There’s no denying that Port Isaac is special. Its slate-roofed cottages are nestled around a tiny fishing harbour on the north coast of Cornwall, where boats arrive with their catches in the early morning and children hunt in rock pools for crabs, amongst thick ribbony seaweed. This is an idyllic slice of cozy Cornish life, tucked in amongst the rugged cliffs and hills of the coastline. Here are the best things to do in Port Isaac.
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How to get to Port Isaac
Contrary to popular belief, public transport in Cornwall does exist. And on the parking front, which is frantic– in some ways you’re better off using public transport, if you can bear the sporadic nature of the buses. There is one bus which serves Port Isaac- the number 10– connecting it to the bigger towns of Wadebridge and Bodmin.
However, in Cornwall driving is definitely the most convenient way to get from A to B. In Port Isaac the best car park is St Endellion Car Park which is a split level car park on the road from Port Gaverne to Port Isaac. Slightly further away on Trewetha Lane is the Port Isaac Main Car Park. It’s a bit further to walk but the closest one fills up quickly in the summer months and the main car park is definitely a bit more spacious.
For more details of car parking in Port Isaac head to the website.
A brief history of Port Isaac
Port Isaac is over seven hundred years old, which I’d say is pretty long lasting for a tiny fishing village. From Celtic times right through the Middle Ages and onwards up to the invention of the railway, this was a thriving port, dealing at first in mainly corn (its Cornish name, Porthysek, literally translates as ‘corn port’), and then mostly in pilchard fishing. Good old pilchards.
Once railways were invented, ports weren’t so heavily depended on for trade, and with the simultaneous decline of pilchard populations and the outbreak of the First World War, Port Isaac’s days of relying heavily on the fishing trade were numbered. Since WW1, the little village has survived mainly through tourism.
The best things to do in Port Isaac
Get lost in Port Isaac’s winding streets
To be honest, the village is so tiny that it’s near enough impossible to get lost here. But, what I am saying is that having a good old fashioned wander is probably my number one of all the things to do in Port Isaac.
Having been here for donkeys years, cars just weren’t a factor that needed to be considered when Port Isaac was built, so in actual fact walking is the only way to properly see the village. Just make sure you’ve got enough energy to walk uphill from the harbour front to the main road once you’re done exploring.
From the main road through Port Isaac, walk down towards the harbour, stopping halfway to get an incredible view of the beach and the village’s pretty rooftops. On the opposite side, the path leads up the cliffs to a beaut viewpoint of the coastline. The streets surrounding the harbour are narrow and lined with centuries-old whitewashed cottages containing shops and bars as well as homes. Stock up on souvenirs from a gift shop, or go one step further and get yourself some Cornish themed clothing to blend in with the locals.
Talking of narrow streets, Port Isaac is also home to one of the country’s narrowest streets of all- the marvellously named ‘Squeezy-belly-alley.’ A brilliant name if ever I heard one.
Go rock pooling at low tide
The beach at Port Isaac isn’t particularly big, and for a true beach day in Cornwall you’re better off heading to nearby Rock. But what Port Isaac is brilliant for, is rock pooling.
At low tide, a whole kingdom of rock pools appear at the foot of the cliffs. There’s something all a bit otherworldly about the jagged rock formations jutting out and giving way to the little pockets of saltwater, carpeted with cockles, limpits and whelks. Grab a bucket and a net and if you’re going to clamber into the rock pools its definitely best to don a pair of sea shoes for grip.
For even more prime rock pooling territory, Port Gaverne is just around the corner from Port Isaac.
Check out Port Isaac’s filming locations
For TV people, a tour of the Doc Martin filming locations is a must-do on the list of things to do in Port Isaac. If you fancy checking a few locations out by yourself, at a more leisurely place:
Fern Cottage on Roscarrock Hill becomes the doctor’s surgery. And if you’re a full on superfan (or just want pretty accommodation in Port Isaac), you can also stay in the two bedroom holiday cottage.
The Liberal Club doubles as the village shop.
Buttermilk Artisan Confectionary– which also sells incredible ice cream- becomes Portwenn Chemist.
The Golden Lion is often used as the village pub.
Where to eat in Port Isaac
Like pretty much everywhere in Cornwall, there’s no shortage of delicious food to be found- thanks to those fishing boats. Any meal involving fresh fish or seafood (ya can’t go wrong with a dressed crab, can you?), is almost guaranteed to taste exquisite.
We ate at The Golden Lion, which has a great spot on the hill overlooking the harbour and serves classic pub fare in very cozy pub surroundings. You can tell this is a lovely pub to visit in the winter months as well, with open fires to warm your cockles by.
The Angry Anchovy has probably the best name of any restaurant in Port Isaac, and is also so incredibly popular that you’ll have to book ahead for a table. This pizza restaurant doesn’t just serve delicious pizzas to human visitors; they also provide dog pizzas and are renowned for making dogs feel ultra-welcome indeed. Kind of like the Italian restaurant in Lady and the Tramp.
The Krab Pot is a popular place for lunch and takeaway meals for the beach. I never ate there, but a combination of the smells wafting from the front door and casual side-glances at fellow beach-goers takeaways left me desperate to come back and try a meal from here. For a lunchtime kind of a place it’s pricey, but it’s clearly popular regardless.
For something completely different- and decidedly more upmarket- head to Port Isaac’s Michelin starred restaurant, Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen. You’ll definitely want to book a table ahead of time for this one, as tables fill up fast.
Get a real Cornish ice cream
The first ice cream spot you’ll find when heading down to the harbour is The Ice Cream Parlour towards the top of the hill- which serves vegan ice cream as well as dairy ice cream. You can’t miss this little shop in an old cottage, mainly as it looks so cute but also thanks to the queue that will probably be winding out of the door.
We, however, held out a little longer and went to Buttermilk Artisan Confectionary– you know, the one I mentioned earlier, of Doc Martin fame!? So I can vouch for the facts that the ice cream here is absolutely delicious, the staff really friendly and the portions big. As well as a big selection of ice cream flavours made with Cornish cream, there’s a whole glass counter stocked with fudge.
And who doesn’t love fudge, for goodness’ sake!? Crazy people, that’s who.
Wherever you get your ice cream in Port Isaac, beware the seagulls. These beady-eyed birds are always keeping a watchful eye on unsuspecting humans and will rob you blind within a millisecond if you let them.
Keep your eyes peeled for sea creatures
The North Cornwall coast is renowned for its plethora of marine life, which can often be spotted from the cliffs on either side of Port Isaac. Dolphins and sometimes whales are common here, and sharks are also seen regularly in Cornish waters. (Although don’t worry, generally basking sharks and the odd whale shark hang out in Cornwall, both of which are harmless to humans.) Less commonly, sea turtles have been seen off the rocky coastline.
There are also seals all over the place in Cornish waters, and as we strolled along the cliffs from the car park to the village we happened to spy a grey seal propelling itself forwards through the frothy waves below. It was absolutely magic I tell ya!
Enjoy a beer on the beach
On a sunny evening in summer, grabbing a beer- or any kind of beverage- to take away and sit on the slope of the harbour, is one of the most relaxing things to do in Port Isaac. The Mote sells drinks right on the harbour front, and in 2021 just as things were starting to open up, this was a prime hotspot.
A concrete slope leads upwards from the beach, with ropes and chains snaking out to their respective boats moored in the harbour. Plenty of people perch on spots on the concrete and on little walls and benches, and whether in the evening or daytime this little spot can fill up quickly.
Things to do near Port Isaac
Port Isaac is surrounded by beautiful wild nature, and there is no shortage of things to do in the area.
In addition to Rock Beach, the beautiful golden sands of Polzeath aren’t far away. And nearby towns include pretty Padstow- filled with all the Rick Stein restaurants you could ever wish for- and the lovely little village of Boscastle.
If you’re a lover of the great outdoors, which to be frank if you’re heading to Cornwall you probably should be, Bodmin Moor is a heather-carpeted area of outstanding natural beauty filled with trails across the bleak but beautiful landscape. The stunning St Nectan’s Glen is an enchanting waterfall slightly inland and just a short drive away, and it goes without saying that you might as well explore some of the 630 mile long South West Coast Path, which encompasses the entirety of the south west coast of England, from Minehead to Poole.
I visited Port Isaac as part of my four day trip to Cornwall. See the full itinerary here, if you’re curious!
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