There’s lots of 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, on the Cornish side of Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge, to the historic Royal William Yard in Plymouth, so we asked our resident Railholiday explorer Julie to try it out.
“To make the most of our day out we decided to take the first ferry from Saltash leaving the Waterside at 10:30 am from Jubilee Pontoon. The 09:24 train from St Germans arrives in Saltash at 09:31 leaving plenty of time to pop in to the Trackside Cafe in the newly refurbished station building. Allow about ten minutes to walk from the station down to the Waterside.
From the station head down the hill and left at the waterside, following the river under the two bridges. Jubilee Pontoon is the first pier, in front of the car park, before you reach the main park. From here, look across the river and you may spot a train running along the Gunnislake line on the opposite bank..
On the day we went we were joined by several other passengers and two well behaved dogs. The ferry ride takes about 40 minutes to get to the Royal William Yard. There was also the ‘cruise’ option of staying on the boat and returning to Saltash, rather than alighting in Plymouth.
After heading under the Tamar and Royal Albert bridges, the cruise continues onwards down the Tamar. On the west bank (the Cornwall side) as you leave Saltash you will see Coombe Viaduct before the river widens at the mouth of the Lynher, which heads towards St Germans. You are now entering an area known as the Hamoaze.
Look to the Cornish side to see Wilcove and Torpoint, where you will cross the path of the Torpoint vehicle ferry. Between Torpoint and Cremyll, a creek filled with sailing boats marks the boundary of the Rame Peninsula. This creek leads to Millbrook, a hub of boating activity and a thriving artistic community. Beyond this is Cremyll, recognisable by the welcoming Edgecumbe Arms that flanks the banks of the Tamar, and the parklands and follies of Mount Edgecumbe. This is situated directly opposite the Royal William Yard.
The Cornish side of the river is rural and verdant. In stark contrast, the east bank (the Devon side) is industrial and dominated by Devonport Dockyard. The historic dockyard buildings somehow survived the worst of the WW2 Plymouth bombings, and are equally fascinating to look at. There are areas where submarines are worked on, and frequently you’ll see a frigate or large ship in the dock or around the bay. For more information you may like to see the Devonport Dockyard Wikipedia Page.
You can book online, or pay by card or cash on the ferry – be sure to check the website for up-to-date departure times and current prices. https://www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk/ferries/
At the Royal William Yard you’ll find plenty of restaurants, bars and some shops. There is also a 3 screen cinema, water sports and even a sauna and ice baths in a converted horse box! Check the website for what’s on when you visit. https://royalwilliamyard.com.
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, Drake’s Island and Mount Edgcumbe.
Following the path we headed to Firestone Bay. Situated below an Artillery Tower (now a restaurant) is 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 with an abundance of seaweed!
We walked a short distance back along the beach towards Devils Point to return to the Royal William Yard through the Firestone Arch – carefully picking our way up the large rocks. It was worth it, the view looking back through the arch is spectacular. You can also enjoy the view without the scramble by returning to the RWY by walking straight down Admiralty Street.
We then made our way out of the RWY to catch the Cremyll Ferry from Admirals Hard (about a 5-minute walk along Cremyll Street). The foot ferry runs every 30 minutes and takes less than 10 minutes to cross the river to Mount Edgcumbe. https://www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk
The Country Park is open to the public all year round and is free of charge. If you would like to visit the House and Earl’s Garden, go to the website to find up-to-date opening details, and prices.
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, either side of this 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. Currently, you will find sculptures and artworks created by second year students from Art University Plymouth placed around the estate.
https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/art-edgcumbe-in-pictures
Having spent a leisurely couple of hours meandering 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 hill from the Waterside to the train station – It’s very steep!”
