Plymouth was one of the leading cities in post-war reconstruction to the extent that other places learned from its mistakes.
Its famous history started with Sir Francis Drake's game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe. The Hoe is the heart of Plymouth. The top part of Smeaton's lighthouse which was the third one built on the Eddystone rocks, fourteen miles out stands on a large grassy area. On days with good visibility you can see the fourth, the Douglas lighthouse, looking like a pencil in the distance with the bottom part of Smeaton's tower beside it. The part on the Hoe is open to the public. Near the sea is a large and very popular round swimming pool. Considerably further in the same direction are the Millbay Docks where Brittany Ferries run boats to Roscoff in Brittany and Santander to Northern Spain.
Looking out to sea you have on your right the Tamar River which forms the boundary between Devon and Cornwall. A couple of miles up is the Devonport dockyard, the reason for quite a bit of the maritime activity usually visible from the Hoe. Then to the left you reach the oldest part of the city.
There is an Elizabethan House owned by the city in a very narrow street near the Barbican, the old fish harbour. Here the well known Maylower Steps are situated, where the Pilgrim Fathers had their last sight of England.
Then nearer to the Hoe there is the Citadel built in Charles 2's time. No prizes for guessing which side Plymouth favoured in the civil war when you realise that there are more gunholes aimed at the city than out to sea.
Beyond the Barbican Plymouth's smaller river, the Plym, flows into the sea. Its estuary has plenty of mud at low tide and it is rare for herons to be absent. On the far side is the lovely Saltram House and estate, owned by the National Trust.
Before leaving Plymouth there are several things to be mentioned. The first two, the Breakwater and Drake's Island are off the Hoe. The Breakwater, three miles out, was built by French and American prisoners-of war at the time of the napoleonic wars. There is a small lighthouse at the right end, a fort in the middle and a sort of cage which could be used by a number of people as a refuge from the highest tides when the water sweeps right over the breakwater itself is on the far left.
Drake's Island is quite near the mainland and for many years could hardly be visited because of military security.
Also see Stonehouse Quay where the passenger ferry runs to Cremyll in Cornwall. This is a particularly atmospheric part of the Tamar Estuary. Further up are the still active Torpoint chain ferry and, opposite Saltash, the Brunel railway bridge to Cornwall and the later 20th century road bridge beside it.