The River Tamar is where Devon ends and Cornwall begins and is a 50 mile long natural boundary between the two counties. Hotel Endsleigh enjoys a stunning two mile stretch of this beautiful valley and looking out over the lawns from the house across the Tamar, the vista is completely unspoilt with the horizon empty of any other properties as your eye is drawn towards the monument at Kit Hill.
From the Hotel, walk down to the river and over a small ford, turning left to follow the flow of the water towards Black Rock and revel in the nature to be found there, the Kingfishers, Otters and even the occasional leaping Salmon.
Another walk to admire is the Yew Walk. leaving the hotel on the drive take the first gate on the right in the stone wall and follow the path to the Yew Walk. Here planted between these dark firs are white lace cap hydrangeas casting pools of light between the yew columns. Behind the hydrangeas peaking through all the foliage are some lovely dog woods the Cornus kousa alba and miss satomi varieties, which are currently covered in flowers.
Follow this path through the 'Georgies' (see garden map), and walk through a wooded valley filled with extraordinary specimens listed in the Book of Champion Trees of Great Britain and Ireland, until you reach the giant Douglas Fir, follow the steps downward and return towards the hotel on the lower path. At the end of this you will find the gate to the Shell House. See the patterns of river stones in the pathway as you pass the tree ferns to the wall of rock. Climb the stone steps to the Rose Walk.
The Rose Walk with its many climbers include such cultivars as Rosa generous gardener and Rosa new dawn, and this time of year fills the warm air with their scent. A photogenic spot, especially for newly married couples, the walk measures 100 metres long, which we think must be some kind of record? We challenge you to find another as long or as beautiful.
The gardens at Endsleigh are open to the public every day, (except for exclusive functions), and costs £5pp (consessions £3), we recommend you call ahead to check the gardens are open. You will need suitable footwear and we would like to remind you that the garden is 200 years old and care should be taken on the many stone steps which can be slippery in certain conditions. Guests with disabilities will have difficulty accessing the gardens. You will need to allow for a couple of hours to take in all of its glories, of which there are many, and we look forward to sharing them with you soon.
