# Drake Island, Plymouth! *pic heavy*



## Harry (Jun 4, 2012)

Myself and 'Bunker Bill' went over yesterday and what a fantastic place!

The place is steeped in history from way back in 1135 and this is worth a read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake's_Island

Onto the pic's...


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## chizyramone (Jun 4, 2012)

Oh yeah, nice one. Thanks for sharing


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## Minuteman (Jun 4, 2012)

Some nice old cannons there, a good find and trip.


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## Bunker Bill (Jun 4, 2012)

Nice one S O B 

5 hours on there and still did not see it all.

Heres a link to 200 other pics from the visit.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.129978353806218.24684.100003821632259&type=3&l=b02a690f6b


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## tank2020 (Jun 4, 2012)

fantastic, the cannon is amazing. cheers!


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## Priority 7 (Jun 4, 2012)

Nice work guys tell me are the other canon barrels still lying around over there, I had wanted to visit myself as I have a buddy down that way and saw some shots somewhere of some even older canon barrels


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## skeleton key (Jun 4, 2012)

Great stuff 
Looks like you guys had a cracking day & the location is sweet


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## Harry (Jun 4, 2012)

Priority 7 said:


> Nice work guys tell me are the other canon barrels still lying around over there, I had wanted to visit myself as I have a buddy down that way and saw some shots somewhere of some even older canon barrels



It's definately worth a visit if you can get over there! Would these be the barrels you've previously saw?


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## Priority 7 (Jun 4, 2012)

Could well be S o B maybe you could give me a hint on the best way (Other than swimming) to get over there...its been on my todo for a couple of years now...


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## muppet (Jun 4, 2012)

would love a nose round there to dont fancy the swim either hint cheers for the post


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## flyboys90 (Jun 4, 2012)

That was great! thanks for sharing.


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## TeeJF (Jun 4, 2012)

Cracking! I dived in the lee of that island a time or two in the eighties and even lifted a cannon on a salvage course. I had no idea what was on the island though. Those big muzzle loaders look very much like the Armstrong cannon in Fort Rinella on Malta which they have restored and fire regularly. They were too much too late because breech loaders appeared about the same time if I remember correctly. 

Well done chaps.


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## dannylaing (Jun 5, 2012)

Amazing pics


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## krela (Jun 5, 2012)

Cracking stuff!


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## UEP-Wales (Jun 5, 2012)

I like this!

I done some work in Plymouth a few months back and wondered what was over there so thanks very much for posting them up!


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## UrbanX (Jun 5, 2012)

It's seeing islands & forts like this that make me want to play the euro millions! 
Fantastic site and as you say, just steeped in history.
How long did you get to look round? Looks like there's so much to see!


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## inceptionwave (Jun 5, 2012)

Wow that place is great and has such a rich history to it, it has been added to my list - I just need to borrow a boat..... Great pictures, love old cannons too, Thanks for sharing!


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## Harry (Jun 5, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> It's seeing islands & forts like this that make me want to play the euro millions!
> Fantastic site and as you say, just steeped in history.
> How long did you get to look round? Looks like there's so much to see!



Thanks UrbanX - we spent between 4-5 hours on the island and it's packed with stuff to see and a return visit is definately required!


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## maxmix (Jun 5, 2012)

Great explore, really love pics 8 & 9, the ones with the Iron shielded emplacement flanked by the later addition, pity the door seems to be bricked up to that area


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## night crawler (Jun 6, 2012)

Great report, well worth the effort of going over there.


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## chris (Jun 6, 2012)

Really impressive - thanks for sharing


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## Sparticus (Jun 11, 2012)

this place looks amazing, have just added to list of places to go! really amazing pictures.


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## bluto (Jun 14, 2012)

I love this island. I used to work for the queens harbour master overlooking the island. Been out to it once but didn't have time for a look around


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## Timmy (Jun 14, 2012)

shocked you didnt run around in the underground tunnels! hidden gems in them tho i do believe since my last visit its now been more chaved... as i can see from the gate :/ tho when i managed to go over everything was open... i mean EVERYTHING  non of the boards was on the window... spent a good 9 hours on there on my first mission  if you go back gimme a blip id love the revisit


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## Lucky Pants (Jun 14, 2012)

Family holiday planned, thanks . Awsome stuff.


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## outkast (Jun 14, 2012)

fantastic, I think I may need to start planning a road trip


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## onthebusescrazy (Jun 15, 2012)

brillant find there mate and fantastic pictures love the cannon shot


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## gingrove (Jun 15, 2012)

I want that 12"RML for my garden!


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## Harry (Jun 16, 2012)

Timmy said:


> shocked you didnt run around in the underground tunnels! hidden gems in them tho i do believe since my last visit its now been more chaved... as i can see from the gate :/ tho when i managed to go over everything was open... i mean EVERYTHING  non of the boards was on the window... spent a good 9 hours on there on my first mission  if you go back gimme a blip id love the revisit



Most, if not all of the underground tunnels are still accessible but the pic's taken aren't great! Bunker Bill posted a link earlier in the thread which has around 200 or so others taken from the day!

Furthermore the barracks and buildings which are boarded up are all still accesible because the locks have been broken on the doors - fireplaces are still intact, staircases good, floors in places abit rotten but ok. They've also replaced or fitted several new slate tiles on the roof - i can only assume they were broken or missing and they wanted to limit any further damage to the buildings! Would've been great to see it un-touched by builders.

Other than a bunker, the one thing we didn't explore was this steep and seemingly slippy incline by one of the casemates - we didn't have any rope if we did get stuck down there and didn't fancy chancing it! You didn't happen to go down, did you? Looking at a map and from being there, i think another level that lead another lookout or bunker and possibly very few underground tunnels?


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## sonyes (Jun 16, 2012)

Excellent stuff!! As said before, those canons are amazing, great pics.


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## Big Bill (Jun 17, 2012)

Wow, looks amazing!

Looks like that site has many a good visits in it! Just wonder what wonders it has for all!

Great to see that their is no graffitti!


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## Dark Descent (Jun 18, 2012)

i have been meaning to go there for ages, never managed to get a method of transport though


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## DARREN138 (Jun 18, 2012)

Awesome pics sir, I think this may be my next trip as I am only up the road in Exeter. Good work!!!!


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## Mike L (Jun 19, 2012)

What a fantastic site!
Reminds me in many ways of Coalhouse Fort not too far from me, another Palmerston era fort.
I don't think I have seen RMLs on genuine mounts before, although I have seen many in Bermuda on replicas.
Great state of preservation with natural decay and a great report. I am very jealous!

Edit:
Looks like anyone fancying a visit to this great island will have to get a move-on.
The owner, Dan MaCaulay, is trying to develop it as a luxury hotel according to local Plymouth newspapers I found on Google and work could start this year or early next year.
I don't know how this would work with the listed status of the fortifications, which I believe form the bulk of the proposed accommodation.
I hope this does not go ahead, shame to lose such a well perserved site.
Can anyone local to Plymouth advise the latest news?


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## adzst24 (Jun 29, 2012)

I stayed on the island when i was still at school many moons ago back in the early 1980's great weeks holiday
pics bring back great memories one of staff from the adventure centre would throw a tennis ball down one of the large gun barrels & his dog would go in and get it and comeback out backwards !  canoeing round the island was fun too happy days....

thanks for sharing.


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## Babycpink (Jun 29, 2012)

Can't wait to check this out  xxx


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