West Looe — Cornwall, England
West and East Looe are separated by the River Looe and together they comprise the town of Looe. During the 12th century they were separate towns with separate Parliamentary seats. In 1411 they were connected by a fourteen arch bridge considered to be the earliest in Cornwall. Today the twin towns are joined by a seven arch bridge dating from 1853, which is located further upstream from the original bridge.
This is a fishing town with a reputation of having some of the best fresh fish available. Looe was one of the most prolific builders of fishing Luggers dating back to about 1850. This continued until the 1920's and there are some luggers still in use today. These wonderful boats were hand crafted without plans, and no two boats are exactly alike. The town is also known for shark fishing and is the home of the Shark Angling Club of Great Britain who do not land sharks; they only tag and return them to the sea.
The weather is mild with short winters giving rise to tourism. There are breathtaking panoramas with cliff paths some of which are part of the South West Coastal Path; or take the Looe Heritage Town Trail and see some of Looe's most significant historical buildings, the site of Looe's old Luggars and the Banjo Pier with its circular end.
Looe offers safe beaches, tide pools, scuba diving, fishing and pleasure boat sailing on the Looe River. This is a town rich in history with a 16th century inn called The Jolly Sailor that has been serving the locals since 1516. St. Nicholas' Church dates back to 1336, The Guildhall in East Looe built circa 1500 has a pillory outside the building, the town has cobbled streets, narrow twisting streets, and a number of smugglers' taverns.
There are numerous attractions in Looe, but don't miss visiting the Monkey Sanctuary while there. This unique environmental charity Trust dedicated to promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates was also the first place in the world where these monkeys bred successfully outside of their native habitat. And for the children visit Porfell Animal Land, an animal sanctuary that also has a children's farm.
Then there is the island of St. George also known as Looe Island, which lies west of Hannafore beach and was privately owned until the Atkins sisters gifted the island to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. One of the unusual features of this island is that it is partially wooded making it a sanctuary for birds. Historically there was once a Benedictine chapel on the island circa 1139 of which only a few stones remain; and the island was a smugglers' haven during the time of privateers.
During the Napoleonic Wars the French developed a fast and powerful fighting vessel. French Privateers and Corsairs began to use these luggers, and then destroyed, captured and looted other ships and sold the crews into slavery. Many coastal towns such as Looe were raided and suffered similar fates. The Polperro Heritage Museum has a collection of exhibits relating to fishing and to the smuggling trade that once thrived in the area.
Where is West Looe?West Looe is located in Cornwall, England, near the end of the A387 road. The nearest populated areas include Liskeard to the north and Fowey to the west.
Have you ever visited West Looe?Is West Looe your favourite place to stay during the holidays? Should West Looe be on everyone's list of must-see travel destinations? Tell us why, we're interested. Let us know what you think about West Looe — your comments may be published on this website.
