The Looe River splits into two branches just north of the bridge in Looe in south-east Cornwall. The West Looe River, seen here, has its sources in several streams and springs that are in steeply wooded valleys just to the south-west of the village of Dobwalls, a mile or so to the west of Liskeard. It then flows south past Herodsfoot, Churchbridge and Watergate before meeting the East Looe River almost opposite Looe's railway station, a few hundred yards from where this was taken. On the right is Trenant Wood while on the left is Kilminorth Wood.
Tags: Cornwall West Looe River river valleys woods low tide
© All Rights Reserved
There has been a settlement at Looe on the coast of south-east Cornwall for over a thousand years. For much of that time West Looe (on the left) and East Looe (on the right) were two separate towns with East Looe being much the larger of the two. This changed around the end of the 19th century when a road from the centre of West Looe - around the bottom of West Looe Hill - was built alongside the river to the bridge, providing a connection with East Looe. The town of Looe was then established. In the other direction the road led to the sea and provided the opportunity for a new settlement at Hannafore.
Tags: Cornwall towns Looe Looe River East Looe West Looe Cornish harbours
© All Rights Reserved
Here's a shot from an earlier visit to Cornwall this year. Looe Island (aka. St George's Island) is about a quarter of a mile off Hannafore Beach at the coastal resort of Looe in south-east Cornwall. The sea around the island, which is a nature sanctuary, contains a lot of marine life and there are several glass-bottomed boats based in Looe which bring visitors out to enjoy the sights.
Some scholars, including Glyn Lewis, suggest the island could be Ictis, the location described by Diodorus Siculus as a centre for the tin trade in pre-Roman Britain. There is a local legend that Joseph of Arimathea, a rich merchant who traded in tin, brought the young Jesus of Nazareth here on one of his business trips. There are of course other legends linking Joseph of Arimathea with the West Country.
People have been living on Looe Island since the Iron Age. Evidence of early habitation includes pieces of Roman amphorae as well as stone boat anchors and Roman coins. In the Dark Ages, the island was used as a seat of early Christian settlement. Looe Island became a place of pilgrimage for Christians and a small thatched roofed chapel was built there.
In the 20th century the island was owned by two sisters, Babs and Evelyn Atkins, who lived here. Evelyn died in 1997 at the age of 87; Babs continued to live on the island until her death in 2004 at the age of 86. On her death, the island was bequeathed to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Tags: Cornwall Looe Looe Island Cornwall Wildlife Trust coast islands
© All Rights Reserved
This is part of the riverside at West Looe in Cornwall, with the Sardine Factory on the left being the town's newest building, having been constructed last year. Looe is on the south-east coast of Cornwall and still retains a small fishing industry. But these days, like so many places in Cornwall, its main income is from tourism
Tags: Cornwall Looe West Looe small boats Looe River harbours riverside
© All Rights Reserved
Back a little later from our holiday than planned but with a large coverage of parts of Cornwall and West Devon.
This shot was taken late one afternoon with my cameraphone. I hadn't planned to take any pictures but the tide was out, revealing these wonderful shapes on West Looe's Hannafore Beach. Looe Bay is in the background.
Tags: Cornwall Looe Hannafore Beach rocks coast Looe Bay
© All Rights Reserved