Hi, it's Bob here I filmed this with Dan a couple of years ago and have carried on my research since then but just to answer a couple of things that came up in the comments. The MoD or Govt never owned the Island it was in the hands of the Duchy of Cornwall since the late 1200's and was returned to them when the military left in 1963. It was then leased out to various organisations during the Adventure Training years from 1963 to 1989. When the centre closed it was put for sale and finally bought by Dan McCauley in 1996 for a little shy of £300k. Dan didn't get planning permission until 2017 so the Island couldn't be developed until that point although Dan admitted he could have looked after the Island better. Dan was ill by this stage and the Island was put up for sale by the family - it was Dan's project and the rest of the family had other interests and couldn't devote the time required to the Island - and bought by Morgan Phillips in 2019 with the planning permission. Although he has opened the Island up there were no funds to develop the Island when I stopped working for the Phillips last October. Just fulfilling the pre commencement conditions on the planning permission including repairing the sea wall at the back, the collapsed boatshed and repairing the pier will cost millions and has to be done before any other development can take place. Sad to say it doesn't look like the Island will get developed under the current owner unless he can attract substantial funds from investors. If you would like to read more about the Island I'm on facebook - search for the history of Drake's Island - and I have a blog at historyofdrakesisland.co.uk/ which covers all sorts of Island related history from surveys going back to the first fortifications, the children born on the Island, brandy smuggling, a master gunner defrauding the Govt and absconding to America and lots more. Happy to answer any replies on here as and when I get time.

That gatekeeper is good at his job. Very informative

My mum and dad met because HMS Ark Royal grounded off Drakes Island @ 1961. My dad got shore leave and was able to go to his brothers wedding where he met my mum.

Bob really seems to care for the island and it's history, he did a fantastic job presenting it.

The gate keeper is amazing! I'd love a tour with him as the guide, I'd be more interested than Dan

As a 12 year old my friends and I camped over night on Drakes island, there are numerous tunnels below, one is blocked halfway to the mainland! we had many a great time during the summer holidays. How did we get there....by canoe! Hide and seek in the tunnels....wonderful times!

That guide is amazing, well done to him!

I had a week here when I was about 16. We did abseiling, canoeing,rock climbing and sailing!!! Absolutely loved it!!!!

The excitement and love that gatekeeper has for drakes Island is palpable, and reassuring to know that its in safe hands and rightly so.. Fantastic watch this thank you

Bobs knowledge is evidently phenomenal! Very interesting!

Probably the most educated gatekeeper in history

What an amazing video - and the gatekeeper is SO knowledgeable. Great watch, thank you.

I was lucky enough to spend two weeks on the island back in 1973 with the adventure training group so got to explore the whole place it was fantastic Thank you so much for bringing back some wonderful memories

Soooo much history here, every effort to preserve this place should be made !!!!!!

I used to stare out at this Island imagining it as my escape point for a zombie apocalypse. Still a good spot IMO

Fantastic detail from the Guide, what an interesting chap. I spent a week sailing climbing and canoeing when it was an adventure camp 1970s Lovely memories

Have lived in Plymouth for over 15 years and cant wait to one day check out this island.

Fantastic tour from Bob King. Thoroughly enjoyed his knowledge and input. Makes one wonder though, was there any requirement for Dan to be in this production at all?

I was a climbing instructor on Drake’s Island when it was an adventure centre run by the Mayflower Trust. In my first year (‘79) the triangular building was being built by a group of young people under the YOP scheme - this scheme being very well run and the youngsters cared for by real tradesmen. The centre was run with over 15 instructional staff and ran week long camps which often included canoe / sailing and walking expeds. often with o/night camps. A popular trip was for groups to sail into Cawsand Bay via the Breakwater, a group to canoe there and meet with a couple of walking groups who went there via Milbay Dock over to Edgcumbe Park. After lunch, we’d all swop over our groups and make the return journey. Our Marine Biologist had virtually every child snorkelling by the end of their first day with his team & were often visited by ‘Sammy’ our local seal. In the casements at the East end of the island we had a series of canoe building and repair units where the glass fibre and glues permeated the air; whilst on the roof of the casements we ran various exercise classes especially for the Probationary Service who sent some youngsters to us for an opportunity to address their life choices and avoid further engagement with the police. Once with us, not one of the young offenders ever caused any issues…but that’s another issue for social psychology. Deep inside the tunnels, we created an artificial caving system where the youngsters crawled through the ammunition runs - we created some safety openings to enable us to remove anyone who was feeling unsettled by the confines. The island also hosted daily visits by official guided tours from the old harbour. At low tide, especially in the evening, small beaches were great play areas for the guests and staff who were allocated evening duties often ran activities there. The island provided a truly unique experience for the young people who came here from around England: especially the Primary schools in Plymouth. There must be a generation of older parents if not now grandparents who had their week with us.

Why has this not been turned into a museum it would be fantastic.

Dan, thanks so much for introducing us to Bob, what a mine of information he is about the history of this fabulous place. HOPEFUULY, the metal parts of the hoist's and the barrels of those built up guns WILL be preserved, there must be museums and private individuals who would give anything to own one of those massive guns! Bob, thanks for all the info, you are a real wizard about this historic place PLEASE write an illustrated book about it! Thanks so very much for this, MORE than fascinating!

Used to live in plymouth & heard many wild stories about drakes island. Great video, very nostalgic!

Bob is an incredible guide!

As a boy I stayed on Drakes Island for a few days when it was an adventure centre and I visited the Island again last year when all the memories came flooding back. It's an Island that few Plymothians ever get to visit, but it's also very precious to every Plymothian.

1st scuba trip Bovy 1978..came back with 2 large cannonballs just off Drakes Island,still got em!

Great video. Wonderful island and tour guide.

What a superb little video. Thanks History Hit!

Best video I've seen on an interesting part of British History for ages. More like this please.

Went there doing some tidying up when doing my basic training at Raliegh back in the mid 1960s getting it ready for the adventure training to commence there

Bob is a absolute legend wow he knew everything about the island l really enjoyed watching that best thing on KZfaq for ages. Thanks from Carlisle Cumbria

I’m Plymouth “born & bred” and very proud of my City & it’s heritage. I have been on the island 3 times. The most recent was three weeks ago with a guided tour which was brilliant. I recommend the tour as it was a really interesting couple of hours.

They used to run outward bound weeks from there in the late 70's early 80's, it was a cold wet windy awesome time

I can remember staying on the Island back in 1988 for a week as part of my YTS (Youth Training Scheme) when it was an outward bound activity centre. Watching this brought back memories of going down into the ammunition dumps and we also bivouacked on the open ground at the top of the Island.

It's absolutely fascinating to hear Bob passionately recounting the rich history of Drake's Island. However, it's deeply saddening to witness the neglect of such an important historic landmark, and see how much the island has deteriorated over the past 50 years. . Having been born just across the water from Drake's Island, I have fond childhood memories of staying at the Youth Adventure Center a number of times in the early '70s. I will never forget the excitement of arriving there by small boat as a youngster to what seemed such a special place. And the fun we had sailing and exploring around the island during the holidays - magical times. . Unfortunately, it seems that plans to redevelop the island are once again on hold, as the current owner has evidently had to recently put it back on the market. I wonder if there's any hope that the National Trust or Lottery funding might step in to help restore it to its former glory...?

This was fantastic, very knowledgeable gatekeeper/grounds historian as well.

All I can say is absolutely amazing 😊

MOD should have 'gifted' this back to the nation, not sold it to a private individual, however well-intentioned that person may initially be.

I was on the staff as a sailing instructor in around 1972/3. Enjoyed some fine sailing and canoeing around the island and the sound. The accommodations were all very basic, harking back to its most recent time as a military base. My first berth was in the centre battery right on top of the island. It would certainly not be regarded as fit accommodation there days, little better than a concrete cave. I did have some great sailing and happy times . Very font memories of a beautiful place and nice people

Lived in Plymouth for the first 21 years of my life and never understood how important the island was to our military history. Would love to visit there one day if they ever open it up to the public.

Dan's such a peacock. He didn't really have anything to add to the episode, tbh. The tour guide is, however; brilliant.

What a place and what an amazing memory of historical details.

Lucky enough to have done two week long adventure training courses, the first when at school in 1968 and the second in 1970 when a cadet. On the first trip one of the underground magazines still contained gymnasium equipment from its military days. The adventure courses were run in a very disciplined military style fashion and we were required to polish the accomodations floors and clean the facilities daily. After the 1968 course i spent several weekends with a club which occupied the gun casement on the Eastern side of the island, happy days.

I visited Drakes Island in my younger years and went through some of the tunnels. It hasn’t changed in the slightest. Wherever you view the island it just looks so beautiful and peaceful.

Fantastic video. I lived in Plymouth for over 30 years and never fully knew what secrets Drake's island held.

Awesome video, Thank you. From Texas

Amazing to see my home city featured! I can see Drakes Island from my window but have never actually seen it up close

Was fortunate enough to go out there a few times as a kid. My grandfather was part of the Fortress Study Group for many years and they ran a few tours out there. He was also stationed there for a while during WW2... had some great stories to tell about their escapades!

I went to a Scout camp on Drake's Island in about 1968, there were a lot of tunnels we could wander around in, but nobody to interpret the history for us, so this was most interesting, thank you.

Amazing. In the 70s i went there twice on school adventure holidays. Climbing, kayaking, absailing. We had a great time

Hello from Plymouth!

Very glad to hear that they're looking to develop public access (I was born in Plymouth and love forts but have never set foot on the island). Anyone wanting to visit a site that has a very similar history (Tudor, Civil War, Napoleonic, Palmerston, WW1 & WW2) should head to Dartmouth Castle (English Heritage) further east in Devon. It's on a much smaller scale but is fully accessible and has the Victorian casemates reconstructed (I worked there for several years and love it!).

During the early 1970's this was an adventure centre, with abseiling down the walls where the old Derrick used to be, dinghy sailing and kayaking immediately off the island and rock-climbing on a Tor on the nearby moor (I think it was Dartmoor).

I spent a lot of time on Drakes island both when it was a youth adventure centre and with permission to land when it still was with my kayaking club as a youth.

Gatekeeper: what an incredible job to have overlooking the historic island.

Brilliant and informative The Gatekeeper has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the island A great view!

I got married at Mount Edgecombe in 2016. This episode was fantastic for me and I can’t wait to visit.

I used to live in an old Victorian house on Plymouth Hoe until around 1966 (until I was around 6 years old). Looking left out of the bay window you could see Drake's Island. There was still a lot of bomb damage around on the Hoe, even 20 years after the end of WW2. Of course it has all completely changed now.

I've always been curious about Drake's Island as my Dad was a Janner.. Extra interesting! Nice one Dan and team. 🌟👍

True expert in the history of that island...It became a passion of his that brings the island history to life!

As a minor correction, it's been in private ownership for decades, since the 90s if memory serves. It's only recently been "opened" by the new owner for guided tours and certain events. Overall the new owner has really done Plymouth a good service.

Amazing. I was brought up in Plymouth, I knew the Island well. I nwent to the Adventure Centre, asged 9, in 1980/1, and explored all of the tunnels and even climbed up the ammunition shafts, deep inside. Climbed on the huge guns, fished on the beaches, absailed down the cliffs. It was real "Boys Own/Treasure Island" Stuff. Very nostalgic to see all of these things, over 40 years, later. I'd love to go back again, but it's privately owned and nothing has been done there for ages. Sad, really.

Took the trip boat and tour to Drakes Island yesterday. What a fantastic history trip. The video is great but I thoroughly recommend going there to see it for yourself. One thing though, I am sure the guide said his name was Chris not Bob. Please shed some light?

The thumbnail had me thinking this was where Drake and OVO were hiding their young girls 😂😂😂

Greetings from Australia. Of course Dan is the man.....a bloody legend.

What an interesting guy. Bob certainly knows his onions.

Nice Video - I am a Janner.... Bob knows his stuff.

Friends in Plymouth bought me a tour here for my birthday last year. Really interesting and a couple of used blank cartridges as souvenirs.

These longform videos are incredible, great work

Wow. What a great historical place to see. I would love to visit this someday. Thanks for sharing.

We went there for a weeks adventure holiday, when I was in senior school back in the 80’s…good times!

Used to be able to take a ferry and go around the island.I got stuck up the climbing wall aged 6 in the 70s.

Great history talk from Dan!

Very well made.

my late wife went to drakes island on an adventure course in the late 70's she did a qualifying scuba dive there, something she never forgot as she was swimming quite close to basking sharks.

Very Interesting '' Another Great Video 💯, thanks for Sharing 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

Fascinating and informative 👍 I grew up in Plymouth and Drake's Island was always a mystery.

My dad and his brothers grew up in Stonehouse, he told me stories about going to Drake's island on school trips.

As a Plymouth resident, I have been on the island twice. In the 1980's I attended the Adventure Centre and had fun with the artificial caves and water sports. I got a further trip to the Island in the 1990's when it was under care of Groundwork Trust. I remember they were clearing vegetation and found a what they said to be an old bell prison which would have dated back many years. This was not linked to any other building and was a separate hole in the ground. I suspect this is still under the vegetation now as the Island was left for 20+ years after Dan McCaully purchased it.

I am from Plymouth myself and this video has been really entertaining to watch, to know so much of drakes Island that I wish andnwouldnlive to visit just so see the history of the place myself, but also happy this video shows a bit of plymouth history as well

FYI: "In October 2018, the island was put up for sale for £6 million. It was purchased by Morgan Phillips. Phillips plans to open the island to the public with a museum and heritage centre, thirty years after previously closing." Wikipedia

Anyone that can keep Dan quiet gets my vote! It's not a job for him more of a vocation. Nice one Bob. I remember back in '78, the Queen's silver jubilee, there was a giant outline of a crown that lit up on Drake's Island in celebration. We are spoilt down here, with such places within easy reach, plus the moors just 20 minutes away.

Incredible, this guy is a walking encyclopedia

I’ve been to England once and spent most of my time in and around the Plymouth shores. This was fun to watch.

At about 16.00 he says "ledges holding various bits and pieces" then pans up to the arch and a vent. Im fairly certain those ledges held the form work to build the arch as seen on the construction of bridges over St Levan Road and at Calstockover the River Tamar. If you want to see a very similar lighting and Casemate setup complete with guns and ropes to aim them Dartmouth Castle is not to far away and is open to the public. I live in Plymouth and really hope I get to do a tour with this man who has a wealth of knowlege.

22:19 These were brand new canoes (kayaks), GRP was what carbon fibre epoxy is today. Many canoes during the sixties were... wood!

Bob is brilliant at his job. Shame on Plymouth city council for allowing the island to get in such a state.

Amazing location and history. It remends me in a little way of a fantastic fortress in Menorca named La Mola. If ever you get the opportunity to go there please do, it is incredible.

1:43 I'm pretty sure that is a mortar, not a howitser.

Moved to Plymouth in 63, spent 40 years there. Did a fair bit of boating but never went ashore on the island. Doubt I ever will.

What a fascinating man

wow! that was awesome! this was an example why I love this channel. : )

Just wait til kendrick finds out

I learned to dive at Bovisand. Dived here a lot in the 80s.

Lived in Plymouth for 2 years. Sailed near the island many times but we never landed.

My troop of Royal Engineers pulled all the Armstrong guns out from where they were buried in the summer of 1982. The lads used chain hoists (horizontally) and perfectly understandably, called it Devil's Island given the work was back breaking.

I grew up in this area and was lucky enough to sail past the island a lot as a kid. Plymouth has so much history attached to it. Its a very poor city but i consider myself incredibly lucky to have grown up next to it.

Brilliant video the presenter certainly knows his stuff

You can book a boat trip from the barbican ,for a guided tour,which is well worth a visit.

Thank you for this post, very interesting. May I say to the producer of this channel I enjoy every post and I sincerely apologise for my recent comment. Emotions were running high for another reason and I have deleted it now.

It was an informative and wonderful historical coverage video about a British military frontier island as a constant naval frontier castle..