Beautiful Fowey

Fowey

Fowey is a busy sheltered deep water working port offering extensive facilities for the visiting yachtsmen, popular with tourists. A busy place, with an harbour full of pleasure craft in Summer. The town itself clings to the hill side. It is full of character having many narrow meandering streets for you to explore.

Visit the Du Maurier Literary Centre in narrow Fore Street running parallel with the waterfront. The beautiful St Fimbarrus Church. Secret gardens, such as the Old Boys Grammar School, alive with roses in summer. Climb the granite steps of Bull Hill.

Lots of restaurants and inns. The Lugger Inn, the Ship Inn, the Galleon Inn, the King of Prussia. Places to stay. Bed and Breakfasts. Numerous shops, from craft, ceramics, to bric a brac, leather goods, a pottery, a chandlers, a gallery specialising in contemporary fine art, a bakery offering "proper Cornish home made pasties". even an outfitters with lots for the sailors amongst you to wear. Is the Lifeboat moored in the River? A short walk away along The Esplanade, at Readymoney Cove, there is a small sheltered beach. Overlooking the Harbour Entrance St Catherine's Castle , built by Henry VIII.

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Daphne Du Maurier first came to the area in her early twenties and immediately fell in love not just with the town but the whole of Cornwall. For many years she lived at Ferryside, the house next to the Bodinnick Ferry. During her lifetime she produced numerous romantic novels including the following best-sellers: Rebecca, Jamaica Inn, ( inspired after she visited the famous Inn on Bodmin Moor), The House on the Strand, The King's General, and not forgetting Frenchman's Creek. The particularly helpful staff of the Fowey Tourist Information Centre are a mine of local knowledge, and not just about Du Maurier. Fancy a guided walk? In May each year the town and the surrounding area hold the renown, and very popular, Daphne Du Maurier Festival.

Walks The Hallwalk Fowey. Particularly memorable in autumn and winter when leaves no longer obscure the views across the river, but nice at any time of year. One of the prettiest circular walks in Cornwall with wonderful views across the River and down to the estuary mouth to Polruan. 2 miles.

Most people leave their car and catch the ferry across to Polruan. Where you will find a wide choice of places to eat and rest just taking in the hustle and bustle of the Harbour- the incoming tide lapping against the quay walls. . However if your still feeling energetic walk west thorough the town to St Catherine's Point and the Castle Ruins overlooking the entrance to the Harbour.

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Boating and Sailing. The estuary is a natural deep sheltered water harbour, accessible at all states of the tide. Extensive moorings for the keen yachtsman or cruiser exploring the south coast of Cornwall are available. Fuel bunkering in the Summer off a pontoon in Pont Pill. Both it and Polruan have boat repair, craneage and rigging facilities. You will often see a trawler on one of Polruan's slipways being given its annual repaint.

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In Season Hire a dinghy or motor boat, giving you the freedom of the river from its mouth to the navigable limit at Lerryn or Lostwithiel depending on the tide. Glide past the China Clay Jetties. Take the Steamer Gallant.

Explore the many inlets off the beaten track. Cornish villages like Golant and further upriver the beautiful St Winnow Church. In Summer take a boat trip along the Coast to Polperro or Mevagissey

Across the River -Polruan. Less touristy, but full of character and old style charm, and well worth the foot ferry trip across the River. Narrow streets clinging to the hillside leading down to the ancient waterfront and quay. Polruan has been a boat building centre for hundreds of years.

Around and about Only 4 miles away towards St Austell is the exciting Eden Project with a vast collection of plants housed in two huge biomes. Pop down to Charlestown Harbour and the Heritage Centre. Continue around the Bay. Nearby the historic fishing village are the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Why not give the car a rest and take the Mevagissey Ferry This passenger ferry offers a day out if you are based on either side of St Austell Bay. Ideal for a day's shopping, exploring and/or walking, or just seeing the Coast. The ferry runs in summer from May until mid-October, weather and sea conditions permitting. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes.

Those of you keen on walking walk might want to explore the Cornwall Coast from Polperro to Looe passing majestic headlands such as Pencarrow Head and difficult to reach beaches such as Lantic Bay.