Discover PlymouthSwim In It
Tinside Lido sits right on the Sound, and the Hoe foreshore is a beloved year-round wild swimming spot. Firestone Bay at Devil's Point is a local favourite.
Plymouth Sound National Marine Park
Britain's first National Marine Park - a world-class stretch of ocean, and it's right on the city's doorstep
What Is the National Marine Park?
In 2019, Plymouth Sound became the UK's first National Marine Park - recognition that this vast natural harbour, where the Tamar and Plym meet the English Channel, is a national treasure worth protecting and celebrating. Think of it as a national park, but for the sea.
The Sound has sheltered fleets for five centuries, launched the Mayflower and Darwin's Beagle era of exploration, and today supports an extraordinary range of marine life within sight of the city centre.
What Lives There
- Seals - regularly spotted around the breakwater and Cattewater
- Seahorses - both British species live in the Sound's seagrass meadows
- Seagrass beds - vital carbon-storing underwater meadows, part of major restoration projects
- Dolphins and porpoises - seasonal visitors, sometimes visible from the Hoe
- Cuttlefish, rays and pink sea fans - a diver's highlight reel
How To Experience It
Sail Across It
Harbour cruises, the Cremyll and Mount Batten ferries, sailing lessons and kayak hire - the Sound is best understood from the water.
Go Under It
Snorkel safaris over seagrass, and diving on wrecks including the James Eagan Layne - one of the UK's most popular dive sites.
Walk Around It
The waterfront from the Barbican to Devil's Point, and the South West Coast Path to Jennycliff and beyond, give constantly changing views over the park.
Meet Its Wildlife
The National Marine Aquarium - the UK's largest - is the official gateway to understanding the Sound, with dedicated local habitat exhibits.
Watch It Perform
The Sound is Plymouth's stage: firework championships, regattas and sailing events all play out across the water. See the annual calendar.
Visiting Responsibly
- Take litter home - everything on the waterfront ends up in the water
- Keep distance from seals and never feed them
- Anchors damage seagrass - use designated moorings if boating
- Check tides and conditions before swimming; the Sound is sheltered but still the sea
Explore the Marine Park
Swim spots, boat trips, wildlife sightings and waterfront walks - mapped in the Discover Plymouth app.
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