Now this sounds somewhat like a “coming out party” but I can assure you it is not. I have covered the 9.5 miles down the Tamar from Calstock to Saltash Public Slipway, on many occasions, with Tim in the Klepper and more recently with Les and Jackie in his Canadian Canoe during the last eclipse. The Tamar has the benefit of a push from the ebbing tide and pretty though the scenery is there is nowhere to land. The other disadvantage, as with most river journeys is that you need a crew ashore to drive to drop and collect you. Difficult if wives and girlfriends (WAGS)also enjoy a paddle.
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| Calstock Public Slip |
The Put In. Calstock GR 435685 is a small village on the upper River Tamar. The village has been an important river port since Saxon times. It is dominated by the Grade 2 BR Rail viaduct which stands at 120 ft. high, well 110 ft. at high water. With its twelve 60ft arches, three of the piers have their foundations in the Tamar. It was constructed between 1904-1907 by John Lang. A Liskeard man. It is constructed using 11,148 concrete blocks cast on the Devon bank. I always thought they were granite!
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| Approaching Calstock Viaduct. |
The Kayaks were soon in the water and as the tide had turned this would allow us an easier paddle to Saltash, getting a “push” from the ebb tide. I parked the truck in the free car park. Oh joy. Doubled back along the river bank looking rather fetching in my neoprene trousers and shiny new lime green cag jacket, down the public slip and onto the kayak, a quick push with the paddle and we were away. By the time I managed to get my camera out of my lifejacket I was all but under the viaduct.
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| The "Shamrock" @ Cotehele Quay. |
Within a mile we were passing Cotehele House. This National Trust owned 15th Century house once owned by Sir Richard Edgecumbe is supposedly one of the least altered structured houses in the land. With its river quay, watermill, estate workshops and woodland walks, it makes for a great day out. So they say. Me? I’ve never been there ‘cept early one morning to launch a canoe in the early winter mist before the staff caught me!
The Tamar is a huge wide snake of a river. Its banks are glutinous mud. For much of the way on the upper stretches it has numerous reed beds. The fields of the steep valleys allow for cattle grazing and in more recent years the growing of grapes on the south facing slopes.
The sun which had graced our start now disappeared behind grey clouds, a head wind sprang up and there was a decided chop to the surface of the water.
I might, for those uncertain about a Sit-On-Top Kayaks design take a few moments to describe it. At some 12ft long it has a moulded hull and deck onto which the paddler sits, legs outstretched as opposed to in or on as a traditional kayak or canoe. There are a couple of storage hatches for a tent, sleeping bag, poncho, scran etc. with a large well deck aft of the “Captains” position. All sounds rather grand but in effect it is a piece of plastic which floats. The Sit-On-Top is therefore “open” to the elements., If the wind gets up and starts throwing water over the bow (pointy bit up front) or beam (one of the two sides) then you’re going to get wet. Thus it is. Here the cautious Kayaker has invested in some wet suit trousers, a shiny new Goretex jacket, neoprene boots, woolly hat, gloves and a PLP (lifejacket). A floating gin palace it ain’t!
The Tamar snaking from side to side offers alternate wind directions and opportunities to catch you unaware with water over bow and beam. The see-saw action of the craft was at first quite novel. Now those of you with any interest in this are thinking “If all this water is coming in how does one get it out?” Good point. There are things known as scupper holes and through these six holes in the base of the Sit-On-Top the water drains automatically. I know, I couldn’t get my mind around that one either till I saw it in action. Let’s just say it works.
Onward, into the wind and the chop.
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| Get yer own oggie! |
Les suggested a coffee break and we pulled into the lee of an old stone pier at Hole’s Hole GR 430652 The landing here was not the usual Tamar gloppy mud but almost as bad, slippery seaweed and mud covered stones. There was nothing to recommend going ashore. Thus we sat in our craft “rafted up” and drank coffee from my flask and munched on a couple of pasties and Hot Cross buns supplied for us guys by Margaret. The sun re-appeared, warmed us and highlighted how fast the tide was now running. A short distance away lay Weir Quay Boatyard and its pontoon at GR432648. When last we stopped here the owner soon appeared and asked us if we wished to stop to finish our brew and if we were it would be a £10 landing fee. Well you can imagine the end result. Thus we avoided it on this occasion.
Coffee break over we continued downstream. Cargreen was soon upon us. Alas the Spaniards Inn is no more. It has long since ceased trading but has found a new lease of life as a film location. It doubles as The Black Dog Inn for the BBC Daytime Drama TV series The Coroner which has been filmed mainly in the South Hams. However the crew travelled to Cargreen once every three weeks to shoot in the derelict Crooked Spaniards Inn, which provides the set for The Black Dog Inn.
Ahead on the port side we saw 17 arch bridge. This structure bridges the Tavy at this point and carries the railway to Calstock. Another smaller span bridge further down crosses Tamerton Creek. Soon we were at Kingsmill Lake and as the Tamar road bridge and Brunel’s Rail bridge were now in sight we had time for a final landing on the pebbly beach at Neal Point GR 434611. Here we drank the last of the coffee from my flask and stretched our legs. Les found some rather nice pieces of driftwood which he intends to use to frame an old mirror. The last short distance to Saltash public slip was short but choppy with water again entering the kayak over the bow and from abeam. But by now I had become accustomed to the numerous changes in wind direction and the way this piece of plastic handles. Heading into a strong wind the bow needs to be kept directly head on otherwise the kayak has a tendency due to its reasonably high side and my size quickly bring its stern around with one needing to overcorrect again to bring on course. With little or no wind the craft tracks well despite its lack of rudder. The rudder is an optional after-market fit if required.
Saltash Public Slip.
At Saltash slip we waited whilst a power boater trailered his boat out up the concrete slip but once ashore whilst I stowed various pieces of kit away Les doubled away with his Triumph Perception on its trolley for home, a short walk up the hill, collected the car and returned to collect yours truly. Back up to home where we washed both kayaks and all gear of any salt water then placed mine back on Les’s car for the short journey to Calstock where we cross decked all of my equipment before heading into The Tamar Inn for a pint and a de-brief before we headed our separate ways home.
