The Barbican is perhaps best known as the departure point of the Pilgrim Fathers on September 16th 1620. The Mayflower Memorial is a lasting reminder to the bravery of the Pilgrims who were to form the Plymouth Colony in America, 2 months after they left their homeland in the Mayflower.

There have been many other famous voyages starting from the Barbican and Raleigh, Drake and Cook all set sail from here at some point. In 1831 Charles Darwin left from here on his voyage to the Galapagos Islands where he came up with his Origin of Species theory.

More recently,1910, Robert Falcon Scott (Scott of the Antarctic) left here for his final journey on his expedition to the South Pole. He was born in Plymouth and the main museum has many items belonging to or relating to him.

The cobbled streets around the barbican take you to many interesting and historic houses and pubs. The oldest commercial bakery in Britain is in Southside street and it has been operating since the 16th Century so was open when Sir Francis Drake went out to meet the Spanish Armada.

In New Street is the "Elizabethan House" which is a restored Captains House from 1548. The staircase is spiral and wraps around a genuine ships mast. All the windows are original and the wooden beams and floors are said to have been salvaged from a ship. Every time I walk past I can imagine Edmund Blackadder emptying a pot out the upstairs window. It is now in the hands of Plymouth Museum and can be visited during the summer months.

Nearer the dock is The Dolphin Hotel which is one of the areas oldest pubs. After they were pardoned in 1838, the Tolpuddle Martyrs spent a few nights here before returning home to Dorset after their return voyage from Australia. It has been said that the decor hasn't changed since then and it really is a journey back in time once you enter the bar. Famous for the "Fat Lady" pictures, Beryl Cook was a regular here and a few of her paintings are hung on the walls. It is renowned for the fine ale served from barrels behind the bar and it's a reputation that is well deserved.

This really is a busy area so a physical cache is not an option. In order to log it you need to take a picture of yourself or your GPSr at the Mayflower Memorial and then head along to the world famous Cap'n Jaspers food bar. The food here is excellent and I can recommend the half yard hot dog!

Parking around the Barbican can be a problem but there is a Pay and Display park at the published coordinates or you may be lucky and find one of the roadside spaces which are also Pay and Display.

Mayflower Steps memorial for photo:   N50° 21.968' W004° 08.025'

I hope you enjoy your visit to The Barbican.