Port Isaac is a pretty fishing village with narrow winding alleys running down the steep hillside to the harbour. Particularly noteworthy is the number of 18th and 19th century white-washed cottages and granite, slate-fronted houses, many officially listed as of architectural or historic importance.
Port Isaac was a busy coastal port from the Middle Ages to the mid 19th century where cargoes like slate, coal and timber were shipped in and out. The economy was also heavily based around the pilchard trade and the sheds where the women cleaned and salted the pilchards now house the fish merchant and tiny aquarium. The stone pier was built in about 1300, and the rest of the harbour in the 19th century. In the church here for the harvest festival celebration, fish, nets, oars and lobster pots took the place of the more conventional flowers and fruit. It's still an active fishing port with locally landed fish available for sale at the fish merchants.
Port Isaac is used as the setting for the ITV comedy drama series "Doc Martin" and most of the interior filming and production work is carried out in a converted barn at a nearby farm.
There are several pubs, bars and restaurants in Port Isaac:
- The Golden Lion near the harbour - an old fisherman's pub
- The Slipway Hotel has a restaurant which specialises in seafood
- The Crow's Nest near the car park which has nice views over the Bay
- The Old School - a bar and restaurant on the way up the hill
- The Mote on the quayside - a bar and restaurant which specialises in local food
There is a large car park at the top of Port Isaac overlooking Port Gaverne. Park here and don't try to drive down into Port Isaac - whilst technically possible to drive a car through Port Isaac, the roads are extremely narrow and often clogged with people or vans being loaded with fish - it could take you a very long time and involve a lot of reversing.
Port Isaac walks
Barrett's Zawn (2 miles)
The walk runs down the valley from Middle Hendra and climbs onto the headland above Barrett's Zawn. There is tunnel to the beach through which slate used to be hauled - it's possible to crawl through to the beach though not it's recommended for the feint-hearted. On the return route path loops through some woodland before returning back up the valley.
Port Gaverne to Port Isaac (2 miles)
The walk starts at Port Gaverne beach passing the Port Gaverne Hotel where there are a number of old pictures of Port Gaverne and Port Isaac a century ago. The walk follows the valley into woodland and climbs out through farmland to the top of the hill where there are excellent views over the valley. The route then descends into the neighbouring valley and follows it down to Port Isaac leading to the Harbour and back through the village to the cliffs overlooking Port Gaverne before descending back to the beach.
Port Quin to Port Isaac (4.5 miles)
The walk runs through fields from Port Quin to Port Isaac and then back along the coast path out onto Lobber Point around Pine Haven, the cliffs overlooking Crowzer Island and past Varley Sand over Varley Head back to Port Quin.
Walks available from the tourist info centre
The tourist information centre in Tintagel has a leaflet (costing 60p) for a 5 mile (fairly arduous) circular walk around Port Isaac which has lots of information about the history of the area. There is also a more leisurely 1.5 mile "village trail" (leaflet for £1) which has lots more detail about Port Isaac itself.
