Cotehele and Calstock Circular
Cornwall
Cotehele is a well-preserved Tudor house above the River Tamar, cared for by the National Trust along with its quay, mill and wooded valleys, and with no stiles or livestock on this route, a dog with good recall can enjoy real freedom in the woods. This 9.5km circular walk from the main car park passes the Victorian gardens and medieval dovecote and follows the wooded banks of the Tamar upstream to Calstock, where the tall railway viaduct strides across the river. On the way it passes old engine houses, quays and limekilns from the valley's mining and shipping days. In Calstock, railway wagons were once lifted more than 100 feet by steam power from the quay to the top of the viaduct. The return climbs back through the woods to Cotehele Quay, where the restored Tamar sailing barge Shamrock is moored. The walk is graded moderate, with an estimated 250 metres of climbing on woodland paths and tracks, and the footbridge over the Danescombe stream can be slippery in wet weather.
This is a dog friendly walk with no stiles and no fields of livestock, so a dog with good recall can have a fair amount of freedom in the woods. Keep dogs on a lead on the reasonably busy road past Calstock station and along parts of the river where there is wildlife. Dogs are not allowed in Calstock churchyard, so bypass it on the lane. There is a National Trust cafe on Cotehele Quay, and the Boot Inn and Tamar Inn are in Calstock.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 3 hr
- Walk Type
- Woodland, River, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- None
- Facilities
- National Trust cafe on Cotehele Quay (open without admission); Boot Inn and Tamar Inn in Calstock. Dog policies not confirmed.
- Parking
- Cotehele main car park, National Trust, pay and display, free for NT members; parking also at Cotehele Quay.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Cotehele and Calstock Circular, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
Christopher Cottage - Lanteglos
Sleeps 4 · 2 dogs · Enclosed garden
from £483 / 7 nights
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All dog friendly stays in CornwallFrequently Asked Questions
Is Cotehele and Calstock Circular dog friendly?
Yes, it scores 8 out of 10 for dog friendliness. There are no stiles and no livestock, the woods give shade all the way and there is a cafe at Cotehele Quay and pubs in Calstock. The caveats are the road section past Calstock station and the riverside stretches where dogs should be on a lead for the wildlife.
Can dogs be off lead at Cotehele and Calstock Circular?
There is moderate off-lead potential in the woods between Cotehele and Calstock, as the route has no fields with livestock. Put your dog on a lead on the road past Calstock station, which is reasonably busy, and on the riverside where wading birds and other wildlife feed. Dogs are not allowed in Calstock churchyard.
What should I know before visiting Cotehele and Calstock Circular with my dog?
The walk is moderate, with climbs through the woods, and the footbridge over the Danescombe stream can be slippery after rain. Dogs are not allowed in Calstock churchyard, so follow the lane around it. Parking is at the National Trust car park at Cotehele, and the cafe on Cotehele Quay is open to visitors without paying for entry.
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