Fenya's Travels

Polperro is a village and fishing harbour on the south-east coast of Cornwall, it is within the civil parish of ‘Lansallos’.  Polperro is well known for its pleasant location, packed tightly into a steep valley on either side of the River Pol, the tightly packed 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). This makes Polperro attractive to tourists especially in the summer months. Polperro is sheltered from the ravages of time and tide – it’s an enchanting jumble of cottages, each one distinctly the work of a Cornish fisherman.

English: Polperro, also in Cornwall, has been an active fishing and smuggling port since the twelfth century CE. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pulling into Polperro from the sea is a remarkable experience, especially if you’ve caught a hamper full of fish! Fishing trips or pure pleasure cruises are easy to arrange from the quayside or simply take the cliff path to explore the secluded smuggling coves of ‘TallandBay’ and ‘LantivetBay’. I have been on a couple of boat trips in Polperro that take place from the beach, I have also done crabbing around the harbour where I actually once managed to catch myself a little dogfish and a local fisherman had to rescue it from my line! Polperro is still a working fishing village, although tourism provides the main source of income.

The harbour at Polperro, Cornwall. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many great places to stay in Polperro and most have nice views of the sea and/or harbour but I have read that ‘few can better the views from The Watchers’, The Watchers is situated in The Warren which is right on the South West Coastal Path at the eastern entrance to Polperro. The Warren has outstanding views (no matter the weather) out to sea, of Chaipel Rock and of the harbour entrance. I have stayed in Polperro many times and I must admit I prefer to be right on the harbour, I like being only a short walk from the fudge shop and the pubs! There is an assorted mixture of quirky and fascinating shops to browse and a wide selection of great pubs, cafes and restaurants in Polperro that are worth visiting.

Boats Polperro. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Polperro has a unique Heritage museum of fishing and smuggling where you can learn about Polperro’s interesting past; it is open daily (including Sundays) between 11am and 5pm from March until October. There are some superb coastal walks on the South West Coastal Path - east to TallandBay and Looe, west to Lansallos, LanticBay and Polruan. Another good thing about Polperro is that you are close to Cornwall’s biggest tourist attraction -The Eden Project, it is around 30 minutes away and it is open all year, Polperro is also close to three National Trust houses (Lanhydrock, Antony House and Cotehele).

English: The Harbour, Polperro. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The size of your vehicle really matters in Polperro, the residents and businesses in there are fed up with their properties being damaged by vans and large vehicles trying to navigate the narrow lanes. Polperro is a tiny place and I recommend you park at the top and take a horse-carriage ride or milk-float ride to the town. I often walk around, but when I have stayed in the cottages we parked in the properties own parking which was usually a tight squeeze to get to but you just have to be patient.

Related articles

• 10 Reasons To Visit The Cornish Village of Polperro (killtheboredom.com)
• Not the Best Beach but The Best Village with the Best Beach (misswhiplash.wordpress.com)