This picturesque fishing village has been hailed as one of the prettiest in Cornwall, offering unspoilt coastal views and traditional coastal village charm without the touristy crowds
It’s an unspoilt village that has managed to escape from the usual thronging crowds(Image: Getty Images)
Cornwall boasts a hidden treasure which genuinely appears untouched by the passage of time.
Surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and brimming with quintessential Cornish character, this South Cornwall fishing village ranks amongst the region’s most remarkable destinations.
Dubbed by Secrets of Cornwall as “a great secret frozen in time”, this small harbour village sits magnificently at the base of a steep, imposing valley that opens onto the magnificent Veryan Bay.
Regarded as the jewel in the crown of Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula, this seaside village offers classically Cornish vistas, yet remarkably remains free from the typical tourist hordes.
The late Sir John Betjeman – Poet Laureate and famously the champion who rescued St Pancras Station from demolition during the 1960s – once lauded this small hamlet as “one of the least spoiled and most impressive of Cornish fishing villages”, and it’s fair to say Portloe has thoroughly justified such praise.
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Timeless Cornish treasure
The village takes its name from the Cornish ‘Porth Logh’, meaning ‘cove pool’ – an apt description reflecting its scenic setting within a cove encircled by striking hillsides.
This naturally protected location secured its position as a thriving pilchard fishing harbour throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
In fact, until the 20th century, more than 50 fishing vessels worked from the village’s sheltered cove harbour, a figure that has since plummeted to just two.
These remaining active boats continue their trade, catching lobster and crab which is subsequently sold to the village’s two establishments – The Lugger and The Ship Inn.
Regarded as amongst Cornwall’s most charming villages, Portloe represents a genuine hidden treasure, untouched by time’s march and contemporary development, reports Cornwall Live.
The precipitous valleys surrounding the village have ensured Portloe’s immunity from urban expansion throughout the years, leaving the settlement and its structures virtually unchanged since their original construction during the 17th and 18th centuries.
As with much of Cornwall, Portloe’s history is intertwined with smuggling, with French brandy serving as the primary illicit cargo trafficked through the village in an attempt by residents to bolster the hamlet’s declining fishing industry.
Famous connections
Portloe offers a genuine retreat from Cornwall’s renowned summer throngs, providing merely a picturesque historic harbour and a modest beach which reveals a small expanse of sand at low tide – its picture-perfect settings undisturbed by tourist bustle.
The village’s pristine charm has also made it a sought-after filming location through the years, notably featuring in Forever England (1935) starring John Mills, Treasure Island (1949), The Camomile Lawn (1991), and more recently in Richard Curtis’ rom-com smash hit About Time (2013), the BBC’s Wild West television series, and Irish Jam (2006).
What to see and do in the picturesque coastal village
Visitors shouldn’t miss Portloe’s two most celebrated establishments – The Lugger hotel and The Ship Inn.
Positioned right at the crown of the harbour slipway, The Lugger offers diners the chance to savour freshly caught lobster, crab and fish whilst enjoying unrivalled vistas of the Cornish coastline.
Steeped in Portloe’s history, The Lugger was formerly a notorious smuggler’s hideout, with its innkeeper even meeting his fate at the gallows during the 18th century for trafficking French brandy.
For those preferring a valley-facing outlook and a more traditional pub ambience, the much-loved Ship Inn beckons – originally a 17th century fisherman’s dwelling that remains adorned with nautical memorabilia. Offering delectable dishes, The Ship Inn has built its reputation on fresh seafood whilst also catering to fans of more conventional pub classics.
One Tripadvisor review of this stunning village reads: “One of those hidden treasures that we love. Tucked away and not easy to find, but so well worth the trip. There is no beach to speak of, this is still very much a fishing village. One hotel, one pub, lots of fancy pants second homes and a handful of old fishing boats plying their trade. A great place to start a section of the coast path also. Or just sit and be, and let the day drift by.”
Another delighted visitor remarked about Portloe: “Lovely, timeless location, where they still winch small fishing boats up on the beach. The only other place I know of like this is Cadgwith Cove on the Lizard peninsula. Simple and unspoiled – thankfully not inundated with tourists like Polperro. There are beautiful clifftop walks to enjoy, or you can just sit and listen to the waves lapping on the shore.”
There’s precious little else to occupy yourself with in this picturesque Cornish fishing village beyond eating, drinking and soaking up the spectacular coastal vistas – and quite honestly, we can’t imagine a more perfect way to while away your holiday hours.