Pleasurable Padstow has it all
Padstow is one of those fishing ports which makes you know you must be in Cornwall.
It’s just as perfect as that.
If you walk round the little streets, or pause a while to gaze out across the harbour, you will begin to feel some of the timelessness of this place, which has been a community for several thousand years and always associated with the sea and seagoing.
Today, it is a favourite spot for tourists who want to experience the real Cornwall, and to enjoy the many sights and sensations along this part of the coast.
The town of Padstow is in a narrow gulley on the west side of the River Camel estuary, giving shelter from
the prevailing winds and keeping the temperature up.
Like most ports, building began on the quayside and moved upwards and outwards, so you will find the older buildings close to the harbour.
As the population grew, more cottages were provided, along with premises connected with the fishing industry.
The result is a charming huddle of many shaped and coloured buildings, many of which have been adapted from their original purpose and are now holiday homes or local accommodation.
Padstow abounds with good restaurants, including Rick Stein’s which has helped to put Cornish food on the map, and there are plenty of pubs, cafes and takeaways to keep every visitor happy.
Rick himself has also opened a popular fish and chip shop, as well as his restaurant, cookery school and deli.
View of Padstow.
If you want to find out more about Padstow there is a small museum covering the town’s history.
Mellow Polperro
Polperro, a spectacular few miles along the coast from Looe, is a different kettle of fish. Sheltered from the ravages of time and tide in its cliff ravine, it's an enchanting jumble of cottages, each one unmistakably the work of a Cornish fisherman.
What he wanted was a place on shore to store his gear and his pilchard catch, and over that a loft divided into rooms like the cuddy of his boat. He reached the ground by means of stone or wooden steps, like a ship's gangway. You see, his idea of a dwelling was that of a ship in stone. And there's a fleet of them at anchor in Polperro.
Wending your way through the traffic-free streets to the small harbour, you're treading the paths where barrows of fish were once carted and, under cover of night, brandy casks and tobacco bales were carried into their hideouts. Make no mistake, this peaceful fishing cove, mellow Polperro, was once a thriving centre for the area's smuggling.
Wagonloads of contraband left here, some heading across Bodmin Moor en route to London. The 'freetraders' have long since sailed into folk history and the shining shoals of pilchards have gone, but a visit to the smuggling museum brings this rich heritage back to life.
Today, in cellars where furtive smugglers once dodged the customs
www.cornish-visitor.co.uk
men's muskets, you can see displays of local crafts and fishermen's smocks, or you can dine in style at one of Polperro's excellent restaurants.
Pulling into Polperro from the sea is an unforgettable experience, especially when you've caught a basket full of fish! Fishing trips or pure pleasure cruises are easy to arrange from the quayside. Or take the cliff path to explore the secluded smuggling coves of Talland and Lantivet Bay.
One of the most popular places in Cornwall, the village of Polperro is undoubtedly one of the prettiest.
Packed tightly into a steep valley on either side of the River Pol, the quaint colour-washed cottages and twisting streets offer surprises at every turn: the Saxon and Roman bridges, the famous House on Props, the old Watch House, the fish quay, and the 16th century house where Dr. Jonathan Couch lived, naturalist and grandfather of the celebrated writer Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.
With its protected inner harbour full of colourful boats. Polperro is still a working fishing village, although tourism provides the main source of income. Attractions include a Museum of Smuggling and a model village.
Daymer Bay, near Padstow Picture courtesy of
www.visitcornwall.com
Harlyn Bay, near Padstow Picture courtesy of Visit
Cornwall.com Padstow Harbour. Photo courtesy of Ingrid King / Visit
Cornwall.com
The Old Mill Gift Centre Bridgend, Stockists for:
• Wonderful Wall Art • Photoframes • Jewellery • Street Machines • Exotic Woodcraft Clocks
• Old Tupton Ware • Lost Dog
West Looe
01503 262104
www.gifts4ever.co.uk
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Over 70 hand selected properties ranging from quaint fisherman’s cottages overlooking the beach and harbour to fabulous farm and moorland retreats
For your perfect holiday home call 01503 265330
email
info@looeandpolperroholidays.co.uk www.looeandpolperroholidays.co.uk Cornish Visitor Guide - autumn & winter 2011-2012 5
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