Ports & Towns

Cornwall is not only blessed with beautiful beaches and countryside but also has some of the loveliest ports, towns and villages in the country with cobbled streets and quaint harbours - far too many to list here but below we list a few to assist you discover our area.

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

FOWEY

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/fowey

Distance: 3miles

Fowey is a bustling small port which still has a busy commercial life in addition to providing attractive moorings for leisure boats. Its harbour is flanked by fourteenth century blockhouses, one in Fowey and one on the opposite side of the river in Polruan

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

LOSTWITHIEL

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/lostwithiel

Distance: 5miles

Lostwithiel is situated in a beautiful wooded valley at the tidal reach of the River Fowey. 

The town was founded by the Normans for the export of tin about 800 years ago. At that time, the river was wide and deep and ships tied up along the quay to load tin destined for many European ports. The town became the second busiest port on the south coast of England.

By the 13th century Lostwithiel had become the county capital. It was the administration centre for county affairs and Cornwall's main stannary town. Ironically, tin, which was the original source of the wealth of the town, eventually caused its decline. Rubble, from the mines on the moors, silted up the river, restricting the size of vessels that could use the quay. 

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

ST AUSTELL

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/st-austell

Distance: 6.5miles

The old market town of St Austell is the closest town to Seaview Lodge and is one of Cornwall's biggest towns. It was for centuries an important mining town but it was a discovery of china clay in the mid 18th century that really put the town on the map.

The extraction of china clay became the mainstay of local industry and accelerated the growth of the town from the eighteenth century onwards. One estimate puts the value of the industry at the time at around £15 billion in today's money.

The town does provide an ideal centre for some of the loveliest beaches in Cornwall. In fact, the coast here is sometimes referred to as the Cornish Riviera.

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

MEVAGISSY

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/mevagissey

Distance: 12.2miles

Mevagissey is an attractive harbourside village which was once the centre of Cornwall’s pilchard fishery and which still boasts a working harbour, with a few dozen small fishing boats. It has a tradition of boat building dating back to 1745. Many of the old buildings, constructed of cob and slate, bear testimony to a time when the large shoals of pilchards were the livelihood of the whole village.

Fishing trips can be taken from the harbour and there is a ferry to the nearby port of Fowey.

There is a car park on the quay but the narrow streets can be difficult to negotiate and are often full of pedestrians.

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

POLPERRO

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/polperro

Distance: 15.7miles

Just south of Looe is the smaller port of Polperro. A surfeit of touristy gift shops do not quite manage to spoil this quaint old Cornish fishing village whose narrow streets and pretty cottages remain undeniably attractive. Many of the cottages are covered with a profusion of flowers in summer and the streets are so narrow they are banned to cars, which makes Polperro an ideal place to explore on foot.

There are shops selling paintings, pottery, jewellery and lots more souvenirs for the visitor. There are also newsagents, bakeries and other shops selling everyday requirements. In addition, there are galleries and arts and crafts exhibitions. Polperro holds an Arts Festival in June each year.

Courtesy of Cornwall Guide

PORT ISSAC

Website: www.cornwalls.co.uk/port-isaac

Distance: 23.3miles

Port Isaac's popularity has exploded over recent years largely due to two (1) its association with the TV series, Doc Martin where it is known as 'Port Wenn' and (2) the Fisherman's Friends, the world's most famous traditional shanty group from here.

Its granite and whitewashed old cottages are extremely photogenic, and it's a real pleasure simply to stroll around the narrow lanes. The coast around Port Isaac is absolutely stunning and both Port Isaac and nearby Port Gaverne are in both an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and a Heritage Coast Area.

The town's main car park is situated up the hill on the edge of the village around 10 minutes walk from the harbour. Dog friendly all year.