Sail & Explore the Tamar Valley

This is a six-hour expedition beyond Plymouth Sound, up the River Tamar past the Royal Naval Dockyard and into the quiet River Lynher. You'll see a stretch of Devon and Cornwall that few people ever reach from the water.

📌 Key Details

• Duration: Approximately 6 hours
• Group size: Up to 7 guests
• Food: Refreshment or lunch stop at Royal William Yard, or bring a packed lunch
• Children: Under-16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian; children's lifejackets suit ages 8-16 and we can't accommodate infants
• Weather: Alternative date or full refund if we cancel for bad weather
• Optional extras: Packed lunch service; Stand-up paddleboard hire; Photography package

🌊 What to Expect

The first miles take in Plymouth Sound's fortifications, Drake's Island and Royal William Yard, after we leave Mount Batten. From there we head up the River Tamar past the Royal Naval Dockyard to the Brunel Bridge, then into the River Lynher, one of the most wonderful rivers in the West Country. Conrad Humphreys or a member of the crew skippers Bounty, the replica launch from Channel 4's Mutiny. With only seven guests aboard, the day stays personal, and you can take the helm, trim the sails or simply watch the banks change as we leave the open Sound behind.

A refreshment or lunch stop at Royal William Yard is part of the day, or you can bring a packed lunch if you prefer. Optional paddleboard hire is available on this voyage when we find sheltered water suited to the conditions; you'll need to be comfortable swimming 50m in open water if you paddle. Spinlock lifejackets and a safety briefing come before we leave the pontoon. Six hours on this route is long enough to feel like a real expedition, not a harbour tour.

📍 Location

River voyages start from the Mount Batten Centre, with free parking on site before we head beyond the Sound. Exact directions and a what3words location are sent ahead of your trip. Please arrive in good time for your safety briefing and lifejacket fitting. Look for the grey container on the south-west coast path by the northern slipway, about 50m from Mount Batten Watersports Centre, and register your vehicle on arrival.

The Tamar and Lynher weave through Devon and Cornwall past the Dockyard, Brunel Bridge and quiet creeks that are hard to see from the road. You start in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and then leave the open water for river country few visitors reach by boat. Royal William Yard sits on the way, which is why a lunch or refreshment stop there fits this voyage so well.

✅ Prerequisites

No previous time at the helm is required for the Tamar. Conrad and the crew handle navigation up the Dockyard stretch while you take a turn if you want, or watch the banks change. Lifejackets are fitted and safety is covered on the pontoon before we go.

Under-16s must sail with a parent or guardian. Children's jackets suit ages 8-16, and infants stay ashore. Unsafe weather on this six-hour river day means an alternative date or a full refund.

⭐ Why Choose Us

Few visitors see the Tamar past the Royal Naval Dockyard from a small open boat. Conrad Humphreys skippers Bounty, the Mutiny replica, on this six-hour run to the Brunel Bridge and the Lynher, with only seven guests aboard. You can helm on the quieter river, or sit back while the crew works the boat.

A refreshment stop ashore is included, with packed lunch service and paddleboard hire as extras when the water suits. Bounty is MCA Category 4 licensed. Spinlock Deckvests are standard kit, fitted before we leave Mount Batten.