Welcome to the 2016 Looe Guide We hope you find it useful in planning your holiday to the area, either before you get here, or once you are here. Please mention it if making any accommodation bookings and keep it safe to use in the future, or pass on to somebody else....
Further in you will find a list of the main events happening in the area in 2016. Many more will appear on our website nearer the time. Please support them and enjoy your stay in Looe.
“We Love Looe” It’s a phrase we‘ve got used to hearing people say, and not just when they are here, but also when we are away in far off places... In 2013 we entered Looe in the British Travel Awards and we were named as the second best coastal resort, not bad for a small fishing port with a beach! It all goes to show that you don’t have to be a big destination with loads of attractions to win the hearts of the visitors. Looe is what it is, it doesn’t change much. Some families have been holidaying here for generations, fishing for crabs on the quayside, sunbathing on the beach, walking the coast path to Polperro. Why change what isn’t broken? If you’ve never been before, we hope this little guide will help persuade you to visit. If you have been, you know what to expect and we know that you know what a lovely place it is!
See you in 2016!
150 years of Lifeboats in Looe Looe’s first Lifeboat Station opened in 1866, on the seafront, a stones throw from where the present all purpose building is. It housed a lifeboat called the ‘Oxfordshire’, a 32ft long craft rowed by a team of 13 men who would go out in all conditions to save those in need. She was replaced in 1882 by the ‘Boy’s Own No1’ which in turn was replaced by the ‘Ryder’ in 1902. She was to become Looe’s longest serving lifeboat, saving the lives of over 40 men in the time she was here. Retired in 1930, she was discovered abandoned on Chesil Beach in Dorset in 1987, and after much fundraising, was restored and brought back to Looe. She now resides in Polperro for much of the time but will be rowed into Looe for special events this summer. In 2003 the new Albertross Lifeboat House was opened in Looe and now contains two lifeboats, the ‘Alan & Margaret’ and the ‘Ollie Naismith’. During the summer the station is open most days, please pop in and say hello or visit the shop and help raise some much needed funds. This year will see many special events to help celebrate the 150th anniversary, we hope you can join us at some of them?
© Ian Foster / fozimage
Stunning holiday homes in Looe The Cornish Collection www.cornishcollection.co.uk enquiries@cornishcollection.co.uk or call 01503 262 736 today
Tide ’ s in, Sun ’ s out.... ...Time for a holiday.
For more self catering in Looe try... Spinnaker...01503 598123 1 West Quay...01202 517329 The Sail Loft....01503 262182
Please mention the LOOE GUIDE when replying to any of the adverts. Planning a holiday.. ....or just had one? Stay in touch via Facebook or Twitter
Just look for Looe TIC Post us your photos.... ..tell us about your holiday... ..or ask us a stupid question!!!
Keep in touch!
Escape to the country You don’t have to stay on the coast to enjoy south east Cornwall. Why not spend some time in amongst the green fields, wooded valleys and secret hideaways that are just waiting to be discovered? You are never going to be far from the sea, but you also have the peace and quiet, and the space to relax and enjoy your holiday. Plus, many of these rural self catering businesses are able to cater for larger groups by renting more than one cottage. ----------------------------------------------------------For more rural accommodation try Trewith Holiday Cottages, The Cider Cottage, The Old Byre, all of which can be found on
www.looeguide.co.uk
Rail: Looe has a station linked to the main line at Liskeard by a half hour branch line service. Coach: National Express coaches call at Liskeard. Bus: Regular services run from Looe to Polperro, Liskeard and Plymouth. A service also operates between Looe and Polruan giving access to Fowey via a ferry. Car: Looe is a five hour drive from London, four hours from Birmingham. On foot: Why not walk the South West Coast Path, it goes through the town?
Getting to and from Looe
Polperro.. Make sure you find time to discover the hidden corners of Looe’s near neighbour. Much of Polperro is tucked away along narrow lanes, beloved by artists and the haunt of smugglers in the past. Discover its galleries, restaurants and traditional pubs, or take a boat trip from the harbour.
..Picture perfect
Where better to relax than the easily accessible beach at East Looe? (we even have a beach wheelchair for disabled visitors). It offers safe swimming and is close to all the facilities you need for a day relaxing. Over the river at West Looe, the beach at Hannafore has less sand but with thousands of rockpools it’s great for exploring or snorkeling over at high tide. Other beaches in the area include... Polperro: Sandy beach below the harbour wall when the tide is out. Willy Wilcox’s cave is ideal for the intrepid explorer. Lantic Bay: Lovely National Trust owned beach, reached by 20 min walk from the car park featuring a steep descent. Swimmers should be aware of strong currents and shelving. Lansallos: Another National Trust beach, this secluded cove at the bottom of an old smugglers track is popular with families. Millendreath: Sandy beach that can be walked to along the coast path from Looe, with beach front cafe. Seaton: Large dog friendly sand and shingle beach five miles east of Looe. Parking behind beach. All facilities. Talland Bay: Between Looe and Polperro, mix of rock pools and sand, cafes and parking. Whitsand Bay: Long stretch of sand to the east of the area. Good for surfing and sunbathing, swimming only recommended where lifeguards are on duty. For more information on beaches call in at the Tourist Information Centre or
www.looeguide.co.uk
The Looe Valley Line Looe can be easily reached by train from all over the country, the final part of the journey running the eight miles down the Looe Valley, is perhaps the most scenic line in the UK? The line follows the Looe River as it changes from stream to tidal estuary, the last couple of miles giving uninterrupted views across the wide expanse of water, or mud, depending on the tide. The line is a good way to see the birdlife of the valley, with everything from Oyster Catchers to Egrets, Kingfishers to Buzzards only a few feet from the train window. Alternatively get off at one of the stations on the line and take a walk in the surrounding countryside (see Rambles book opposite).
The year round service (no Sunday service between November and April) takes just under half an hour and can easily be linked to main line services, offering the chance of a great day out in Cornwall or Plymouth. An Off Peak day return ticket is great value and groups of 3 to 9 adults travelling together, can get a third off by asking for a GroupSave ticket. Timetables are available in the Tourist Information Centre, online at www.gwr.com or telephone National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484950.
www.greatscenicrailways.com ŠMark Lynam
Sitting just off the beach at Hannafore, West Looe, the island, also known as St George’s Island, is one of Looe’s biggest attractions. Owned by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, visitors can access the island by boat during the season, or take a cruise around it on one of the many boats trips that leave the harbour regularly, weather and tide permitting. The Trust runs the island as a nature reserve with many nesting birds including the largest colony of great black-back gulls in Cornwall. It is also the best place in the area to catch sight of a grey seal, with several making the waters off the seaward side their home throughout the summer months. Legend has it that Christ visited the island as a boy whilst trading for tin with Joseph of Arimathea, and the remains of a chapel built by the monks of Glastonbury can still be seen on the islands summit. Stories also claim that a tunnel links the island to the mainland, but this has never been found and apart from a couple of times a year when tides are very low and you can paddle out, the only way is by boat. So, this year, why not make an effort to visit Looe Island? You won’t be dissapointed. For more details check out the Corwall Wildlife Trust website at
ww w. cor n wal lwi l dli fe t r u st. org. u k
Things to do...
In search of
Poldark
The success of the BBC’s new adaptation of the Poldark series has seen many visitors return to Cornwall looking for the locations used in the series, as well as those hoping to catch a glimpse of the actors whist filming series two. Although Looe is not featured, many of the filming locations are not that far away. Bodmin Moor is the setting for Nampara, Ross and Demlelza’s home, and other parts of the windswept moor have been used throughout the series. The port of Charlestown, 20 miles down the coast is often seen, not just in Poldark, but also recently in Dr Who. And a day trip out could see you beside the iconic Crowns Engine house’s on the seas edge at Botallack in West Cornwall. Then there’s Daphne DuMaurier’s Jamaica Inn, Port Wenn, home of Doc Martin, and not forgetting the village of Minions where it is said the little yellow men come from!
Useful Telephone Numbers Looe Tourist Information Centre ..................01503 262072 Looe Town Council .……………….……..01503 262255 Looe Harbour Commissioners …...…….….01503 262839 Police—Non Emergency……...................…101 Looe Health Centre / Doctors Surgery …....01503 26 6 9 6 0 Liskeard Community Hospital ……….……01579 335278 Derriford Hospital, Plymouth ……….…….0845 155 8155 Dentist Helpline …………………………..0800 371192 Local Vet ……………………...………….01503 263773 National Rail Enquiries ……………………0345 748 4950 Nearby Tourist Information Centres Liskeard TIC …………………….………..01579 349148 Fowey TIC ……………………..……….....01726 833616
Produced by Looe Town Council The Guildhall, Fore St East Looe, Cornwall PL13 1AA Tel 01503 262072 looetic@btconnect.com
Printed by Deltor Communications Ltd Long Acre, Saltash Cornwall Pl12 6LZ Tel 01752 841717 enquiries@deltoruk.com
The Looe Guide 2016 is produced by Looe Town Council in order to promote the town and surrounding area as a tourist destination. We greatly acknowledge the support of all the businesses whose advertisements appear in these pages. Without their help we would not be able to publish the guide. However, Looe Town Council take no responsibility for the products or services advertised.