Port Isaac and Rough Tor

We’d suggest leaving The Olde House by 9.30am at the latest. It’s about a 15 minute drive to Port Isaac, where you park in the main car park at the top of the town and walk down the steep hill to the harbour (800 metres). There are various places to grab breakfast or a coffee (depending on the time of year). Port Isaac is a charming fishing village made famous in recent years by being the home of the Fisherman’s Friends (the UK’s oldest boy band!) and the location of fictional “Port Wenn” of Doc Martin fame. It’s worth a mooch around the harbour where there are various shops, pubs and cafes as well as the picturesque harbour. We’d recommend either packing a picnic or picking up some pasties and drinks for lunch in Port Isaac.

After an hour or so head back up the hill to your car and head to Rough Tor car park (approx 25 minutes). There are various options for the walk. You can see Rough Tor looming above you from the car park. The simplest option is to walk up to the top, admire the views and wander back down. However, for the more adventurous you can walk the full route which includes Brown Willy (the highest point in Cornwall at 420 metres). At certain times of year, at dusk, you can watch the mesmerising starling murmurations above the trees – they really are breath taking. For this walk you’ll need good weather, suitable clothing, a map or an app (we’d recommend iwalkcornwall where you can download the walk for a small payment) as well as plenty of refreshments. The full route will take 2-3 hours plus “messing around at the top time”! This is best done on a clear, sunny day when the views are truly stunning.