattered through the valley's villages; booking ahead is sensible given the limited number of rooms in any single location.

Where to eat: Village pubs throughout the valley typically serve straightforward evening meals, a natural stop wherever the day's exploring ends.

Getting Home

The return drive to Tavistock retraces the same short route out of the valley.