Wednesday 25 August 2010

Polperro, Cornwall

Polperro is a place that you won't forget in a hurry. It was last August when I first visited this small fishing village on the southern coast of Cornwall and it was by far my favourite of all the Cornish towns I got to visit. Maybe it was that 'Lost in time' effect that the place had on me - maybe it was those narrow photogenic streets with tiny cottages at every turn - or maybe it was the hot cornish pasties and scrumpy cider. All things considered, it was probably all of those things and more.

As with the majority of the Cornish villages and towns I have visited, Polperro was very well kept. The long road down to the shops and harbour were lined with well maintained properties and gardens, many of which were in full bloom and bouncing with colour. A tiny shuttle bus carried no more than a dozen passengers to and from the harbour, plus a horse and cart chipped in with its regular service on the same route.

Boats lined the small harbour at Polperro, which also has a row of houses along one edge of the water, giving an excellent view from each living area. Opposite these houses is the tiny fish quay where boats land their daily catch. There's a bit of everything here. At the harbour's edge tourists could board a boat for a thirty minute trip to Looe and back. Not for me though, there was far too much to see in Polperro itself, so it was time to explore those back streets to discover things I didn't get to see last year. Off the beaten track is where you'll often find those hidden gems. One of those caught me eye just seconds into the first back street I walked down. A house with rendering to the front, covered in sea shells from top to bottom. There were hundreds of them, which were painstakingly (and stategically) placed to give maximum effect. I think it worked!

A nice cold pint of Cornish Rattler cider in a beer garden near the trickling stream rounded off another great visit to Polperro. The little fella caught site of a chocolate fountain in one of the sweet shops and that was it. Within a couple of minutes his face was covered, but did he enjoy it? Silly question really.
So another afternoon in Polpeero comes to an end. Already looking forward to the next visit...

Thanks for reading, Ash