Cornish fishing villages we love
Mousehole is a small settlement with a crescent-shaped harbour south of Penzance and Newlyn. It is pronounced "Mow-zul" and is a collection of granite houses facing Mount's Bay and St. Michael's Mount. The village has a population of 700 and boasts two incredible restaurants, six cafes, and an atmospheric local pub.
Port Isaac and Port Gaverne are located in North Cornwall and are famous for being the setting of "Portwenn," the fictional fishing village in Doc Martin. You can visit Doc Martin's house and other well-known locations in the village. Port Isaac and Port Gaverne were also the locations for the film Fisherman's Friends, based on the real-life sea shanty group from the area. The village offers free concerts on "the Platt," and this could be on the cards for 2021.
Coverack is a tiny village on the Lizard's wild coast known for its shipwrecks, epic coastal walking, and unique flora and fauna. The village is set around a headland with a pub, old lifeboat station (now a great chippy), and quaint harbour. The harbour was built in 1724 from local serpentine stone as a base for the thriving pilchard fishing fleet. The Paris Hotel (the pub) is named after an American liner shipwrecked nearby in 1899.
St Ives is a town built on the graft of Cornish men and women that depended on their connection with the sea. It has countless beaches, and the white sands and rich turquoise water are unlike anywhere in the UK. St Ives also has countless studios, galleries, great shops, cafes, restaurants, and pubs. The town is famous for its artists and tourists and is home to the famous Tate Gallery right by Porthmeor beach.
The Helford is a village located on the southern side of the Helford River, where life slows down. It is a haven for sailors, kayakers, and fishermen as it is not exposed to the fury of the Atlantic. The village has a pub with stellar views of the river, and for fans of Daphne du Maurier, it is right next to Frenchman's Creek, which gives its name to her famous swashbuckling romance of the same name.