Looe

Looe is a small coastal town on the south coast of Cornwall, built around an estuary that divides East Looe and West Looe, linked by a bridge. Once a working fishing village, it retains an active harbour where fishing boats and sea-angling vessels still dock, shark fishing having long been a local tradition. Narrow streets lined with stone cottages house shops, pubs and seafood restaurants. East Looe's sandy beach, lifeguarded in season, is popular with families, while the Banjo Pier offers views across the bay towards Looe Island, a small offshore islet reachable by boat depending on the tide. The town is served by the Looe Valley Line, a scenic branch railway running alongside the river to Liskeard. A summer music festival brings extra life to the seafront each year. Looe remains a well-liked destination for its genuine maritime setting, its coastal paths forming part of the South West Coast Path, and its unspoilt fishing-village atmosphere, making it a good base for exploring the wider Cornish coastline.