The full guide
Read straight through, or use the planning notes above to shape an easier coastal day.
Port Isaac is a charming working fishing village with a pretty harbour and white washed cottages. Much of the television series 'Doc Martin' was filmed in Port Isaac. The RNLI have stationed a lifeboat here since 1869.
Although Port Isaac is still a fishing port, it was also once a busy port where all sorts of produce was exported including Delabole slate.
The popular singing group 'Fishermens Friends' are from Port Isaac.
Port Gaverne
Port Gaverne is located just to the east of Port Isaac and is a lovely quaint cove. There is limited parking although it is only a short walk down the hill from Port Isaac where car parking is available. Port Gaverne is a popular destination for anglers.
Port Quin
Port Quin was once a busy fishing village like Port Isaac but legend has it that the entire fishing fleet was destroyed during a great storm in the late 19th Century. The widows left behind moved to nearby Port Isaac leaving Port Quin practically deserted. The cove was used for filming for the 70s series 'Poldark'
Sea Fishing in Port Isaac area
This area is great for rock fishing and species caught include mackerel, pollack, sea bass, dog, gurnard, plaice, whiting and turbot
Port Isaac RNLI
The Lifeboat
Copeland Bell – D class inshore lifeboat
The Lifeboat Station
Situated in a 700-year-old fishing village, Port Isaac has seen lifeboats launching off the north Cornish coast for over 100 years.
Useful for your next visit
A few useful Down The Cove picks connected to this read.
Common questions
- Where is Port Isaac?
- Port Isaac is on the north coast of Cornwall, between Padstow and Tintagel, set in a steep-sided valley running down to a small harbour. The village's narrow, winding streets mean parking is usually in the car park above the village.
- What is Port Isaac known for?
- Port Isaac is known as a working fishing village and as a screen location, with much of the TV series Doc Martin filmed here. It's also the home of the Fisherman's Friends, the group of local fishermen who sing sea shanties, and has a long lifeboat heritage.
- What is there to do in Port Isaac?
- You can explore the harbour and slipway, wander the narrow lanes, including the famously tight Squeeze Belly Alley, follow Doc Martin filming locations, and walk the South West Coast Path. Nearby Port Gaverne is good for rockpooling.
- What is near Port Isaac?
- Just east lies the quiet cove of Port Gaverne, while to the west is Port Quin, a near-deserted former fishing hamlet. The dramatic beach at Trebarwith Strand and the surf at Polzeath are both within easy reach along the coast.
- Is Port Isaac worth visiting?
- Yes. With its photogenic harbour, working fishing heritage and famous screen and musical connections, Port Isaac is one of the most charming and characterful villages on the North Cornwall coast.
