Drake’s Place is located in the center of Plymouth next to the University campus, Devon, UK.

• Awarded the Green Flag award since 2015.
• The reservoir was built in 1825 and extended in 1828 and was the main source of water for the town before new reservoirs were built at Hartley and Burrator.
• In 2007 the University of Plymouth took over the lease for the gardens and reservoir from Plymouth City Council, investing £300,000 to make the gardens more attractive and secure.
• Opened the restoration to the public in June 2014,

In 1592, Plymouth built a 28km channel running through Drake’s Place, carrying water to the city from Dartmoor. This became known as Drake’s Leat after Sir Francis Drake, who oversaw the construction. Drake’s Leat supplied water to the townspeople through conduit houses around the town.

Drake’s Mill stood in the gardens once too, supplying the town with flour. In the 1880s the mills were demolished, replaced by grand new gardens which opened in 1891 as a tribute to Sir Francis Drake. These featured a broad promenade along the dam of the reservoir, above a colonnade overlooking the gardens. The Dartmoor granite pillars of the colonnade originally formed part of the Shambles outside Saint Andrew’s Church. When this was removed around 1791 the pillars were re-used in the Market, where they remained until 1890.

• The reservoir went out of use in the 1970s, gradually becoming derelict.

• Nothing – Chill out in the sun
• Table Tennis

• Reservoir Café (vegetarian bistro)

Easy to get around, although there are steps separating the reservoir to the gardens below. Wheelchair users will have to use the top and bottom roadside entrances to get between the two.

North Hill, Plymouth PL4 8AA.

• Bus, a 10 minute walk from the bus station.
• Car, Just 2 minutes down the road from North Hill car park, or 6 minutes from Drake Circus car park.
• Rail, From the station it’s a 9 minute walk.

• There is a table tennis table in the park, free to use. Bats and balls can be borrowed from the Reservoir Café, or alternatively bring your own
• During the summer there’s often a BBQ outside the Café on Thursdays between 12:00-2:00 (weather dependant).