A breath of fresh air: walks to enjoy in Plymouth this winter

Banish the winter blues and get out in the fresh air with your family. Plymouth is home to some spectacular beauty spots where you can stretch your legs and blow away the cobwebs. Here are some of our favourite suggestions…

  

Plymouth Trails App

The free Plymouth Trails app is a great way to explore the city with lots of easy-to-follow trails. The app is also packed with information and cool features, including selfie frames and the ability to overlay video and images onto the landscape in front of you for a real ‘then and now’ snapshot of the city.

There are three main trails, which were created for the app and all have audio options too:

• Mayflower Trail: Following a circular route around the Barbican, see the buildings and meet the people that shaped the city in 1620, when the Mayflower ship and its passengers set sail for America.
• City Centre Trail: Discover a different side to our imposing post-war architecture in the city centre and learn more about how the city was rebuilt following the Blitz during World War II
• Plymouth Hoe Trail: Enjoy a bracing walk along the coast as you delve into Plymouth’s maritime history, taking in key landmarks such as Tinside Lido and Smeaton’s Tower.

    

Central Park

Head to Plymouth’s largest park for an enjoyable, easy walk along wide boulevards, which cut through open meadows and woodland. The park also has fantastic views towards Plymouth Sound and Cornwall. For kids and teens, there’s the skate park or the Central Park Play Space – containing swings, a roundabout, balance beams, climbing structures and zip wires – so the whole family can let off steam!

You can also now add a whole new layer to your visit to Central Park by downloading the Blood Memory app. Part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations and the Settlement art project, which question the impacts of colonisation, the app enables you to discover stories at set locations in geocaching fashion.

   

Saltram

A beautiful Georgian mansion, the National Trust owned Saltram House sits in 500 acres of land, which includes saltmarshes, meadows, woodland and an estuary.

There are lots of dog-friendly walking routes around the park, including a circular route which starts and finishes in the car park and takes you down to the banks of the River Plym.

Parking costs £3 or is free for National Trust members, remember to check the latest visiting guidelines before you visit.

   

Mount Edgcumbe

Travel across the water into Cornwall for a walk around the beautiful grounds of Mount Edgcumbe, where there’s more than 865 acres of land to explore. It’s easy to visit from Plymouth, just hop on the Cremyll Ferry in Stonehouse, it takes just 8 minutes and you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful countryside and spectacular views looking back towards Plymouth.

   

Plymbridge Woods

The Plym Valley Trail cuts through the National Trust-owned Plymbridge Woods. This gentle trail is perfect for walking or cycling – so a great place to test out any bikes or scooters that Santa delivered!

There’s free parking and easy-to-follow walking routes, find out more on their website.