All About Cornwall

The picturesque harbour of Port Isaac Cornwall is a very pretty harbour village set in the bottom of a steep valley. Port Isaac developed as a pilchard fishery from mediaeval times and once had the second largest pilchard fishery on the north coast and then trade grew around the shipping of slate. Today the twisting and winding streets of Port Isaac are popular with tourists and loved by artists and walkers. The setting for the well known TV drama Doc Martin, Port Isaac is one of the most well known villages in Cornwall.

The name Port Isaac means corn port.

There is a pretty harbour area in the centre of Port Isaac where boats can be seen bobbing in the waves. There is a small harbour beach which although looks nice is not really a beach for a beach day out. There are plenty glorious Cornish beaches nearby though if you want to head for the beach.

Port Isaac Cornwall is a pretty village for a walk round and maybe for some lunch or a coffee. Port Isaac has a number or galleries selling local art and crafts and gift shops (for more information see our list of Galleries in Port Isaac). There are some places to eat in Port Isaac or to get a coffee or glass of wine (for more information see our list of places to eat in Port Isaac). For those who enjoy walking there is good walking nearby on the Cornish coast path which leads from Port Isaac on the cliffs to the east and west. Port Isaac is small but there is still a choice of accommodation in Port Isaac (for more information view our list of Accommodation in Port Isaac Cornwall).

Due to it's popularity Port Isaac can be very busy in the summer months and it is difficult to drive into the village by car and there is very limited parking in the village. Usually you have to use the car park at the top of the village and make the steep climb down to the village and steeper climb back to the car.

The Old Lifeboat House in Port Isaac Cornwall was built in 1869 to house the first Port Isaac lifeboat. The boat was run down the street on an iron carriage, a strong man guiding it and 20-30 men with ropes taking the strain from behind, launching the boat took 3 minutes. In 1933 the station was closed. The village acquired it's first inflatable inshore lifeboat in 1966 which is now housed in the new lifeboat house opposite the slipway. You can see the lifeboat in the Lifeboat station if the station is open.

Port Isaac has lots of quaint narrow streets lined with pretty granite cottages. The alley known as Temple Bar is particularly narrow and was recorded in the Guiness Book of Records in 1978 as the world's narrowest thoroughfare. At the narrowest point Temple Bar is only 18 inches wide. T he more recent title of Squeeze-ee-belly Alley was given to the alley in the 1950s reportedly after this was the advice given to a plump lady trying to get through. Good access to the Coast Path in both directions. Rumps Point being 5 1/4 miles, Port Quin 3 miles and Port Gaverne half a mile.

The Old Primary School in Port Isaac was the village school until 1976. It was designed in 1877 by the Cornish architect Sylvanus Trevail who won a prize for it in a Chicago exhibition.

Port Isaac Cornwall is a nice place to visit for a few hours if you are nearby or would make a handy base to see the surrounding area of North Cornwall.

IMAGES OF PORT ISAAC CORNWALL

The cliffs around Port Isaac providing amazing views and the Cornish Coast Path runs from Port Isaac to the East and West.

 

Bert and Als van from Doc Martin the TV series filmed in Port Isaac Cornwall.

One of the narrow winding streets at Port Isaac Cornwall

The coast path runs to the east and west of Port Isaac giving access to beautiful cliff walks with sea views.

Doc Martin's House in Port Isaac Cornwall.

Picturesque and quaint cottages edge the narrow streets Port Isaac Cornwall and the ice cream shop looks very tempting!

The steep narrow road leading from the harbour in Port Isaac past Doc Martin's House to the coast path.

The cliff views around Port Isaac Cornwall are amazing.

 

Map of Port Isaac Cornwall

View Port Isaac Cornwall in a larger map