The Tamar valley - boundary between Cornwall and Devon surely. No here it is a deep attractive river which heads inland to Launceston. Not the old capital of Cornwall but Tasmania's second city. The Tamar valley is well known for its Pinot Noir but it is not intensive production as in New Zealand. The odd vineyard can be seen amongst rolling agricultural country. Launceston was a surprise. Not as well known as Hobart but in many ways superior. The town is at the head of the river and has an amazing deep gorge running off to one side. You can walk up either side of the gorge to deep pools which excited the Victorian founders of the city. The gorge can be crossed by bridge or if you have a head for heights by a chair lift. We opted for the bridge. Down by the river a small modern marina provides a focus for some modern restaurants and street musicians. The town itself is well laid out around a large number of parks. The central buildings are classic art deco and the houses and villas around are often stone built in the Victorian British style. An imaginative conversion of a railway depot is the base for an Art School, part of the University of Tasmania, and an expansion of the local museum. Add to this excellent restaurants, all in all a pleasant place to stop.