Bere Alston Calstock Viaduct Circular Walk

This was my first walk in the Tamar Valley, and I chose Bere Alston because it’s a quick train journey from Plymouth. It was only when I was looking at trails starting from Bere Alston, that I discovered I could do a circular to walk by the Calstock Viaduct.

Looking along the grass ridge trail towards the Calstock Viaduct on the circular walk from Bere Alston. the village houses of Calstock are ahead on the right with green and red leafed trees behind.

If you google Tamar Valley, the Calstock Viaduct comes up in lots of photos, I didn’t know where it was exactly, so I was super pleased when I realised it could feature in this walk.

Fun Fact: Bere Alston is in Devon, Calstock is in Cornwall.

What was the circular walk like from Bere Alston to the Calstock Viaduct?

I was super impressed with this walk. Lots of lovely flowers and wild garlic (time of year dependant of course), woodland, cute villages, lovely hill views, and of course, the impressive viaduct.

A barely visible dirt trial under the wild garlic bushes.

Although you will be walking alongside the Tamar River for a lot of it, you don’t see it that much. Well, you see it when you walk along the Calstock Viaduct section, but for the rest, it is mostly hidden by the woodland, with occasional peaks of view. When you walk up a hill later on in the walk, you will get a better view down to it.

Looking down the grass hill to the trees and the Tamer river and hills on the other side on the circular walk from Bere Alston.

That hill in question is the only big one, and it’s not that big. So this walk is pretty easy. Saying that, it’s a bit of an uphill to walk into Bere Alston at the end, but you don’t notice it too much.

Logistics for the circular walk from Bere Alston to the Calstock Viaduct

Start/Finish: Bere Alston station
How to get there: You can get a direct train from Plymouth, journey time 23min. The number 87 bus will get you here from Tavistock.
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 2h15min
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: A little bit of road, dirt trail, grass
Amenities: A co-op and public toilets in Bere Alston (a bit of a walk from the station, but this walk takes you through there, at the end). There is also a brewery at Bere Alston, although I’m not clear on access and opening times. A couple of tea rooms, and places to eat at Bere Alston. Along the rest of the route, there are no amenities, I don’t even recall seeing any benches.
Dog friendly: Some stiles. One has a gate option, although there is another one that could be an issue. I will show you when I describe the walk below. One field with sheep. Other than that, I didn’t see any livestock and don’t recall livestock signs.

Tips for the the Bere Alston Calstock Viaduct walk

It looks like it has the potential to be muddy if it’s been raining. I would suggest waterproof hiking boots if that’s the case.
There is an alternate route to finish the walk. I had tried it, but got forced away due to a cow situation. So I ended up doing a bit more road walking than planned. I will show you the alternate route when I describe the walk below.
Trains in and out are every 2 hours only (at different times for each direction). Bare this in mind when planning the walk. It actually works out ok, by the time I finished the walk, it was about 20min wait for the next train. If I had missed that though, it would have been a 2 hour wait.
If you want to finish at a pub, then you may have the brewery option in Bere Alston, but you need to check.

Map for the circular walk from Bere Alston to the Calstock Viaduct

More walk ideas (with links to full guides) near Bere Alston and the Calstock Viaduct will be at the end

A Guide To The Circular Walk From Bere Alston To The Calstock Viaduct

One thing I want to say before I start, is that the sun was super harsh today. As such, the photos aren’t great. It was a bit of a bummer because the walk was really beautiful in places, and the photos don’t do it justice. Anyway…..

Out of Bere Alston station, go right, and a bit further along you should see a trail signpost directing you along a trail to the left.

The Bere Alston station building at the start of the circular walk to the Calstock viaduct. The building is painted green and yellow.

A track path with tall hedges on the right and small bushes on the left. — This is the trail after you turn left

At the next big junction, take the left turning. You will be walking on a gravel type road, and will get a lovely view to the right across the hills of the Tamar Valley.

Looking down into the Tamer Valley with green field hills and trees on the circular walk from Bere Alston to the Calstock Viaduct.

There is another little junction coming up. The right is private to a farm. So you go left. It’s nice and hedgy and bushy, with some flowers along here.

Further along, you will reach a junction, with wooden ladder steps to the left, a gate ahead, and a trail to the right. Although the ladder steps look inviting, don’t go that way. Go along the right trail.

Walk along the jungle like trail with wild garlic

The trail will soon be lined with lots of wild garlic (remember, time of year dependant), and then past the wooden fence, everything becomes more overgrown and jungle like. It was pretty cool with all the fern and trees overhanging into the trail, with even more wild garlic than before.

A dirt trail in the woods, lined with wild garlic plants on the Bere Alston to the Calstock Viaduct circular walk.

A barely visible dirt trial surrounded by fern and bushes and trees.

The trail will take you downhill, and through a gate at the end to exit the jungle vibes.

The Tamar River and Calstock Viaduct

When you walk through the gate, look out for the hand shaped hedge thing. It gave me a good chuckle. Pointing the way along the trail.

A hedge in the shape of a hand in front of a white stone walled house with red framed windows.

There was a man sitting in his front lawn here, I mean what a place to have a home and front lawn, a wild garlic trail behind, and the Tamar River in front. We started chatting, and then he let me go into his other garden (yes, he has 2), which is right on the river, with a view across to the Calstock Viaduct.

A path with a neat hedge and stone wall on the left. There is a trail stump signpost on the right side of the trail.

Looking across the calm stream of water to the Calstock Viaduct in the distance, on the circular walk from Bere Alston.

The woodland trail

The actual trail goes around the front of the house with the hand hedge, to lead through a wooden gate and into the woods. There is a junction through here. Take the right one.

A dirt trail in the woods, with a trail signpost with yellow arrows on the left of the trail.

Now the trail undulates a bit. You will be walking right alongside the Tamar River, but only get little peaks of it through the trees. You will get a peak to the Calstock Viaduct a bit further into the walk along this woodland trail.

a dirt trail leading uphill through the woods and surroudned by tall grass.

Looking through a gap in the trees to the Tamer River and a bit of the Calstock viaduct in the distance, on the circular walk from Bere Alston.

When you reach the stream, go across it and pick up the trail directly opposite and uphill to continue the walk through the woods. There is a junction coming up, where you need to turn right. I can’t actually remember which junction, as it all looks the same. I think it might be this one:

A wide dirt path on the side of the dirt ground hill in the woodland. There is a wooden stump trail signpost on the path with a yellow arrow pointing ahead and to the right.

To be sure, look to the right, and if you can see that the trail leads out of the woods, then this is the one.

Walk along the Tamer River and under the Calstock Viaduct

The trail will lead you onto a ridgeways of sorts, where you will get a fantastic view to Calstock across the river, and the viaduct ahead.

Looking through the grass to the river Tamer and Calstock village on the other side, on the circular walk from Bere Alston. There is a small red and white motor boat on the river.

Now follow this trail to take you to and under the viaduct. I find it interesting how there is no walkway to get you over to Calstock. The only way I can see, is via the viaduct, so you can only go over to Calstock by train from this side.

Standing next to the arches of the Calstock Viaduct on the circular walk from Bere Alston. The village of Calstock is on the other side of the river.

Once past the viaduct, just keep going straight towards the trees at the end, where the trail will curve to the left.

This whole bit of walkway is quite overgrown with long grass and some stinging nettles. So be mindful of that. I also wondered about the tick situation around here.

A narrow trail through the tall grass, leading to some woodland at the end.

Looking along the tall grass, with woodland at the end.

A few boats on the Tamer River on the circular walk from Bere Alston to the Casltock Viaduct. There are a couple of houses on the other side of the river, and lots of bushy woodland behind them.

Walk along the fields and into more woods

Following the trail as it curves around, it will lead you to a wooden stile (the potential tricky one for dogs). Go over it, and follow the grass trail to the right.

A grass trail leading to a gate and wire fence.

A grass trail at the bottom of a hill, with trees ahead.

This will lead you past the wall of a house ruin, and into another field. In that next field, keep to the path to the right along the river. This will lead you to the next stile. This one has the gate which opens.

Looking through the opening in the trees to a green grass hill field, and some more woodland on the other side.

You will now be on a pretty woodland trail again, with some nice peaks of views through the trees to the Tamar River.

Looking through a gap in the trees to the river Tamer and a house and woodland on the other side.

There is a junction coming up, where the yellow arrow points you uphill to the left. Follow this and keep going to reach a wooden gate.

The trail continues straight ahead, past a house on the left and picnic benches on the right. I had this feeling that the picnic benches belonged to that house, so I avoided sitting on them.

A trail leading through the grass with picnic benches on the right and a hedge and wooden gate on the left.

In fact, once through the next gate, it felt very much like I was on someones private land, especially as they had their washing hanging up basically on the trail.

This is the correct way, but I wanted to get on quick, incase there was a guard dog that didn’t like my presence. So I followed the main path/road thing around to the left to exit through the next gate.

A wooden gate, with bushes with red flowers on the right and a short stone wall on the left. The main road is past the gate.

The farm and viewpoint alternate route

Through that gate and out of the ‘private area’, take the path downhill to the right. Things really start to open up now, and you will get a view to the river and the farm house down to the right.

Looking down into the valley, past the trees, to a house at the bottom, and the woodland behind it on the circular Bere Alston and Calstock Viaduct walk.

As you approach the entrance to the farm (which is where the trail goes), there is a sign on the gate on the left, pointing to a ‘beautiful river view detour’. Of course I decided I would take that detour.

A white sign saying 'Detour' and pointing up the hill.

This leads you to the sheep field, where you should be able to make out a faint trail running partly up the hill and then straight across it.

A large grass hill field on the Bere Alston circular walk. There are sheep grazing in the field, and woodland trees on the other side.

Looking down the hill to the River Tamer and hills on the other side, along the Bere Alston and Calstock Viaduct circular walk. There are lots of trees at the bottom of the hill and the rooftops of farm buildings.

You really do get a beautiful river view from up here. The sign wasn’t lying.

Back to the woodland

On the other side of the field, you will walk through a gate and along another trail, potentially lined with wild garlic. You should be walking on a trail on the top of a hill now, with a fence to your left.

A wooden gate with some trees, bushes and wooden fence on the left, and a hill down to the right.

A dirt trail, with a wire fence, bushes and trees on the left, and a hill down to the right. There are a few pink flowers in the bushes.

Keep going, and when the trail spilts ahead, you can take either. They will both lead you downhill to the right, where you will find another gate at the bottom on the left. Go through it, and then through more woodland and along a garlic lined trail.

A narrow dirt trail in the woods on the circular Bere Alston Calstock viaduct walk. the trail is lined with wild garlic.

This should at some point lead you along the bottom of a field.

A narrow dirt trail on the right at the bottom of a grass hill on the left. There are bushes and trees to the right of the trail.

The hill and views

At the end of that field, the trail will curve to the left to take you up the hill, where you will get a fantastic view back down into the valley. Although this isn’t the highest point of the walk, it was the only point I felt I had big a hill climb.

Looking down and across the hill towards the valley with trees and a bit of the Tamer River visible on the circular Bere Alston walk.

As you make your way up, look out for a gate on the right. When you go through that, you will walk down to a wooden bridge thing, and then up and through another gate into another field.

This bit could be potentially confusing. As you walk through the gate, there is another gate to the left with a trail marker. This is not the way you go. Instead, go straight across the top of the field. Up here you will have a lovely view down to the Tamar River.

Looking across a large field, with a hedge on the left.

looking down the hill to the valley. There are trees at the bottom and the River Tamer past them.

Keep going through the hedge opening and right to the end, following the perimeter of the field as it then curves you down to the right.

As you are walking down, you will want to go through the second gate on the left.

Looking down a large field, with bushes and wire fence on the left. The river Tamer is visible at the bottom of the hill. — Not this gate. It’s the next one

Through here, you will walk along a wooden walkway thing, then turn left at the end. This will take you through a bit more woodland and then out towards what looks like a farm building (the stone house).

A walkway leading to a wooden bridge, surrounded by overgrown, tall grass.

A narrow dirt trail surrounded by greenery in the woodland.

The road and the first cows

Follow the trail towards the stone farm building thing, and you should reach a wooden gate to take you up to it. As you walk up, follow the path to the right and onto the road.

Looking across the rugged field with some tress, overgrown grass and bushes, with part of a stone building visible ahead.

The dirt path as it leads ti a wooden gate sound by bushes and trees.

The dirt road leading uphill through the stone buildings.

You will now be walking on road for a little bit, but it’s not a busy road. Or it wasn’t for me anyway.

First the road takes you uphill, and then levels out. I passed a field with lots of aggressive looking cows. I was quite please we were separated by fence, and that I didn’t have to walk through there. I don’t think they would have let me through anyway.

Lots of brown and white cows standing in a green grass field, looking at the camera.

Looking across the underling hills and crop fields.

A road lined with tall grass and barbed wire fence.

Anyway, keep going straight along the road and through a metal gate at the end.

The second cow field

Now at this point, there are two ways to get back to the station. You can continue straight, to walk through Bere Alston village, or turn left at the trail signpost a bit further along this road.

A gravel road leading straight, under the tress, with a wooden trail signpost on the left. — This is where you can turn left

That left is what my plan was. It would mean walking on mostly trails to reach the station, as opposed to road.

Following this trail, it took me into a field with lots of cows all over. I tentatively started to make my way along the edge of the field, working out my escape if they came for me. Then I stopped. I felt a little uneasy in there. Something didn’t feel right about these cows. As I stood there, looking at them, I noticed something. Big big udders. Oh dear. I had a scan around the field and then I saw them. The calfs.

I got myself out of that field so quick. You see, this is when the cows are most dangerous, when they have their calfs around. This is when they attack.

How to complete the walk to Bere Alston

Now, the calfs are not an all year thing. So you might have better luck. To continue this way, looking at the map, you would continue straight across this field, and when you reach a road/path, continue straight, then a bit further along, there should be a trail on the right. Walk to the end of that trail to reach the next road, where you will turn right to reach Bere Alston Station.

Alternate route to walk through Bere Alston

So, as you have probably figured, I ended up taking the alternate route which took me through the village of Bere Alston.

So going back to that junction on the road, I now stuck to the road and walked straight up it. It first leads under an archway, and then sticking to the road, all the way into Bere Alston.

Looking through and archway brick tunnel near the end of the circular Bere Alston and Calstock Viaduct walk.

A long straight road lined with hedges near the end of the Bere Alston circular walk.

When you reach the first junction at the houses, turn right. Then when you reach a corner where it says Station Road with some colourful buildings on the right, you turn left.

Looking along the road in Bere Alston near the end of the circular walk. The road is lined with red, pink and brown coloured houses. — Turn left here

Keep going straight, then at a corner, you should see a trail signpost on the left. Follow that.

A road, with a hedge on the right, and stone wall and greenery on the left. There is a horse riding sign on the left side of the road.

The road as it curves to the right, with a couple of wooden fences and bushes ahead.

The final stretch of the Bere Alston, Calstock Viaduct circular walk

I was at this point a bit annoyed that the cows tainted my walk, but what came next made up for it. As you walk onto the trail, just ahead there will be a gate on the right with a trail leading downhill. From here you get a fantastic view down into the valley and to the Calstock Viaduct. I wasn’t expecting this view. It might even be one of the best views of the walk.

Looking down past the metal gate towards the valley and Calstock Viaduct, near the end of the circular walk from Bere Alston. On the other side of the valley are lots of undulating fields and trees.

Now follow that trail down the hill, and it will lead you into more woodland. The last woodland of the walk.

When you enter the woodland, there will be a trail split. I took the right one. The left one could work, but I’m not entirely sure. To be safe, maybe take the right one.

This will lead you to a bigger trail with a wooden stump signpost. Follow it to the left.

This will take you to a road junction. One you were at, at the start of the walk. Take the left fork and follow this road to walk back to Bere Alston Station.

A dirt trail as it leads out of the woods.

A U bend in the road, with hedges on the left and bushes in the bend.

Although I walked along this road at the start of the walk, I saw something now which I didn’t see then….

It made me smile.

A red and white sign warning of hedgehogs at the end of the Bere Alston circular walk.

More walk ideas near Bere Alston and the Calstock Viaduct

Calstock riverside walk – This is a super lovely, short and easy walk along the River Tamar, and along to the Okel Tor Mine. I did this one as a time killer, whilst waiting for the train back to Plymouth (not today, it was a different day). I was super surprised by it and it deserves a place on this website.

Gunnislake to the Devon Consuls – This walk is part Devon, part Cornwall and takes you through lush woodland, along the river, and uphill to some disused mines with great views across the Tamar Valley.

You can read a more detailed side by side comparison on walks to try in the Tamar Valley. If you fancy heading over to Dartmoor, then have a look at these best walks in Dartmoor National Park.

For more walks and activities in the Tamar Valley, you can check out the Tamar Trails website.

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