Calstock Riverside Walk To The Okel Tor Mine

This riverside walk from Calstock takes you along the River Tamar, and into the woodland to reach the Okel Tor mine. It was a very last minute and unplanned walk. I had just done this walk from Gunnislake, but had a long wait for the next train back to Plymouth, so I jumped on a bus to come wait out my time in Calstock with a viaduct view.

Standing on the riverside looking along the Tamar River to the Calstock Viaduct at the end of the walk.

I sat down on a bench, and had a snack whilst looking up at the viaduct. When I finished eating, I still had a long wait, so decided to go have a wander along the river. I decided to track it and take photos, just in case it was worth writing about.

What was the riverside walk like from Calstock to the Okel Tor Mine?

It was so worth writing about. Sometimes I find these totally unplanned, on the fly walks are the best ones.

It’s an easy walk, first along a lovely ridgeway type trail next to the river. Then it’s into woodland to reach the ruins of the Okel Tor mine, which was also a sight to see. The woodland section is a bit more uneven under foot, with some tree root sections, and some steps to walk up. Then for the walk back along the riverside, you get that impressive view of the Calstock Viaduct ahead.

Looking along the creek and boggy ground towards a hill in the distance, the the Casltock Riverside walk. There are trees dotted about the hill, and a house at the bottom of it.

A straight path lined with tall grass and hogweed on the riverside walk from Calstock. There is a person walking ahead on the path.

Looking over the hogweed bushes to the river bed on the riverside walk from Calstock. There is a small cabin in the fields on the other side of the river, and some trees.

If you want, you can just walk the first riverside section without going to the woodland and mine. It’s lovely enough on its own. The Okel Tor Mine adds a little bit of adventure at the end, if that’s what you are after.

The Okel Tor Mine

Bush tufts on the ground with the ruins of a stone wall ahead on the Casltock riverside walk. There is an engine house rising up behind the wall, nestled within the trees.

I didn’t know I was heading to this until I was nearly there.

The Okel Tor Mine has changed about a bit. First it was used for lead, then copper, then tin, before settling on arsenic. The poisonous stuff. You only need to ingest about 1/4 teaspoon to die, but the miners handled the stuff with only a cloth to cover their mouths.

In its heyday, it employed nearly 200 people, including children as young as 9.

Source: The information board on site.

When you google Okel Tor Mine, everything that comes up is about a cottage you can stay in there.

Logistics for the riverside walk from Calstock to the Okel Tor mine

Start/Finish: Calstock
How to get there: Calstock is located in the Tamar Valley in Cornwall. It has a rail station on the Tamar Line, which is a branch of the Great Western Railway line. Journey time from Plymouth is 30min. The trains only run every 2hours or so.

Distance: 2.7 miles there and back
Time: Under an hour. For the riverside walk from Calstock, I went slow and chill, but when I decided to take the walk further and into the woods, I sped up. I didn’t know how long it would take me, and it would have been tragic if I had missed that train back to Plymouth.
Terrain: Dirt, grass, mud, tree trunks, steps.

Difficulty: Easy. There is a little hill into the woods, and at the Okel Tor Mine, but they are minor.
Type: There and back
Amenities: In Calstock you have some pubs, a coffee shop and ice cream place. Some viewpoint benches around the Okel Tor Mine.

Time of year: I did this in spring
Dog friendly: The first river section out of Calstock is. When you get nearer to the Okel Tor mine, there are warning signs of contaminated land and unstable structures, so your dog will want to be under close control. No Stiles.

A wooden gate with a sign warning of danger.

Map for the riverside walk from Calstock to the Okel Tor Mine

More walk ideas (with links to guides) near Calstock and in the Tamar Valley will be at the end

A Guide To The Riverside Walk From Calstock To The Okel Tor Mine

Starting from the River Tamar, with the Calstock Viaduct to the right, you should see a little riverside trail leading along the grass on the left. Go onto that trail, and keep going, It’s as simple as that to begin with.

Looking down along the river Tamer towards the viaduct at the start of the riverside walk. There tide is low and there are a couple of small boats on the river. There is a field and hill on the other side, and a house next to one of the arches of the viaduct.

A narrow trail running along the grass next to the river. There is a castle light blue building ahead to the left of the trail.

Walk along the Calstock Riverside trail

This trail takes you right alongside the river, with gorgeous bushy tree vibes on the other side. You will walk past a big area to you left, which the sign says has quick mud or quicksand. Probably quick mud.

Looking over the tall grass to the Tamar River and a man of woodland on the other side, on the riverside walk from Calstock. There is a boat on the river.

Looking across the boggy gourd to some hills in the distance.

You will walk past a cute riverside home on the other side, and you might feel a little jealous. Then you will walk over a wooden bridge. The trail curves around with the river, and then you will see a mine chimney thing ahead.

Looking over the white hogweed plated to the river and a cottage nestled within the trees on the other side, along the riverside walk from Calstock.

A narrow path lined withal grass, leading to a wooden bridge.

A narrow trail lined with tall grass, leading to a mass of woodland ahead, along the Calstock riverside walk. A chimney of an engine house is rising up through the trees. There are two people walking on the path ahead.

My initial plan was to just walk this section of the river, but when I saw that, I decided to keep going.

Walk to the Okel Tor Mine

You will walk through a gait at the end of the riverside section of the walk, with some arch ruins to the left. Continue straight up the road hill.

the path leading to a wooden fence and gate. The path is surround by overgrown grass.

Looking across the grass and some bushes to some wall ruins.

A country road curving uphill to the left then right. There is a stone wall and wooden fence on the other side of the road, and lots of bushy trees tops visible beyond that,.

This will lead you into the woods, then at the trail split, take the right one to walk to the Okel Tor Mine.

A dirt trail split in the woodland. The left trail runs uphill, and the right trail stays level. There is an information board next to the right trail.

There is a wooden gate along here, which is quite a stiff one to open. I needed to put a lot of force in with both hands to pull the metal lever. There is however a gap to the left which you can squeeze through. I discovered this on the way back.

This bit of woodland trail is easy walking, as it leads you to the mine area.

Walk around the Okel Tor Mine

When you reach the ruins, there is an information board if you want to learn some things. You will also have a great view from here, across the tree tops of the Tamar Valley, and to some more mine chimney things. One of them in the distance is a bit wonky. It reminded me of an elephants trunk.

Looking down to the Tamar Valley and river on the Calstock riverside walk. There are lots of woodland trees below, and there is a chimney of an engine hose rising above the trees.

Looking across the tree tops to a wonky chimney of an engine house poking out of the trees in the distance. — Can you see the wonky chimney?

From here you will be doing a loop. You can go either way. I took the right trail, but if you want to avoid walking up steps, you should take the left one. As I went right, I will describe the route from that perspective.

A narrow gravel path running downhill towards the woods. The path is lined with small bushes, and there is a wooden trail signpost on the left of it.

This is the bit of trail that becomes uneven under foot. You will walk downhill and under tree cover, and then have lots of tree roots. There is a well place bench down here, looking through an opening in the trees to the mine chimney.

A narrow trail hidden within the tall grass, under the woodland.

Looking over the tall grass to the trees and engine house chimney on the other side of the river, on the riverside walk from Calstock.

A dirt trial through the woods. The trail island with lots of tall grass.

The trail will lead you around in a loop, and as you loop around, there is a trail split coming up. I guess you could take either. I took the right one. This is the one that leads to the steps to go back up to the top.

Steps leading up through the woods. There is a wooden railing on the right of the steps.

The ruins of a stone building within the woods.

A path running g straight, with some bushes and greenery to the left and a wooden fence to the right. There are ruins of a stone building to the right of the fence.

Walk back to Calstock along the riverside trail

Once up the top, you simply walk back the way you came. When you reach the road, you have the option to turn right, which is a quicker way to walk back to Calstock. I don’t know what that route is like, but it’s a road, so that was enough for me to not take it. The riverside trail back is lovely though, so I was looking forward to getting on it again, and now seeing things from a different perspective. Including a view to the Calstock Viaduct at the end.

A path lined with a mass of hogweed on the left on the riverside on the walk back to Calstock. There is a mass of woodland on the other side of the river and a white cottage nestled within in the woods.

Looking across the boggy ground towards the Calstock viaduct in the distance, near the end of the riverside walk.

More walk ideas near Calstock in the Tamar Valley

Gunnislake to the Devon Consuls – This is a really lovely walk, first along river, and then through varying woodland. You will walk up a hill to reach the old mine ruins, and will have a fantastic view across the Tamar Valley. Fun fact: this walk is part in Cornwall, part in Devon.

Bere Alston circular walk – You will also get to see the Calstock Viaduct on the walk, and will even get to walk right under it. During the right time of year, this walk has an abundance of wild garlic.

Drakes Trail – This one is just outside the Tamar Valley, but nearby. You can get to the start of it on the number 79 bus from Calstock. It’s also really easy. You might spot some Dartmoor ponies.

For a more detailed side by side comparison, you can read about the Tamar Valley walks. If you would like to explore more of Dartmoor, then check out the best walks in Dartmoor National Park.

For more activities and walk ideas near Calstock, you can check out the Tamar Trails website.

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Calstock riverside walk guide, Tamar Valley Cornwall