Synopsis: Plymouth viewed from a number of unusual angles from across the River Tamar. A very rural walk for a location so close to Plymouth. Plus a visit to Antony (NT), home of Alice in Wonderland.
A walk on the wild side! Cornwall, that is; well, just over the border anyway. This is a walk I’d planned quite some time ago but it’s taken until today to actually walk it. In part that’s because the walk includes a visit to the National Trust property of Antony, which is only open on particular days of the week. The walk required an early start, needing me to set my alarm for 5am for the purpose of catching the 6:35am bus from Exeter to Plymouth.
Cremyll Ferry - Stonehouse, Plymouth - family of swans nesting on the quayside
I arrived in Plymouth punctually at 8:15am. From the Bretonside bus depot it was a short walk of about 1.5 miles to the landing jetty of the Cremyll Ferry at Admiral’s Hard, Stonehouse. I arrived just a few minutes too late for the 8:45 sailing and therefore had to wait for thirty minutes for the next ferry. As I waited for my ferry I watched the swans that had nested on the slipway. A family of two adults and three signets. They made off onto the River Tamar after a while, presumably their first dip of the day.
The Cremyll Ferry must be one of the oldest still operating in the country, a ferry has operated here for more than one thousand years. At one time the crossing must have been quite a daunting endeavour, as the river can run as fast as eight knots at this point. The oldest picture of the ferry dates from 1540 on which it appears as a small rowing boat. The colour picture below, a painting by William Gibbons (1841-1886), shows how Admiral’s Hard looked in 1864. At one time a paddle steamer operated on this river crossing, shown below at Cremyll beach.
Cremyll Ferry - view of the Royal William Victualling Yard, Stonehouse
Plymouth naval docks has a long history and the buildings remain impressive to this day. They loom large and solid over the gunnels of the ferry, meant to withstand a siege if ever there were one. The trip on the Northern Belle ferry crossing gives passengers a superb view of the naval fortress. It’s only a short crossing of 0.6 miles that takes just under 10 minutes to complete. A short hop from Devon to Cornwall.
Cremyll Ferry - Cremyll landing stage - Tide & Time Tarry for None - Cremyll Ferry House - Dost thou love life?, Then do not squander time, Time and tide waits for no man! - 1885 (if you look closely)
On reaching Cremyll, I wandered around the old ferry building for a while. There’s a lovely old clock on the wall that has the motif “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, Time and tide waits for no man!” So, what was I doing dawdling here reading this? I must weigh anchor and set my course, I thought to myself.
There are some old photographs of Cremyll and the Cremyll Ferry in the Francis Frith collection. The photo right is an example taken from this collection.
Cremyll Ferry - Cremyll landing stage
The path I was to pick up at the Cremyll ferry landing stage I found to be behind the Edgcumbe Arms pub. It skirted around a working quayside, and then coursed along the waterline. I found myself immediately in open countryside, hardly what one expects when only moments earlier I’d been traversing the busy streets of Plymouth city. I Glimpsed the River Tamar occasionally between the many trees that line the path.
Empacombe Harbour with small fortification in the background
A little way into my walk I came across a footpath sign requesting walkers to adhere strictly to the waterline as the path passes in front of a small group of picturesque houses. There seemed to be the remnants of a small fortification just visible beside the houses, but I’ve no knowledge of what this once was.
Maker Church - Church of St Mary and St Julian - Norman font
The path then climbed quite steeply through Pigshill and Clarrick Woods (also known as ‘Mount Edgcumbe Estate’) in the direction of Maker church, or the Church of St Mary and St Julian. The church sits high on the hill exposed to the elements. On entering the church, it was the font that immediately caught my eye. This is evidently Norman in origin, There are lovely carvings of writhing snakes, rampant beasts, and the Tree of Life. Apparently the font originated in St Merryn and was moved to Maker church c.1848. The church is Grade I listed.
The edge of Pigshill and Clarrick Woods - view across expanse of Tamar Valley
From Maker church I picked up a footpath that eventually led me back to the road, which I followed for a short distance till I reached the point where a bench sits high above the village of Millbrook. This is a superb vantage point with expansive views stretching across the Tamar Valley. As I dropped from here I came across a small information board wedged against a tree. A quick study of this hinted at an alternative path route from Maker church through Pigshill and Clarrick Woods.
Millbrook - turbosail?
A little way further into my walk and I found myself at a small creek with a bench, that gave me ample excuse for a short mid-morning break. A number of exceptionally fine houses lined one side of the creek. A virtually picture book example of finest Devon Cornwall. There appeared to be a turbosail boat moored here, seemingly futuristic, but perhaps not so. I’d love to see one of these in action.
Millbrook
Rounding these houses I came upon a large lagoon that I crossed near the Millbrook Sluice that controls the water flowing out from the lagoon. This lagoon is lined with the houses of Millbrook. A flock of geese were to be seen on the lagoon as I followed its shoreline for a short stretch before heading off right to the edge of the village and then up and out into the countryside.
Once again, there are historic photos of Millbrook in the Francis Frith collection. The example right provides an interesting panorama of Millbrook from one of the surrounding hills taken c.1955, probably not so far from where I had been standing.
Church of St John
I climbed, then I dropped, then I climbed again, and dropped again, this time finding myself in the little hamlet of St John. I saw the pretty church of St John from my path, but my entry was barred by a locked door. This was a shame, as the church looked interesting and I would have loved to have explored the interior. Checking out the details of the church once I’d got home I found that the church is indeed Grade I listed, therefore worthy of closer inspection, but sadly that was not to be today.
St John's Lake - Gooseford Lane
From St John I walked out into countryside again, with views out over a large creek with a tidal road that skirted the shoreline, which I subsequently discovered is called Gooseford Lane. Well, there’s an aptly named lane if ever there were one.
Horson Cemetery - War graves and monument
I began an ascent along a gently sloping lane and then branched right following a field boundary till I came up against a high security fence, presumably demarcating a military establishment of some sort. The path followed the fence till it reached a road. Across the road I could see the Horson Cemetery. I was uncertain whether I could, with due respect, cut across the cemetery but thought it worth a try. The cemetery contains a cross commemorating war dead, and there’s a line of war graves beside it. The path took me by a small chapel and out to another road, just as I had hoped was possible.
Antony (NT)
I walked a short stretch along the road before picking up a path left that took me down to Antony (NT). I entered the visitor reception and was given a house entry ticket for 14:10, which was ideal, as it was now 13:30, and this would give me chance to grab a quick picnic lunch in the grounds. I found a nice bench at the front of the house shielded by a yew hedge from the brisk chill wind and sat and ate my lunch in the sun.
Antony (NT)
I had only about an hour to view the house as I hoped to catch a 15:26 bus back to Plymouth city centre. I thought Antony a more attractive house than various photos suggested on the National Trust web site. It’s not large on the grand house scale, but big all the same. It has a very nice symmetry and a charming elegance, both inside and out. Grand without being imposing, and suggestive of a very comfortable and sumptuous life for those that live within its walls; the epitome of high life and good taste. As an aside, Antony attained a certain fame of late, through the shooting of Tim Burton’s film Alice in Wonderland in 2010. Last year there was much in the house and grounds themed around this film, but those artefacts are not there today.
A bit of a dash, but I did make it to my bus stop in time for my 15:26 bus back to Plymouth. The bus followed a route that involved crossing the River Tamar over the Torpoint Ferry. I was back in the Bretonside bus depot in plenty of time for my 16:40 bus back to Exeter.
Today’s walk proved better than I had imagined. It took me through very tranquil countryside with some wonderful views out over Plymouth. A perspective on Plymouth that was completely new to me. Visiting the charming house of Antony (NT) was the icing on the cake. Just a wonderful day’s walking and sightseeing. I’ve no idea why it took me so long to get around to actually doing this walk. Highly recommended.
Note (1): Antony has only limited opening as the Carew-Poles are still in residence at the property, therefore it is important to check opening times prior to any visit.
Note (2): An alternative walk from Maker Church would be to back-track into the woods and follow a path south-west from this point, which follows a path through Clarrick Woods, connecting with my route at this point. There’s an information board showing the route which I passed, and that’s how I came to know of this option. This alternative route does have the advantage of avoiding the short road section that I used, but it sacrifices the view out over the Tamar Valley and Millbrook shown above.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 13.8 miles (includes 0.6 mile ferry journey from Stonehouse to Cremyll)
Moving Time: 4hrs 46min
Stopped Time: 1hr 52min
Total Ascent: 537 metres
Maximum Elevation: 114 metres
Buses: X38 (Stagecoach Explorer £7.25), & 81/81A (single £3.40)
Ferry: Cremyll (£1.25)
Total transport cost: £11.90
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