Sunset cruise to Calstock

As the weather looked good on Saturday evening, the Captain decided to take Mrs. Captain to Calstock on the Plymouth Sound.

For those that haven’t yet taken Plymouth Boat Trip’s occasional cruise to Calstock, the Captain can thoroughly recommend it and tries to take it at least annually (no sponsorships involved!). The trip is programmed to fit in with the tide, so consult their website for future dates. The views are almost always worth braving the weather for (it can be windy) and sitting on the upper deck.

The refurbished Lido looks fine in the evening sun – it is to be hoped that the ‘Berlin Wall’ (just visible under the promenade above the right-hand side of the new café) can be removed or, at least, made less prominent and somehow transparent – that whole under-promenade section is permanently in the gloom. Apparently, it is needed to keep people out of the café when it’s closed, but surely after so much was spent on the new café, we can do better.

HMS Somerset on the outer wall. The eagle-eyed will note that she has had her major refit and is now equipped with the RN’s new anti-ship missile – the Kongsberg (Norwegian) Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The clue is that the old American Harpoon had round canisters and the NSM’s are square (seen here just in front of the bridge).

Fountain Lake – with the two landing ships - HM Ships Albion & Bulwark to the left – no longer operational and awaiting transfer to the Brazilian Navy, where they will join the helicopter carrier NAM Atlantico (ex-HMS Ocean). HMS Portland (right of centre) – having a quiet weekend after two days of being open to the public during last week’s dockyard open days and finally – just visible alongside to the right – the ex-HMS Triumph – now decommissioned and with her reactor ‘killed’. She will join the other ‘dead’ nuclear submarines in the basin soon – of which more shortly.

Finally, past the Dockyard and a chance to pick up a few more passengers from Saltash. The slots in Brunel’s bridge where the spans were lifted up tide-by-tide are clearly visible.

Once past the ammunition depot on the Devon bank, the character of the Tamar changes and you are soon into rolling, often tree-clad, countryside on both sides with extensive reed beds and lots of bird life (raptors, Egrets and Herons). There cannot be many major cities where there is such an abrupt contrast in such a short distance.

Before too long, you are passing the site of ‘Mother-in-Law’s’ house from the Beyond Paradise TV series on the Cornish bank, then on past the National Trust’s Cothele and onto Calstock – with its wonderful viaduct.

One slight snag on the sunset cruise is that there is no food available in Calstock – Valenti’s do great ice cream, but that’s it, in the time available. You can pre-book a pastie from Plymouth Boat Trips – we did. The return trip is always much faster as it has to be timed to coincide with the tide turning and so coming back both current and tidal stream are with you.

Then ‘home’ and we passed the ‘not-so-silent’ Silent Disco at the Lido – ‘not-so-silent’ because most of the participants seemed to be singing, enthusiastically, along to the music.

The Calstock trip is highly recommended. There are five programmed for August, five for September, two in October and then you’ll have to wait for 2026.

Details: https://www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk