British Walking Federation
British Walking Federation
CONTACT :
Ron Smith, 15 Haroldsleigh Avenue, Crownhill, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 3AW.
Tel: 01752 700795
DISTANCE:
20km
ENTRY FEE: £1.00 per walker (Cheques made payable to
Thames Valley Walking Club)
AWARD: Cloth badge at £2.00 each
START VENUE:
Mayflower Steps, The Barbican, Plymouth (Map 201 GR SX483543)
DIRECTIONS TO START: Follow signs into Plymouth towards the Barbican.
The Mayflower Steps can be found in the harbour.
CAR PARKING: There are a number of car parks close to the
start of the walk, however it is recommended if coming to Plymouth by car to use
the park and ride system. Take a bus to the City centre, from where the start of
the walk is approximately five to ten minutes away. Park and ride is sign posted
on entry to Plymouth.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bus and train service within 1km of
start.
TERRAIN: Urban areas, roads and coastal paths
REFRESHMENTS: There are numerous pubs, cafes, shops
etc along the route so refreshments are not a problem.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
From Mayflower steps cross road to ‘mine’. Cross again (left) & turn right into New Street (Plymouth’s oldest street). Take alleyway on right (White Lane) not signed. turn left into Southside Street, then turn right & head for quay. turn left into Quay Road, then turn left into Parade Ope. turn right into Southside Street, then turn left (Notte Street) cross road & turn left on pavement. turn right into St Andrews Street, then turn left into Sir John Hawkins Square. At Higher Lane turn left, then bear right and proceed up hill to roundabout. bear right passing National Westminster Bank on right, go down subway & turn left. Go under road & ascend to other side. turn right and continue ahead to church on the roundabout (A memorial to the people of Plymouth who died in the blitz of Plymouth). bear left around corner & under the City Centre Car Park sign. Descend into subway. On other side, turn right & follow pavement. Cross Hamilton Street into Ebrington Street & continue straight ahead on left hand side. turn left into Gasking Street & continue uphill passing Gascoyne Place on left to reach traffic lights. Cross over road (Lipson Road) & opposite Chaddlewood Avenue ascend steps on left into park. Take left fork, then right fork, go over roundabout & left at next fork. Continue ahead at cross roads, then turn left. turn left again & you are now at Plymouth’s Civil War Memorial at Freedom Fields, the site of a civil war battle.
Q1: Who was the mayor in 1643?
Look for a sign on house ‘Queens Gate Villas’ & head towards it. Continue onto road, go straight ahead to junction & turn left on Queens Road. turn left into Longfield Place. The laundry on your right was a Victorian prison. At road junction, turn right passing fire station on right & at house no. 3, cross road carefully & turn right on pavement (Note stone set in wall). At junction, bear left uphill. Cross road at bus stop to green pole. This is the only remaining tram stop in Plymouth. turn right & go back downhill. Continue straight ahead at traffic lights to reach Hyde Park public house on your right. bear left into Hyde Park Road. Continue ahead but look for plaque on school wall on other side of road.
Q2: What was the name of the house that stood here?
At Gabriels Church, turn left (Peverell Terrace). At T-junction turn right and at bottom of hill turn left into park & take right turn. At fork go R & follow path round the edge of park (passing another entrance). Continue on path to junction. turn right & R again. At T-junction go straight ahead across grass to T-junction passing cross roads. Head uphill into narrow lane & follow to reach main road. bear left & continue straight over two sets of traffic lights. Where road bears left, cross to bus depot. turn right , then turn left into Milehouse Road & continue ahead to reach traffic lights. Cross road to Milehouse Road sign, then cross again to Ford Hill sign. Continue ahead to reach Trig Pillar.
Q3: What is the number on the Trig Pillar?
This fort is one of a series around Plymouth to protect the city from a possible French invasion. Follow the ramparts around to reach the fort entrance & exit to road. turn left on road & at junction by Lloyds Bank, turn left then turn right into Church Street. Continue straight ahead at cross roads into Underhill Road. At junction, cross over to The Elms. turn right, then immediately turn left over metal bridge. Follow road to bottom of hill. Cross over road to garage, then turn left to traffic lights. turn right into Molesworth Road, then turn right into Edgecombe Avenue following railings on left. At gate in railings, look across playing fields. The buildings were the Royal Naval Hospital, before being closed. The stone steps in front of you was a military hospital (now a school). The fields between the two was a tidal creek linked to the River Tamar. During Victorian wars, wounded servicemen would be brought from ships anchored in the river up the creek to their respective hospitals. Continue ahead keeping fence on left to reach main road. turn left and continue over bridge (Below is the site of what was Devonport’s main railway station). Continue ahead at traffic lights & turn left into Raglan Road. Continue ahead, passing gatehouse on right & through bollards. Continue ahead (Madden Road) to reach main road. Cross WITH CARE & turn right. At bus stop bear left past Shakespeare public house & turn left into George Street (not marked). Continue ahead & turn right into Clowance Street. The imposing building on your right between the flats was Devonport’s town hall until its amalgamation with Plymouth. Continue ahead to reach junction (James Street). turn left & continue to waterfront & small stone pier. To your right is a ships wooden figurehead locally known as ‘King Billy’. It was King William who reigned during the completion of the Victualling Yard, which is the large stone building across the water to your left and which was names after him. The large shed behind Billy was used for the building and refitting of wooden warships. Retrace your steps back up the hill to gap in wall on right. Go through gap & follow path. Continue to reach gate in left of wall. The statue above is of ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ – a local hero. Continue along path to reach pavement & continue to reach mini roundabout. turn right & at roundabout, turn right into Durnford Street.
The coat of arms on the wall is that of Stonehouse, which was once a separate town to both Plymouth & Devonport. Continue straight ahead to reach the Royal Marine Barracks. turn right into Durnfold Street OPE & at cross roads turn left into Cremyll Street. Go ahead over next cross roads to reach the Victualling Yard Gate.
Q4: What year was the gate completed?
Follow signs to ‘Devils Point’ passing Butchers Arms on left. Go round right hand bend & ahead between poles on path. After 2nd gun emplacement on left, go up steps on right to take in views. Go down any steps behind you & turn right through car park & retrace steps to where road bear left. turn right into Durnfold Street & continue past Royal Military Barracks. Take next right into Millbay Road. Continue over mini roundabout to reach road junction. Cross over into Citadel Road & continue uphill. At fork, bear right into Prospect Place. As road becomes lane, continue ahead. At Cliff Road, continue ahead. Cross Elliot Street & on to Plymouth Hoe. Head towards lighthouse in front of you. With your back to the tower, cross the Hoe to the largest memorial. Standing just in front of the memorial, you will see a bowling green on your left. It was here that Drake was reputed to have played bowls whilst the Armada sailed up the channel. Take time out to look at the magnificent memorials. Head towards the telephone box at the opposite end of the Hoe to which you arrived. Go down steps, cross road, turn right then turn left.
Q5: To who or what is the memorial in front of you dedicated?
Retrace steps to road. turn right & as road bears left, continue straight ahead. Note Citadel Gateway on right. As road turns right, continue ahead, before taking next left.
Q6: What is the ruin in front of you?
Retrace steps, taking steps on left down to road. turn left & return to Mayflower Steps and the end of the walk.
When you have completed this trail please use the Permanent Trail Entry Form
The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property. Every effort will be made by the organisers to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.
This trail is registered until 31 December 2009.