Top 10 things to do around Looe
Thinking of coming to stay in Looe with Cornish Horizons? Good choice! We have a great selection of properties, from smugglers’ cottages to farmhouses in glorious, open countryside. But that’s just the start of it. There are plenty of things to do in and around Looe that will help to make your holiday extra special.
1 Take a boat trip to Looe Island
Looe’s little island is Cornwall’s only marine nature reserve. So that means you can only land there on officially licensed boats operating out of Looe. But it’s worth it for the amount of diversity to be found here that include seals, seabirds, sheep and butterflies. A natural wonder!
2 Feel the tropical heat at the Eden Project
The biomes at Eden are nothing short of spectacular. They offer a unique view into both tropical and Mediterranean climates, along with a fantastic collection of trees and plant. There are always things going on to, like the zip wire, abseiling, events and crafts, and the food is excellent.
3 See life below stairs at Lanhydrock House
This beacon of high Victorian style was refurbished extensively after a devastating fire in 1881. As such it’s like a time capsule that few other grand country estates can match. A visit will reveal the family’s history, as well as what life was like below stairs for the people who worked there. Fascinating.
4 Take the monkeys to the Monkey Sanctuary
The Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary at Looe has been caring for monkeys that haven’t had the best start in life since 1964. They rehabilitate monkeys that have been malnourished or poorly treated in private hands and offer a home for life to any monkey that needs it. As well as the chance to see the work they do there is also a café, Bat Zone, Wildlife Room, wildlife gardens, play and activity areas.
5 Play the giant at Polperro Model Village
You’ll definitely be the biggest one there when you visit the Polperro Model Village and Land of Legend. Here you can see Polperro in miniature and find out about some classic Cornish legends. How different is Polperro now, compared to its model counterpart? You’ll have to go and find out!
6 Dare to throw yourself into the Adrenaline Quarry
If you like dangerous stuff, then this is the best place to do it in Cornwall. You can chuck axes at tree stumps (but not without a safety briefing first, of course!), trip across the quarry on a zip wire, swing across it on a giant swing or try wild swimming and coasteering. It’s all great fun.
7 Go underground at Carnglaze Caverns
Billed as ‘Cornwall’s premier underground attraction’, Carnglaze Caverns is a disused slate quarry between Bodmin and Liskeard with a woodland walk and crystal clear underground lake. It’s the ultimate all weather attraction – just remember to bring a jumper – it’s 10 degrees no matter what the weather.
8 Get wrecked at Charlestown shipwreck centre
Charlestown has been many things in its long and illustrious history: once it was a place where china clay and copper were loaded, now it doubles as a film location for producers looking to recreate historic harbourside scenes. The Shipwreck and Heritage centre tells the story of Charlestown in a fun and interesting way and includes a kids’ eye spy trail and a Titanic collection.
9 Walk along the South West Coast Path between Looe and Polperro
A 6 mile coastal walk taking in a holy legend and a sixth century monastery, as well as an eighteenth century eccentric and a nineteenth century engineer. There are rock pools on the beaches, with remnants of shipwrecks and tales of smugglers, and the walk ends with a stroll up through the picturesque fishing village of Polperro to Crumplehorn, where you can catch a bus back to Looe.
10 Take a dip in Polperro’s bathing pool
At the foot of Chapel Cliff on the small sandy beach at Polperro lies a small tidal bathing pool which has been the site of many first swims. As natural as they come it could be described as a giant rockpool so buckets and nets, along with a keen eye, are essentials. There’s also a call for a head for heights and steady legs, for the steps carved into the cliff giving access to the pool are steep and au naturel (hand rails won’t be found here) but what awaits is more than worth the beating heart.
