TRIP AHOY!
WITH ITS FASCINATING PAST AND FORWARD-THINKING PRESENT, PLYMOUTH IS THE SEASIDE ESCAPE WITH PLENTY OF SPIRIT, AS LYNN HOUGHTON DISCOVERS
TO GET a sense of this city shaped by sea, trade and war, stride out across its iconic hoe, taking in the sweeping views over Plymouth Sound while seeking out the landmarks which define its past.
It was on this high ridge, in 1588, that sea captain Sir Francis Drake was playing bowls when he was given the news of sightings of the invading Spanish Armada.
The famous reaction of smooth operator Drake was to simply shrug and say he had plenty of time to finish his game before heading out to defeat the enemy.
A statue of Devon-born Sir Francis stands just a few feet from where this defining moment took place.
A separate Armada Memorial, erected 300 years later, is nearby, as are other monuments to the armed forces.
Providing the Hoe’s colourful centrepiece with its distinctive red and white stripes is Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse.
Originally built over the treacherous Eddystone reef, 14 miles southwest of Plymouth in 1759, it was relocated here in 1880 and painstakingly restored to its former glory.
Head east and you’ll arrive at the towering walls of the Royal Citadel.
Constructed from local limestone to defend the coastline from the Dutch in the 17th century, it is still in use by Plymouth’s modern military folk – the troops of 29 Commando Royal Artillery.
Guided tours are priced £10, see english-heritage.org.uk.
Then drop down to the seafront to savour another of Plymouth’s iconic landmarks, Tinside Lido.
A slice of quintessential British seaside from a bygone era, this Art Deco saltwater pool began life in 1935 as the Ladies’ Bathing Place and entry was just a penny.
After falling into disrepair at the end of the 20th century it was refurbished and re-opened in 2003 to become one of the city’s most popular attractions.
WHAT’S NEW?
PLYMOUTH’S heritage meets modern art at the city’s new £46m cultural hub, The Box.
A museum, gallery, archive, shop, cafe and bar, it tells stories of Plymouth’s past through immersive experiences set around two million amazing objects, and features artwork that complements The Box’s vast collections.
Its official opening, on September 29, 2020, coincided almost to the day with the sailing of the Mayflower to America in 1620 and this quadricentennial is the inspiration for one of its permanent exhibitions, Mayflower 400: Legend & Legacy.
Visitors can also discover how the many voyages beginning in Plymouth changed the world in “100 Journeys”.
The gallery features artefacts from the days of Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain James Cook, Charles Darwin, Gertrude Benham and Scott of the Antarctic.
Meanwhile in “Mammoth”, guests come face to face with a full-size woolly mammoth, enormous tusks covered in the same synthetic fur used for Chewbacca in the Star Wars films.
Mammoths were among the prehistoric beasts that roamed the South West 35,000 years ago, their presence revealed by fossils found in cave sites around Devon.
Admission is free. You can find out more at theboxplymouth.com.
DRINK IN THE HISTORY
ON THE edge of Sutton Harbour, the original port of the city, the maze of cobbled streets full of Elizabethan warehouses, independent shops, galleries, cafes and pubs makes up Plymouth’s historic Barbican.
Explore the lanes where merchants and mariners would have walked and you will find the Plymouth Gin Factory, the oldest working gin distillery in England.
Located in the medieval Black Friars building on Southside Street, it was originally a monastery and even a town jail before it became home to one of the world’s most famous gin producers in 1793 when Fox and Williamson produced its 57% naval-strength spirit. The distillery’s distinctive blue doors display its trademark label, bearing the famous Mayflower ship.
The Pilgrim Fathers are said to have spent their last night in England in the building before setting sail on their voyage of discovery over the Atlantic.
Guided tours detail the distilling process, plus there’s the Refectory Bar and Cocktail Lounge where they set gin-sipping trends and serve up
Plymouth Gin Factory cocktails. Tours cost from £11 and for more details see plymouthdistillery.com or call 01752 665292.
Should you feel like going on somewhere after, pop across to cafe-bar The Bottling Plant (thebottlingplant. co.uk), housed in the former bottling warehouse of the gin distillery and studio of celebrated local artist Robert Lenkiewicz.
FISH ’N’ TRIPS
IF YOU fancy setting sail on your own epic voyage, take a sightseeing cruise from the Barbican Landing Stage to the quaint Cornish villages of Cawsand and Kingsand on the Rame Peninsula.
If a fishing trip is more your bag, The Ronnoch Mor – “king mackerel” in Gaelic – is a trusty fishing vessel with space for 18 passengers. Feel the excitement as you head towards the Atlantic.
Twenty miles out it’s possible to see minke whales, basking sharks, sunfish dolphins and leatherback turtles, but this trip is all about catching mackerel, white fish or pouting.
Captain Phil and first mate Kameh demonstrate the use of a rod and reel.
“Fish on line!” is called out if something is hooked – and the amount caught is astonishing.
Tickets are priced £25 per person or
A food lover adds a selection of veg to his lunch at the Seafood and Harbour Market hosted by The Barbican
£75 for a family of four. Go to plymouthboattrips.co.uk or call 01752 253 153.
Prefer to remain on dry land? Explore the underwater world in the National Marine Aquarium. Here you’ll get to see what swims in local waters and journey around the world’s oceans, finishing in the Great Barrier Reef. Adults £19.50, children £14.50 with free returns for 12 months. See national-aquarium.co.uk.
EATING AND SLEEPING
SALUMI Bar & Eatery (eatsalumi.co.uk) on Millbay Road is sister restaurant to trendy Plymouth favourite, Rock Salt Cafe.
Enjoy imaginative seafood dishes and classics such as mac ’n’ cheese or moules-frites in its vibrant multi-level interior or on the sunny outdoor terrace. The salt and vinegar doughnuts dipped in hummus are superb.
Victorian grandeur meets modern comforts at The Duke of Cornwall, Plymouth’s first luxury hotel.
There’s a variety of rooms, including four-poster suites and the Duke’s Tower, with 360-degree views of the city, as well as an AA Rosette-winning restaurant.
Prices from £95 a night for a standard double including breakfast. Book at thedukeofcornwall.co.uk, 01752 275 850.