Plymouth: Art Walk - Plymouth Train Station - City Centre - Barbican (Summary Version)

This walk is correct as of March 2026.  Everything is subject to change.  If I missed something, I have added a note and a *.

Turn right out of Plymouth Train Station on to North Road East.

Turn left on to Saltash Road.

At North Cross Roundabout, take the underpass into the centre of the roundabout.

1. Gimme Moor - street art in underpass

2. Lookin Swell - street art in underpass

Continue straight on through the middle of the roundabout

3.  Local Heroes of Plymouth - sculpture in centre of roundabout

Take the underpass exit opposite the one you entered by which leads to Armada Way

4. Find your Centre - street art in underpass

5. You're a Keeper - street art in underpass

Take the walk way to the right, which leads you on to Western Approach rather than Armada Way.

Continue past the shopping area on your left with Iceland and Sainsbury's.

Cross over Mayflower Street and then take the steps down on the left just after.

6. Stag - street art on the wall facing you to the right of the steps down.

7. Morley Court Mural featuring wildlife - street art below the stag on a series of lower level walls

From the base of the steps, go straight along the walkway on to Market Way.

At the T junction, turn right onto Cornwall Street

At the end turn left onto Market Avenue and continue until you have the entrance to Plymouth Market on your left and Frankfort Gate, a square that leads back to Western Approach, on your right.

8.  The Happy Shopper - Beryl Cook Sculpture (Temporary)

Walk along Frankfort Gate to Western Approach and turn right

9. Magpies and Hedgehog - street art on your right, just past Frankfort Gate

Turn around and walk back past Frankfort Gate along Western Approach to ColinCampbell Court.

Immediately after the shop on the corner of the square, there is an alley on your left.  

10. Tree Landscape Street Art - right hand side of alleyway.

Continue along the alley, which goes right then left.  

It will open into Colin Campbell Court, an area of parking.

Continue parallel to Western Approach along the side of Colin Campbell Court

*11. The Zone - street art which I missed somehow and did not visit!

*12. Headache - street art which I missed somehow and did not visit!

Backtrack towards Frankfort Gate but head right across the car park towards the exit on to Market Avenue

13. Colin Campbell Court Mural faces - on one side of a gate that will be facing you as you leave the car park

Turn right on to Market Way

14. West End Carnival - Corner of Market Way and New George Street

Walk along New George Street

Turn Right on to Raleigh Street

15.  Four pieces of art - on your right, just before you reach the roundabout

Cross over before you reach Derry's Cross Roundabout onto Royal Parade

Use the pedestrian crossing to cross Royal Parade, heading towards the Theatre Royal.

Continue round Derry's Cross Roundabout to the next exit on your left, Derry's Cross.

Turn right, still on Derry's Cross

16. Movie related Street Art - on the front of the old Reel Cinema

Turn around and at the junction go straight over onto Old George Street

17.  Derry's Clock Tower - beautiful remnant of old Plymouth

18. The Bank - beautiful remnant of old Plymouth, now a pub

Turn right between the Bank and the multi storey car park on to Lockyer Street

19.  Ruby Venezuelas - Beryl Cook Sculpture (temporary)

Turn around, then continue along Old George Street, following it round to the left back to Royal Parade

20. The Messenger - huge sculpture that you can not miss.

21.  Star plaques in the walkway

Turn right onto Royal Parade

Take the next right on to Armada Way

22. Knife Angel - sculpture that has since left to continue it's tour of the country

23. Dragonfly - sculpture in pond currently looking a little sad as the city has work completed

Continue along Royal Parade

24.  Guildhall and Treasury - beautiful remnant of Old Plymouth

25. Sheep!  There were two sheep sculptures outside the Treasury, a little further along Royal Parade

26. Minster Church of St Andrew - beautiful remnant of Old Plymouth

27. St Andrew the Fisherman - lovely sculpture of Andrew casting his net over gateway to the church

Turn right down St Andrew Street, along the end of the Minster church

Turn right on to Finewell Street

28. Prysten House - beautiful old courtyard house with a well room

Continue along Finewell Street then turn left down the tiny Palace Street

29. Merchants House - beautiful remnant of Old Plymouth.  You will walk along the side, to the front on St Andrew Street

Continue along Palace Street then turn left through Sir John Hawkins Square.

Turn right on to Higher Street.

Turn left on to Buckwell Street.

30. Seagull - street art with fencing above

31. Siren - street art to right of sea gull

Head back down Buckwell Street, past Higher Street and Palace Street.

At the end you have Vauxhall Street.  Use the pedestrian crossing to your left as it's really busy and then turn right.

Walk to Southside Street

32. Barbican - mural welcoming you to the Barbican

Turn down Southside Street

33.  Plymouth Gin - beautiful remnant of old Plymouth and a National Monument (to gin)

Opposite Plymouth Gin, take the alley just before the House that Jack Built.

Turn left towards the dead end.

34. Mural by Robert Lenkiewicz, now sadly much faded and worn

Turn around and go back along the Parade

35. Customs House - large grand old building on your left across the square of the Parade

36. Old Customs House - small even older building on your right, now a book shop.

Continue along the Parade following it to the right as it becomes Quay Street, with Sutton Harbour on your right

37 Cap'n Jaspers Mural - street art facing you, before Quay Road goes to the right

Back track slightly along the side of the fish market towards the Navy Inn

Turn left along the Barbican to the bottom of Southside Street

38. Sailor - Beryl Cook Sculpture (Temporary) outside the Dolphin Hotel

*Continue along the Barbican to New Street on your right (We were out of time and energy and did not go up New Street)

*39. Elizabethan House - remnant of old Plymouth that you can go inside during the summer months

*40. Elizabethan Garden - through a gate on the left just after the Elizabethan House.  Not sure if you have to pay or if it is seasonal

Go back down New Street and turn right to continue along the Barbican

41. London South West Railway Building - beautiful remnant of old Plymouth

42. Mayflower Museum - you can visit this museum but we didn't

Turn left on to Pilgrim Way

43. Mayflower Steps Memorial - A columned archway that leads on to a viewing balcony.  Not by the actual steps the Mayflower is believed to have left from

44. The Leviathan - sculpture just before the bridge that takes you across the harbour to the National Marine Aquarium

Turn left on to the Barbican, which is now Commercial Road (bus stop for the 25 bus) and follow it past the next few items

*45. Plaques commemorating where different ships left for - on the inland wall

*46. Stella Maris

*47. Spitfire

*48. Scallop

Turn right on to Lambhay Hill

Take the next right, immediately after Lambhay Hill Car Park.

Take the walkway to the left, not the steps straight on or to the right.

*49. Castle Garden - small garden that contains remnants of the gatehouse to Plymouth Castle

Continue up Lambhay Hill to the Citadel or return to Mayflower Steps bus stop to catch the 25 bus for a scenic ride round the coast, past the Hoe then back up to Royal Parade.  We paid £2.50 to get to Royal Parade but you can also buy a hop on, hop off ticket which is only valid on the 25 bus.

We want to return to the Barbican and spend much more time there as you can go to the Mayflower Museum, Elizabethan House and Plymouth Gin.  We had run out of time, needing to get back for a train, and energy, as it was over 6km to this point.

If you want to skip the section from Royal Parade and do it by bus, you can catch the 25 on Royal Parade to the Barbican.  It follows a circular clockwise route.  From Royal Parade you can walk back to the train station or get a number of different buses.  I would suggest using the Plymouth Citibus app as you can work out what bus you need for your journey and then track that bus.  You can also buy tickets online including a general day ticket (which does not include the 25) or an Island Hopper Day Ticket (which only includes the 25). 

Street art is ever changing with pieces degrading, being painted over or removed completely.  Some pieces I had on my list to look at had been removed.  Some sculptures are also temporary, with the knife angel already gone and the Beryl Cook sculptures due to leave but likely staying until 2029.  Nothing is permanent, even buildings can disappear...

The next section of the walk would carry on and look at the Hoe, where there is so much more to explore.  From the Hoe, it would then go the length of Armada Way before returning to the train station.  

Armada Way is currently being updated with a change in landscaping and street furniture.  There is a lot of fencing and I could not see everything I expected to.  It will be lovely when it is finished and there will be lots to see I think.  I won't write this section of the walk until these works are finished.

There is just too much for me to do in one trip.  Next time...  (and the time after)

I have researched the information for this walk in so many different places!  

Google Maps with streetview

Street Art Cities - app showing the locations of so much street art worldwide, with so many pieces detailed in Plymouth

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.3656426,-4.1640937,21z/data=!4m2!6m1!1s1d4_d1PHQsd7oVfUmjHWeHQuyEl8?hl=en - this is a google maps overlay that gives the location of public sculptures across Plymouth.  I cannot remember where I found this link now, but it is great!  Note that some items are temporary so check their listings before visiting.  It has also not been updated to include the most recent installations.

Plymouth Trails app - this is an amazing app that includes a wide variety of trails across the city as well as an architecture locator and information on city landmarks.  I must admit, I didn't add the more modern buildings on the architecture locator to my walk.  I probably should have done!  I might do in the future....