With rolling green hills, an arboretum, a lake, ruins and a view across to Hooe Lake, Radford Park makes a lovely day out. The park is situated in the grounds of the former Radford House, a grand Tudor building and home of the Harris Family and their successors the Bulteels. In its day, the house was one of the finest in England, frequented by Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. The castle and causeway were built in the mid-19th century. Despite their appearance, they are not defensive structures but were built as accommodation for the estate's 'keeper'.
Facilities and visitor information
Opening times
Open 24 hours a day and free to use.
Access and seating
Seating throughout the park.
There's wide tarmac paths which are buggy and wheelchair accessible throughout the park from the main entrances on Radford Park Road and Hooe Road. Some of the paths are on gentle gradients.
Travel and directions
600m from Plymstock Broadway shops and 3.5 miles from the city centre by the South West Coast Path.
Accessible using public transport with bus stops along Radford Park Road.
Parking available on adjacent roads (no official car park).
Walks, nature and scenery
- Views over the tidal Hooe Lake and across Radford Lake to Ashery Wood
- Radford Park Arboretum Committee run history walks in the park
- The Erme-Plym Way passes through the park and the South West Coast Path passes over the causeway between Radford and Hooe Lakes
- The aboretum overlays limestone rock which prohibits the growing of trees and shrubs which flourish on acid soils, there are collections of oaks, mountain ash, whitebeams, crab apples, cherries, poplars and beeches
- Radford Lake is a County Wildlife Site because of the variety of waterfowl recorded there
- Radford Lake is the inland extension of Hooe Lake also a County Wildlife Site, the causeway separating the two lakes means that Radford Lake is brackish water whilst Hooe Lake is fully tidal
- At dusk, Radford Lake is possibly the best place to see bats in Plymouth, five species have been recorded at the lake including Daubenton's, Lesser Horseshoe and Noctule
