A licensed local favourite with good food at fair prices, it’s open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, take away menu available and farm shop stocked with produce, alcohol, gifts and quality frozen ready meals
Check opening times before visiting, especially out of season and booking is recommended if you’re planning to eat in
Rob Fierek has been making pots in the Tamar Valley for over three decades.
He makes a wide range of functional and decorative stoneware and is known to have an eye for a good curve. Expert thrower and modeller, he is also very creative with his decorative techniques and often displays a fine sense of humour.
A stunning place to visit, an important river port since Saxon times, with its tall white houses appearing to cling to the steep Cornish bank of the River Tamar
The village is dominated by the impressive grade 2 listed viaduct, completed in 1908 and the largest in Britain to be constructed of concrete blocks. Today it serves the Tamar Valley branch line from Plymouth to Gunnislake, a trip that’s well worth taking… In the last century Calstock railway served the local area of intense industrial and mining activity in a parish renowned, at the time, for its cultivation of fruit and flowers
Calstock boasted a rich mining history going back to medieval times and Silver, arsenic, copper and tin have all been mined in the locality
The village has a small active boat yard, as the river is navigable, at high tide, from Plymouth which is fourteen miles upriver. The village has some interesting artisan shops and a lovely pub
We highly recommend a visit to this wonderful local favourite, it also has much on offer for visitors:
An award winning farm shop with it’s own butchery, a licensed restaurant and coffee shop, pizza Friday’s and Sunday lunch – booking a table in advance for all events is essential. Check their website for events which range from music, theatre, outdoor cinema and workshops
The kitchen at Tre, Pol & Pen is the heart of the farm shop serving warming breakfasts, delicious lunches, cream teas, coffee and cake daily. All dishes are freshly made or cooked to order using the best local produce whenever possible. The restaurant is licensed and serves a range of wine, beer, cider & cocktails
We recommend visiting the National Trust website to plan your visit
The deepest river gorge in the South West with 30m high waterfall
There are four walking trails: The Devil’s Cauldron Trail, The Waterfall Trail, The full Lydford Gorge Trail and The Railway Path – all are recommended
It’s a wonderful place to visit and beautiful at any time of year
Stocks an eclectic mix of old, new and handmade beautiful items for your home and garden.
If you enjoy browsing around inspiring places, a stop here is definitely for you.
They stock St Eval candles and products – if you haven’t tried them, they’re fabulous with amazing scents.
If that wasn’t enough you can visit Cowslip Cafe whilst you’re there.
Recommended for a vineyard tour and for lunch in the cafe, they also have seasonal events, always worth checking their website to see if there’s an event that takes your fancy…
There’s a small shop within the restaurant where you can buy drink, food, cookbooks and cook/dining ware etc
Treguddick are the first to distil rum in the UK we know a thing or two about making phenomenal spirits. We now make the UK’s widest variety of spirits & liqueurs, including the original British rum, mouth-watering vodkas, glorious gins, experimental single malts, luscious liqueurs, jams and tomato ketchup and more there is something for everyone.
We highly recommend the restaurant and bar, a favourite place for lunch, dinner or to attend one of their events.
Take a look at their website.
Royal William Yard blends Plymouth’s historic naval past withaward-winning design. Home to a stunning collection of Grade I listed buildings, the yard has been reanimated to offer something new to experience on every visit, making it one of the best places to eat, shop, relax and play in the heart of the South West.
It’s a much-loved, destination, with a mix of bustling restaurants, bars and shops, water sports and even a marina, sitting alongside a lively artistic community, with a packed calendar of events, and so much to see and do.
Surrounded by water, Royal William Yard offers breath-taking views over Plymouth Sound and across to Cornwall – a vibrant hub for locals and tourists alike.
Highly recommended – visit the website for up and coming events and to plan you visit.
Dog friendly
Looe is made up of East Looe and West Looe, located either side of the river. The two Looe’s are joined together by a bridge across the Looe River, and have subtly different characters
East Looe is home to the harbour and main shopping centre while West Looe is quieter but also has shops, restaurants and hotels
Looe has been a holiday resort for over 200 years. In 1879, the arrival of the railway sealed the deal: Looe was officially a holiday destination, but even before this Looe was an early adopter of wheeled bathing machines next to the Banjo Pier
On paper, Looe is similar to Fowey: a steep valley leading down to a river, along the same stretch of coast… However, that’s where the similarity ends. Fowey is all about yachts, literature and boutique hotels, while Looe is unashamedly B&Bs, buckets & spades, and fish & chips
There’s room for both, of course, and Looe still packs in plenty of seaside charm.
Looe’s old town and harbour are particularly appealing, as is the distinctive pier, which was built in the late 19th century to ease river silting. The local seafood is superb, and there are plenty of beaches in and around Looe.
A Brief History of Looe
In medieval times, East Looe and West Looe were considered separate towns
The current seven-arch bridge was built in 1853, and replaced a 15th-century structure. There are still a number of medieval buildings in Looe, including St Nicholas’ Church, which managed to survive Looe’s dramatic pirate attacks. Most of the town was razed in 1625 when a band of Barbary Pirates, who had been terrorising the coast (including kidnapping fishermen) for years, attacked the port. Looe recovered, going on to become a hub for Cornwall’s famous smugglers, a trade that carried on for much of the 18th and 19th centuries
Looe continued to grow and became a (legitimate) harbour town, fishing and processing centre, as well as a commercial port for tin, arsenic and granite exports. In the 1820s the port was linked to Liskeard by a canal with the railway coming some years later. The unusual “Banjo Pier”, with its rounded end, was built to prevent the river mouth from silting up, allowing all the traffic to sail freely in and out of the busy harbour
Today’s Looe is both a working fishing harbour and one of Cornwall’s most popular visitor destinations. It’s increasingly relied on tourism for its income since its large pilchard canning factory closed in the sixties
Looe Island
In 1965 Babs and Evelyn Atkins bought Looe Island (also known as St George’s Island), which lies about a mile off the coast near Looe. The beautiful island covers an area of 22.5 acres and is just one mile in circumference. Its highest point is 150 feet above sea level. The partly wooded island has magnificent views as far as Prawle Point in Devon to the north and the Lizard Peninsula to the south
Looe Island has such an exceptionally mild climate that daffodils bloom at Christmas, and it’s a natural sanctuary for birds. A few stones remain of a Benedictine chapel built here in 1139. The island is accessible by boat and rarely, when there is an unusually low tide, by foot across the rocky sea bed. However, it is unwise to cross this way without a local guide as the tide rushes in very quickly
Looe Island is open to pre-booked day visitors in the season. Landing fees and other income from tourism are used to conserve the island’s natural beauty and to provide facilities for visitors. To maintain its status as a wildlife sanctuary, four-pawed friends can’t come to Looe Island with you, and fishing is also forbidden
It’s a tranquil place to visit, there are no roads, no shops and no cars. Bathing is safe when the weather is good and the island has two beaches, a natural rock swimming pool, coves and caves. Look out for the resident population of grey seals, who like to lie on the rocks off the island’s shore. Inland, you can enjoy a (short) woodland walk.
Best Beaches in Looe
This stretch of coast is blessed with some of Cornwall’s best beaches, and Looe is a great place for a traditional seaside holiday. Try these fantastic beaches in and around Looe
Town Beach, East Looe
This busy family beach is right by the town, sheltered by the Banjo Pier and backing onto a walkway that runs the length of the beach. Top tip: this path takes you to second beach, which tends to be quieter. The beach is pretty safe for swimming (just stay close to the shore, and definitely at the beach side of the river mouth)
Plaidy Beach
Walk over the hill from Looe to enjoy this quiet sand and shingle beach. It’s good for swimming and snorkelling (just be aware that there’s no lifeguard cover at Plaidy), and there are rock pools at low water
Millendreath
This small sandy cove is owned by a holiday park, but is still open to the public (giving day visitors the advantage of access to toilets and a cafe). Look across to Looe Island as you enjoy a swim
Hannafore Beach
Hannafore Beach has a pleasant seafront and great views across to the island. The sand and shingle beach has some of the best rock pools around, and it’s also a good place to bring your dog
Seaton & Downderry
These shingly beaches run into each other. There’s a pub at the Downderry end (and it’s also worth remembering that there’s a naturist area to the east). Seaton Beach is popular with families, and allows dogs all year
Lantic Bay
Way off the beaten track, Lantic Bay is a beautiful National Trust-managed beach. Relax with a picnic on the shingly shore, before heading off along the coast path to enjoy the stunning views
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