Looe

A picturesque coastal town, Looe is a Cornish resort popular with visitors and especially in summer. There’s a lot to do in this fishing community and even more in the surrounding area of South East Cornwall, making it a great base for a holiday.

Beaches and Walks

Looe has some superb beaches both in the town and along the coastline. One of the most popular is at East Looe which is a large sandy beach. At Hannafore, West Looe Beach the rock pools are ideal for families wanting to do some shrimping. Nearby, the beaches of Lantic Bay and Talland Bay are found along the South West Coastal Footpath and are popular alternatives. Visitors can also get to Lansallos beach by walking down an old smuggler’s path. There are many walks in the Looe area that take visitors to villages and scenes in South East Cornwall. The West Looe Valley is very popular with walkers and another favourite is to walk along the South West Coastal Footpath to Cremyll or to Fowey. The wild and windy Bodmin Moor is close by with Jamaica Inn and walks to Rough Tor. Another excellent place for a walk is the Tamar Valley which also has vineyards producing wine locally.

Historic Attractions and Towns to Explore

Looe is close to some of Cornwall’s best known attractions. The neighbouring fishing village of Polperro was once a smuggling haven and has clusters of houses, narrow streets and a fascinating museum. Fowey was where Daphne Du Maurier wrote many of her novels and today visitors can explore the area that inspired her. Historic houses such as Bocconoc House near Lostwithiel are very popular with people on holiday and another major attraction here are the Cornish gardens. There are the Lost Gardens of Heligan, the Eden Project, and Pine Lodge in St Austell. In springtime there are magnificent displays of rhododendrons and other shrubs. Looe Museum is a popular attraction in town and another place to see the seafaring heritage is at Charlestown Harbour. For children the Tamar Valley Donkey Park is full of delightful animals with hours of amusement. Looe Harbour is one of the best places in Cornwall to see grey seals to spending time there is a lovely way to spot these creatures. Looe is also famous for its Monkey Sanctuary which is very popular with families and close to the harbour. During the summer Looe has a Lugger Regatta celebrating its nautical heritage and there is a Folk Festival too. These are just two of many events occurring throughout the year. Boat trips around Looe are a must do when in the area. Choose between a ferry ride across the Looe River or take a glass bottomed boat to see the underwater world. There are speed yachts too and for anglers the opportunity to fish for bass and mackerel or take on a shark. Water sports are a big attraction here and Looe is a major destination for scuba divers as well as water skiing, sailing, and even surfing along the coast.

Looe has lots of places to stay from hotels to campsites. There are guest houses too and many people opt to stay on a self-catering basis in a cottage within the town. There are lots of different sizes and types to choose from and at differing price ranges to suit most budgets. Looe also has excellent restaurants and pubs and is within an easy drive of some of Cornwall’s finest eateries. The town is packed with souvenir shops and tea rooms and is a relaxing place to spend a weekend or longer holiday.

Feel right at home in Looe and watch the video postcard below...