As we encourage our guests to come by train we are always looking for interesting ways to explore and enjoy our beautiful local area making the most of public transport. During the summer months Plymouth Boat Trips run a ferry service from Saltash Waterside to the historic Barbican, stopping at the Royal William Yard on the way. From here you can explore the historic estate of Mount Edgecumbe, or catch a bus around the coast and back to Plymouth Station. It is excellent value; only £5 each way in 2026.
Saltash, on the Cornish side of Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge, is just one-stop eastbound from St Germans and the journey takes about 6 minutes. The once run-down station building was purchased by Saltash Town Council in 2017, it underwent extensive renovations and reopened in 2021. Now known as Isambard House it houses Trackside Cafe as well as event space. We recommend stopping for a coffee here, before heading down the steep hill to the ferry port.
It takes about ten minutes to walk from the station to the ferry port. Head down to the bottom of the steep hill, turn left and continue under the two bridges until you reach a car park. The ferry leaves from the pontoon here.
The cruise takes about 30 minutes as you leave Saltash and travel down the Tamar through an area known as the Hamoaze. On the west bank you pass the mouth of the Lynher, which heads towards St Germans, then Wilcove, Torpoint and Cremyll. The east bank is dominated by Devonport Dockyard.
When the service started in 2025 it ran directly from Saltash to The Royal William Yard. From 2026 this changed and the ferry now continues onto the Barbican. From the Barbican you may choose to take the Cawsand Ferry (not included in the cost) and go directly to the pretty fishing village of Cawsand, a sheltered spot that is particularly favoured by sea swimmers. From the Barbican there is also a ferry that run to the coast path at Mount Batten. The Barbican is a hub for boat day trips; for more visit Plymouth Boat Trips.
Getting off at the Royal William Yard you’ll find restaurants, bars and shops, water sports, a cinema and even a sauna and ice baths!.
On our trip, we chose to spend a little time at Royal William Yard, so after a delicious, iced coffee we headed to the Devil’s Point Staircase – nicknamed the ‘Stairway to Devon’ to access the South West Coast Path.
From here there are spectacular views over Plymouth Sound, housing the UK’s first National Marine Park, Drake’s Island and Mount Edgcumbe.
Following the path head towards Firestone Bay (situated below the Artillery Tower which is now a restaurant) a small pebble beach with a shallow tidal pool – a popular wild swimming spot. If you intend to swim water shoes are recommended as the beach is rocky.
The park and beach is a very pleasant area to spend a bit of time, and popular with picnickers. Returning to the Royal William Yard do take a look through the arch out to see, as the views are spectacular.
From the Royal William yard, the Cremyll Ferry usually leaves from Admirals Hard (about a 5-minute walk along Cremyll Street). However it is worth checking this is still the case before you go, as there has been work to the pier there, and ferries have been temporarily running from Royal William Yard. The £5 ferry ticket from Saltash includes the Cremyll Ferry. This foot ferry runs every 30 minutes and takes less than 10 minutes to cross the river to Mount Edgcumbe. There’s a good, no nonsense independent cafe called Elvira’s just before the ferry pontoon at Admiral’s Hard, which is a great place to stop for coffee, cake or something fried.
Once over the water, Mount Edgecumbe park is just a short walk from the terminal. There’s a good food pub, The Edgecumbe Arms, on the water front. Buses run hourly along the cliff, so as an alternative to going home over water, then you can take a spectacular ride back to Plymouth Station, with the option of visiting one of the stunning Whitsand Bay beaches, that are accessed by the many steep paths leading down the cliff.
If you would like to visit the House and Earl’s Garden, click here to find up-to-date opening details, and prices
The Country Park is open to the public all year round and is free of charge. We enjoyed a light lunch in the Orangery before taking a gentle stroll around the lower gardens.
Our route began riverside to the Garden Battery, there are small, pebbled beaches where some visitors, along with their 4-legged companions, were enjoying a quick dip.
The gardens are a wonderful mixture of formal and parkland. You will find sculptures and artworks created by second year students from Art University Plymouth placed around the estate.
Having spent a leisurely couple of hours wandering through the gardens we made our return journey to Admirals Hard and back to the Royal William Yard to take the return Ferry to Saltash.
Remember to save some energy for the very steep hill from Saltash Waterside to the train station – allow plenty of time as you may wish to pause as you go.
