This ocean-going yacht makes good progress past Polruan as it sails up the River Fowey prior to mooring.

Tags:   Cornwall River Fowey Polruan sailing boats

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This was taken from the Bodinnick Ferry, which crosses the River Fowey at the northern end of the town and connects Bodinnick with Fowey. There are beautiful old houses all alongside the river at Fowey, and I wish I could afford one! Fowey is a historic town set on the western side of a sunken river valley which provides a deep natural harbour. A headland which is home to the village of Polruan protects the harbour and also helps to form a narrow entrance.

Tags:   Cornwall Fowey River Fowey riverside houses Bodinnick Ferry

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The charming village of Polruan (on the left) sits on a steep headland which overlooks the wide sunken valley of the River Fowey, and the town of Fowey itself. At this point, where the river is about to enter the sea, it is extremely narrow, and a yacht is about to pass through. In medieval times a heavy chain would be placed across the river to prevent enemy ships from sailing upriver to attack shipping at anchor. This chain ran from Polruan Castle, the remains of which can be seen to the right of centre, to a similar building in Fowey on the other side of the river. It was last used in the wars against the Dutch in the 1660s.

Tags:   Cornwall Polruan River Fowey Fowey Cornish villages harbours

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This was taken from the headland at Polruan on the south coast of Cornwall. This helps to protect the deep water harbour at Fowey (behind the camera) from the gales in the English Channel. The narrow entrance to the harbour is out of shot behind the white house on the right. In the distance in the centre, what looks like a lighthouse is in fact a daymark. This was constructed on Gribbin Head in 1832 to provide a navigation aid to shipping and distinguish the various headlands from each other. The red and white banded tower is owned by the National Trust and in normal times is open to visitors every Sunday from July to early September. In the far distance, left of centre, is the fishing village of Mevagissey. In between the end of April and the beginning of October a regular ferry service runs from here to Fowey. The trip takes about 40 minutes.

Tags:   Cornwall Polruan coast cliffs landscapes seascapes

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When the 38,000 ton cruise liner Prinsendam recently visited the harbour at Fowey in Cornwall the ship's lifeboats were used to ferry passengers to and from shore as well as undertaking scenic tours up the River Fowey. I only wish I had been there to see the ship squeeze through the narrow harbour entrance between Polruan (seen in the distance) and Fowey. It would have been quite a display of seamanship.

Tags:   Cornwall Fowey River Fowey Cornish harbours Prinsendam, cruise ship lifeboats ship's lifeboats

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