Plymouth - Number 7 of the most underrated cities in the world to visit according to a recent list*

* Time Out has published its list of 14 most under rated world travel destinations. Read it here

Our photo of a starling murmuration on Bodmin Moor. Not quite as good as those seen on David Attenborough's latest series

If you watched David Attenborough on the British Isles last night, you’ll have seen the starling murmuration on Bodmin Moor, well that was exactly where we were on Bodmin Moor, and although we didn’t see such a huge display we did see huge numbers of birds sitting on the Moor and circling in the sky, but the sitting on the ground didn’t seem standard starling behaviour, and the photos were rubbish so I didn’t mention it till now!

You can't clearly see the starlings on the ground (I only had my phone camera), but in the centre are hundreds of starlings on the grass making a huge noise. We're only putting these photos on now as we saw them on TV last night! Watch it on BBC Iplayer catchup

We are still in exactly the same place as we were a week ago, last blog (our location). The longest we have ever stayed anywhere in Ted! Plymouth is a great place, as the article Brian read said. After our chilling day last Monday, Tuesday was lovely, so 10 minutes to the bus stop for the number 50 and £2 for me, free for him, though we have just discovered this is a special for March, usually it’s £3.80, or £4.80 return, which does explain why the driver said, no, only get singles, it’ll save you 80p, which made no sense at all at the time! Blue sky and sunshine so we went to the Hoe, lovely views, many memorials and statues, including the Beatlebums, which are the bottom prints of the Beatles in position, where they had a famous photograph taken. I didn’t sit in them as they were full of water, but it was a nice idea! Down to the Barbican for the Tourist information amongst other things. A late lunch, surprisingly Brian didn’t just want fish and chips, though we’d nearly given up on finding anything else when we came to Platters, where we had a lovely ‘proper’ fishy lunch. She up sold us from a glass of wine to a bottle, which pretty much wiped out the rest of the day, but it was well worth it.

Standing on Plymouth Hoe and looking out over Drakes Island to the English Channel and Atlantic. It was here that Sir Francis Drake was playing bowls when he saw the approaching Spanish Armada of 1588. It is said he cooly finished his game before assembling his ships to counter the invasion, but it is also said that unfavourable winds and tides would prevent his ships from sailing and also prevent progress of the Spanish Fleet

Wednesday not such a good day, so back into town to ‘The Box’ a great free museum, via the outdoor equipment shops. Time just seemed to vanish and we were at the bus stop waiting for the bus home. It never came, but fortunately friendly people sent us four stops down and told us which bus and where to get off!

The statue of Sir Francis Drake with the war memorial to the right. The information plaque on Drake has been recently updated to detail not only his achievements of defeating the Spanish Armada and being the first Englishman to circumnavigate the earth, but also his involvement with the slave trade and, how he is regarded to many people, a pirate and adventurer

Thursday, the plan was to cycle the Plym Valley trail on Brian’s newly fixed bike, but it never stopped raining, so a day of jigsaw, reading, and waiting. We did have a visitor, Lola (the showcat) decided she was coming in, and that was that. After a good look around she spent the day curled up on Brian’s favourite seat. She is a very cute cat, of that certain age that gives her cattitude. She lives in the caravan down the end, where she just decided she was moving in apparently. It finally stopped so we walked to the local pub, through the muddy woods. We had a pint, but wouldn’t be going back! And if that estate is where Lola came from, not surprised she moved out!

The beautiful Victorian buildings overlooking Plymouth Sound on the Hoe. The statue at the end of the pathway there is of Nancy Astor, the first woman in the UK to take a seat as an elected MP in 1919 and campaigned for women's right. Her exchanges in the house of commons with Winston Churchill are well documented and one such encounter heard Winston Churchill say 'having a woman in parliament is like having one intrude on you in the bathroom'. She replied that 'the right honourable gentleman is not handsome enough to have such fears'

Friday, back into town for the National Aquarium. We could have done it the previous day, but with the teachers on strike there had been more kids in the museum than expected so we thought we’d wait till the kids would be back at school. It almost worked, there was one school party, and quite a lot of preschoolers. We did enjoy it though, more than the Tourist information lady suggested we would, but that’ll be my degree in marine biology! The afternoon was a trip to the Plymouth gin distillery, the country’s oldest running gin distillery. There’s not a lot to distilling gin, it can all be done in a day, but nevertheless, it was still an interesting trip, samples and tasting, and descriptions of all the botanicals. Rounded off in the bar with a proper measure of G&T. We also persuaded her to give us a couple more samples of their standard, at 42.5 % proof and the Navy strength at 57% proof. Navy strength as this was what they took to sea, 42.5% gin that spilt on the gunpowder next to which it was stored meant no Big Bang. 57% gin spilt onto gunpowder didn’t stop it being explosive. It did taste different, but we couldn’t really justify a bottle, not when we would just dilute it anyway! The 51 bus, again, was rubbish, but the 21 is nearly as good, so another good day out.

The Beatle bum prints on the Hoe. It was in this position that the four Beatles posed for a very famous photo

Saturday, boat trip in the bay (Thursday had been the other option which we had decided against). Just enough time to look round the Mayflower museum in the Tourist information centre and grab a coffee. The hour long trip finished at 13.30, but we didn’t want to eat in the Barbican again, and the ferry to the other side, at Royal William yard, doesn’t run till April so a yomp across Plymouth got us onto the 14.15 Cremyll ferry to Cornwall! Great pub lunch before exploring the grounds of Mount Edgcumbe house. We’ll try the 51 bus one more time, oh, it’s there, as I sprinted up the high street. Second time that day I’d run for the bus. I’d had to do a mad dash for the bus into town in the morning. Proved Brian and his “you’ll never make it” wrong!

And here's the photo

Yesterday we finally did the Plym Valley cycle (see our Relieve video here). A very pretty cycle, slightly uphill all the way to Clearbrook and the Skylark pub, where they did fit us in for Sunday lunch, despite it being Mother’s Day. We did have to wait a ridiculously long time, but it was a good roast, and we weren’t going any further as the cold I thought was coming out on Saturday definitely had. The cycle home, all slightly down hill was great though.

There's a lighthouse on the Hoe! This is the old one built by John Smeaton that originally was out at sea on the Eddystone reef. It was replaced in 1887 due to the sea undermining the rock it was on and was taken apart brick by brick and rebuilt here

Today we were going back into town to finish off the Box, but we’ve done most of it, it’s raining, I had a rubbish nights sleep and feel pretty horrible, so blog instead before we move on tomorrow, when sadly it’s going to be windy again but hey, we missed the last lot of wind in this very sheltered camp site.

And there, at maximum zoom on my camera, is the current Eddystone lighthouse. The line across in front is the amazing Plymouth Breakwater, built in 1812. It's 1560m long and was built in 10m of water using 4 million tons of rock to protect Plymouth Sound from the ravages of the sea. A tremendous achievement at the time

You can see it a little clearer in this photo

We also saw this naval ship on the horizon at maximum camera zoom too. My marine tracking app told me it is HMS Kent which, we felt was notable as Kent is Jackies maiden name

So many things to talk about in Plymouth, I can't mention them all so I'll have to be selective. The steps down from the dock in the centre are the Mayflower steps and they say it was from here that in 1620 the Mayflower set out with 102 souls to colonise America. They landed in Plymouth New England in November of that year and set about trying to just survive for the first few years. Modern information makes mention of the terrible impact not only the Mayflower pilgrims but others had on Native Americans. It is estimated that up to 30 million people can claim ancestry to the Mayflower pilgrims, some of them quite famous. One information board told the story of John Howland who fell overboard in a storm, but was rescued. His descendants include Franklin D Roosevelt, George HW Bush, George Bush, Ralph Waldo and Humphrey Bogart. 

We took a boat trip across Plymouth Sound up to the Naval dockyard, Britains biggest and the only port in the country able to service our nuclear submarines. 

Our commentary didn't mention this ship. Hope it's not a secret!

After a brisk walk from one side of the Hoe to the Royal William Yard, that took us 15 minutes (at least half an hour they told us - pah!), we caught the Cremyll ferry to Mount Edgecumbe

Mount Edgecumbe House. Not open on Saturdays, they reserve it for weddings

This is not just any beach. It was from here that troops from the USA departed for the D-Day landings. That chocolate block paving was originally laid on the beach to allow passage of all the military equipment taken over. I can't help thinking that this point was the last bit of land trodden on by thousands of young men who got no further than the beaches of France

Mount Edgecumbe Folly, built on a hill with fabulous views over Plymouth and the Sound

And there, from the Folly is Plymouth, the Hoe and Drakes Island. Imagine for a moment all the events of history that have happened here: Drake sailed out to confront the Spanish Armada from here, it was the last view of England seen by the Mayflower pilgrims, Captain Cook set sail from here on his three epic voyages of discovery, Captain Scott set sail on his ill-fated voyage to reach the South Pole, German bombers had a similar view of this city in their sights on many devastating bombing raids in WWII, all of Britain's nuclear submarines and most, if not all, of it's naval fleet throughout history have sailed across these waters to the naval base off to the left. It is, in short, oozing with history

Plymouth Gin Distillery, they have been distilling gin here since 1793. Sustaining only minor bomb damage during the second world war, much to the relief of the navy who shipped barrel loads of it on each ship as rations for the crew, Plymouth Gin has been exported all over the world. Many cocktail recipes still call for Plymouth Gin rather than just gin, a testament to it's renown the world over. Raffles in Singapore, for example, apparently still calls for Plymouth gin in it's cocktails (I feel this needs to be verified in person!)

That still on the right (the two on the left have never been used) has made all the Plymouth gin since Victorian times in that very place. After distilling it is stored in three storage tanks of which you can see one on the right. From there it is shipped and bottled in the South East of the country

Old Plymouth and it's original cobbled streets

Yes, it's a food photo and we normally hate these. But this was our lunch in Platters in Plymouth and was just what II was looking for. It was - superb!

Jackie! Look behind you! Our visit to the National Marine Aquarium

Lola cat sitting in the chair I normally use, but I was forced to eat my breakfast in the other one

Not only breakfast, but lunch and afternoon tea. All day! Only leaving when we kicked her out to go to the pub! There, in that position - all day!

On the Plym Valley cycle way, a lovely 15 mile round trip along an amazingly scenic cycle old railway line with a pub at the end. A railway runs along part of it but trains don't regularly run, it's a private railway now 

End of the line for this section and that's a station there

Views from the track. That's the Plym river bridge over there and that happens to be the place where the Parkrun starts from on Saturday's. I intended to go to that last Saturday but I chickened out after reading it can be muddy after rain and it had rained heavily the previous day. I regret not going a bit as it runs through fabulous scenery and would have been a fabulous start to the day

Views from one of the cycleway viaducts. The signs told us Peregrines nest in those cliffs, but we didn't see any

Another viaduct, another view, always fabulous

Looking straight down there's the remains of an earlier viaduct, or perhaps another line that ran alongside this one

And there was quite a long tunnel too. Didn't think about taking a headtorch

A very scenic old cutting too

Don't think this old steam train is going anywhere soon

From a tropical rainforest at Eden to the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the round table

Arriving at the Eden Project

The Eden Project is an amazing construction, deep in a china clay quarry, so the huge biomes we’ve all seen are not visible from outside. There is also a huge stage from which I bet no sound escapes. At this time of year the external planting is unsurprisingly not at its best, but still had impact. The tropical rainforest, and Mediterranean biomes, however, are fab. We did two guided tours in the rainforest, both of which were very good. The first took us up to the lookout, without the crowds and was well worth doing. The 20 minute walk to the project from the campsite was quite pleasant and entitled us to a free £6 guide book, and just added to our already huge step count!

The photo below shows the clay quarry as it was in the early 1990's and the view of it today

We had considered staying an extra day, but it didn’t seem necessary, so we continued to our next stop, Cherry Cottage Camping near Camelford. Another small, quiet campsite, midway between Bodmin Moor and Tintagel. We walked into Camelford for a look around, another pasty (we’ve had quite a lot of pasties, unsurprisingly), a saunter up the river. Then a look in an amazing retro clothes store, so many clothes at stunning prices, though I didn’t buy anything. A nice enough pint in the Masons Arms, though we didn’t rush back again, and that was Camelford!

A not very good photo inside the tropical rainforest biome, but it does show, just about, the lookout high in the top. See the zig-zag access way leading to a platform just behind that big palm in the centre? That's the top. We had the opportunity to go up there on the guided tour, we did, many others in the group didn't. It's exposed and wobbly 

Saturday was Tintagel, because the buses don’t run on a Sunday. In fact they only ran every 2 hours on a Saturday, but that was enough. The bus at £2 for me and nothing for him from right outside the campsite was great. We arrived in Tintagel, to walk down to the island, only to find a sign saying it was closed due to high winds. We could walk down to the beach, the tunnel underneath, and the headlands on both sides, which were a bit windy it has to be said. We got an email saying our prepayment will be refunded, so I’m sure it will be, which we are probably quite pleased with. I think the island itself might have been a let down. A quick stop at the Knights of the Round Table Great Hall, gave us a little overview of the King Arthur story, before a quick cuppa and the bus back. It was a lovely morning, the views are stunning, and the weather was great. Till we were on the bus when it threw it down. Perfect timing!

One of the views from the top. 30m up he said, but a fully grown tropical rain forest could grow to 150m

Sunday Bodmin Moor then. We’ll just cycle the couple of miles to the nearest carpark! It was a bit hilly, but probably better than walking. I guess! We only did a short walk, terminating on Rough Tor, but again, timed with the weather perfectly. As we got back to the bikes, the top of the Tor had vanished into the clouds. The original plan had been to stay the night where we were before moving to 'Riverside' near Plymouth today. The forecast for today however is for dangerously high winds, so having done what we wanted we leapt into Ted and headed south again. Huge amounts of rain once we arrived and overnight, which didn’t seem as windy as we expected, but we are in a very sheltered river valley. I spoke to a guy this morning who lives on the cliffs about 15 minutes away, who said it was horrible overnight, his wife got no sleep! The right decision then we think.

I did take lots of photos of interesting plants. This is a Eucalyptus flower the sign told me

A ‘chilling day’ today. Blog, washing, and a cycle to Sainsburys. Brian had said that the cable for his rear gears was on its way out, but on the way back, the cable to the front gears went. He managed to get back with his share of the shopping, in his smallest gear, with his little legs going round very fast! He is currently at Halfords, where hopefully they will be able to fix it!

A carnivorous pitcher plant, enticing its insect victim in with nice nectar, the slippery sides causing it to fall into the gloop at the bottom where it's devoured. What a horrendous death, makes you glad not to be an insect!

Managed to get this photo of a gecko. They were brought in to keep something down, could be insects, or possibly ants 

This is a Roul-roul partridge bird. There's quite a few of them strolling around in the biome completely unafraid of people. They were introduced to keep down the cockroaches that probably arrived hidden in some plants

Arriving in Tintagel and this is the historic old post office in the town. The town is a bit of a tourist spot with lots of souvenir shops and cafes, all built on the legend of King Arthur who, they say may have been born here during the 4th century. Others say that's complete nonsense, but his legend of the knights of the round table and gallant knights such as Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad live on. Certainly the ruins of the castle post date his supposed life, but archaeologists say they have found evidence of an earlier castle on the site that could be from his time, so who knows.

Taken from a distance away on the coastal path this is the 'island' (it's not quite an island, just about joined to the mainland) with the castle ruins straddling the mainland and island. It was very windy so English Heritage, who own the island and castle had closed it, saying it was too dangerous. The surrounding land is owned by the National Trust and they seemed quite happy for people to wander the cliff paths in the wind!

The 'island' and castle ruins from the other side, still in a very strong wind. This is just by the church that has parts that pre-date the castle (is free to enter, was open and in much better condition)

The headland walk by the island. Just at the top is the new bridge constructed by English Heritage to give easier access to the island. Not today though!  There are two caves down there, the one on the left is a tunnel right through, access only at low tide (we waited so we could enter) and there's another one further right that might be Merlins cave. 

The tides gone out and access to the cave is possible

It's quite nice inside. This is looking through to the other side, paddling only from this point, we declined!

Looking back out the way we came in. This coastline is really very beautiful and we could have walked a very long way along the coastal path. Maybe another time

St Materiana's church near the castle. Parts of it date from 1080, which pre-dates the castle ruins

Quite a nice old church inside. The arch on the left by Jackie is said to be the oldest part

This is King Arthurs Great Halls and worth a visit inside for £6 each. In the first hall you sit down and get a recorded presentation of the King Arthur story and who couldn't be convinced, right down to him withdrawing the sword from the anvil, as only the rightful king would be able to do 

Then you can walk through to the great hall, which is quite impressive down to a round table with thirteen segments each with the name of the person who they think would have sat there. King Arthur has a space as does Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad

Fabulous stained glass windows all with a story attached to them. You can even join the King Arthur and the round table society here. They are looking for new members

More stained glass windows and, on top of a special stage, an anvil with a sword in it. If you could withdraw that sword you would be a rightful king of England!

Next day, a 5 mile, mainly uphill cycle to Bodmin Moor from Camelford. It was very steep in places, so we did get off and push on a couple of occasions (my bike gears were playing up that's my excuse, but Halfords in Plymouth are fixing it and it'll be fantastic on Wednesday). The return, fortunately was mainly downhill, apart from a couple of sharp uphills

We left the bikes in the car park and set off uphill. The bump on the left is Showery Tor and, on the right is Rough Tor, we did both. We were going to walk onto Brown Willy, the highest point on the moor, only a couple of miles further on, but we shortened our day. The forecast was for heavy rain to start by 2:00pm and dangerously high winds by the evening, so we hurried up and down so we could drive on to Plymouth that day to avoid driving in high wind

Showery Tor summit with our next objective, Rough Tor in the distance. It was a dank sort of day, not exactly raining at this time but almost. Dampness was in the air and the wind was strengthening

A tunnel or old room through the rocks as we neared Rough Tor summit. Jackie had a scramble through and climbed out 

Rough Tor summit. The view was quite good despite the cloud and wind

And the view of where we started from. The car park where we left the bikes is in the gap in the trees in the centre, Camelford is just visible in the far distance on the left. We had to cycle back to there

And this was as we got back to the bikes. Showery and Rough Tor are now shrouded in cloud and light rain is falling. Good decision not to go further. We were relatively wet by the time we had cycled back

We made it to the Riverside campsite in Plymouth where we're staying for a week. Hope the weather isn't too bad. On the plus side, I've found out there's a Parkrun just 2.3km away, so I'll be going to that on Saturday!

We've started to watch that new David Attenborough series on Britain and I complained I was feeling a tad cool. Rather than turn up the heating saying she didn't want it hot when we went to bed, she dumped her neck warmer on my head. Quite warm it was, particularly with the help of a GnT!