When you are in Fowey — a small, quiet seaport on the south coast of Cornwall — you are only minutes away from several major attractions, including the astonishing Eden Project, an environmental complex housing plant species from around the world.
In fact, when you are in Fowey, you are 75 kilometres or less from 72 gardens of Cornwall (46 of them regularly open to the public), three dozen or so National Trust sites (ranging from castles to protected coastline), and about 20 English Heritage sites (from stone age villages to ruins laden with Arthurian legend).
This is the bad news.
It’s bad news because visitors to Cornwall — especially newcomers — arrive with well-researched itineraries that rush them through Eden and the Lost Gardens of Heligan one day, Tintagel and Bodmin Moor the next, and Land’s End and St. Michael’s Mount the day after that. In a rush to see all the wonderful attractions, we miss wonders right under our noses.
For instance, a place like Fowey seems, in the planning stages, to be simply a convenient place to sleep. Visitors who accept that premise are missing some of the most pleasant holiday days of their lives.
Cornwall is the magical, mystical, most southwesterly part of England; it’s also the warmest spot, the south coast boasting the title "English Riviera." Palm trees and kids on the beach in March authenticate this claim.
When visiting Cornwall, by all means stay in Fowey (pronounced "Foy"). And stay for a full day or two to explore and enjoy this lovely, ancient community.
There are at least three ways to explore the town: on foot, by boat, and seated in one of the pubs or patios. And if you think the latter choice doesn’t offer much opportunity for exploration, perhaps you need lessons in people watching.
Fowey is small enough to explore on foot — although visitors should be warned that it is built into Cornish coastline, stacked high up the hillside. You will be climbing fairly steep hills during any foot expedition.
Views of the harbour — one of the finest on this coast — are breathtaking. It is actually the mouth of the River Fowey, which has its source on Bodmin Moor.
Walk along the Esplanade, where you will find shops clearly aimed at visitors, side by side with others geared to local needs, like the fishing industry. There is a great bookstore, featuring the works of local writers, among them Daphne du Maurier.
After wandering around the Town Quay, move slightly up into the town and visit St. Fimbarrus Church. As usual with ancient British churches, there are bits dating back to Norman times and earlier, but the bulk of the building is newer —only 600 years old. It is dedicated to a saint who is said to have visited Fowey in the sixth century as he travelled from Ireland to Rome.
At least as prominent as the patron saint is the name of a local family — "Treffry" — inscribed on tombs, plaques and memorial windows. The Treffrys have long been the local landlords; they continue to own and occupy "Place," the fortified mansion built in 1260 in the heart of town. There is a Canadian connection — members of the Treffry family moved to the Norwich, Ontario area in pioneer days.
From Polruan, a ferry-ride across the harbour, you get a great view of Fowey, including the Block House and, closer to the harbour mouth, the castle built by Henry VIII. Polruan has its own Block House. At the time of wars with France, a huge chain ran along the bottom of the harbour between these fortifications; on one occasion, part of the French fleet was trapped in the harbour as the chain was raised to block its exit.
Such tales of derring-do abound in this port town. The story is told of Elizabeth Treffry, lady of the manor, pouring molten lead on French invaders from the roof of Place.
Higher in the town, another kind of enchantment may strike you, especially if you are a fan of Mole, Badger and Toad of Wind in the Willows fame. The luxurious Fowey Hall Hotel and Restaurant on Hanson Drive is the current incarnation of Fowey Hall — which looks remarkably like Toad Hall, the residence of Mr. Toad in Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved book. And in fact, it is just that —the model for the mansion of the fictitious amphibian.
For an entirely different perspective, take to the water. The ferry to Polruan is a fine idea, but visitors will learn even more on a Fowey River Cruise. I set sail with Captain Ian Owers on his Troy, a motor launch that seats 22, for a cruise up the river and to the harbour mouth. We went past the village of Bodinnick and the house of the du Maurier family where Daphne wrote the first of her novels. (There is an annual Daphne du Maurier Festival of Art and Literature in Fowey each May.)
We got a close look at the otherwise hidden Fowey Docks, built to serve the exporters of the area’s famous China Clay. And we got great views of the blockhouses and the castle, as well as the harbour mouth. The water explorations are highly recommended; there are options ranging from 45-minute harbour cruises to all day sea adventures.
There is only one proper conclusion to such exploration — either by land or sea — and that is to enjoy a pint of local beer, or a meal of local seafood, in one of the many fine and ancient public houses and restaurants in the heart of Fowey, places like The Ship Inn, built in 1570, or the Lugger Inn, in business since 1782.
And of course, you are in Cornwall, so you must sample the local treats such as Cornish pasties, Cornish cream, and the surprisingly excellent English Estate Tea, the first ever English tea actually grown in England, at Tregothnan garden, only a few kilometres west of Fowey.
There are plenty of places to eat in town, and several good places to stay. I have two favourites — the Marina Hotel, right on the harbour, with glorious views of yachts, birds, and water from a balcony that might keep you right there for half your day; and Carnethic House Apartments, a Georgian hotel that was completely refurbished to luxury standards in 2006.
A Cornwall itinerary that did not include spending a couple of days in Fowey would be bad news indeed. So instead, stay for a week, and spend the first two days exploring the town, the river and the oceanfront. Then, of course, find time to enjoy the Eden Project, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Tintagel, Bodmin Moor, St. Michael’s Mount, and Land’s End. And don’t forget the gardens of Trebah, Glendurgan, and Lanhydrock. Or the castles of Caerhays, St. Mawes, and Pendennis. And you must visit Chysauster Ancient Village and the wonderful medieval house, Cotehele.
On second thought, make it two weeks. Cornwall is certainly worth the time.
For more info, see visitbritain.com/ca.