Snapshots of Looe

Looe at Dusk.

Looe has been my home for almost seven years - a fact that blows my mind at times, I’ve never lived in one spot for very long. My childhood was spent flitting from one place to the next, a couple of years here, a couple of years there at most.

A view of West Looe looking from its Eastern side.

The view from one of my favourite benches for eating an ice cream.

Younger adult me went from running a small studio to back packing for years on end and never staying still for long - indeed before coming to Cornwall, I was up in Edinburgh (an amazing city, a must for anyone to visit).

My home affords me a view over Looe river, a spot where I can watch the little branch line train come in, bringing in curious travellers, workers and a vital connection to the outside world. I also get the amusement of watching day trippers getting stuck on the sand bar, or paddle boards glide up river to enjoy the views and wildlife.

Paddleboarding up Looe River

Looe has truly become a home to me, a place full of hidden spots full of peace and nature for me to unwind in - its night sky hasn’t been entirely ruined by street lights and garish “security lights” - so I can sit with my telescope in the evenings and bask in starlight - or venture to the front to look at Looe island with our home galaxy glowing above.

Looe Island with the Milky Way glowing above it.

This peace is balanced out by the busy riverside, full of families crabbing, eating ice-creams whilst shooing away gulls. Pleasure boats dominate the water here, with the ferry nipping between East and West Looe for a pound fare and a moment of on the water peace.

The Sun setting over the busy riverside.

The sea front, with its sweeping beach is the draw for most people visiting, it’s a part I honestly rarely visit in the summer days, though early morning and as the sun fades in the evenings, it has a relaxing vibe and the gentle bustle of people heading home, or to dinner has a happy sound to it.

Indeed the mornings on Looe river can be really beautiful as the mist rises off its surface, with gulls preparing for another day of terrorising tourists and catching fish.

Banjo Pier - iconic and beautiful with early morning Sun.

Early morning on the river can be especially beautiful.

Looe has a lot of hidden (not Narnia hidden, but “less explored”) side streets and bits the visiting throngs rarely visit - these streets often have pretty cottages, buildings with history, not nation making, King breaking history - but the kind that leaves you imagening how people once lived, what daily life was like before the world shrank and the fishing vanished.

Cute cottages can be found away from the main streets of Looe.

Among these streets, are uncountable numbers of second homes, and holiday lets that go dark and dormant during the winter months, but despite this, there’s a deep sense of community here, everyone knows everyone else or at least recognises you from “such and such” and this leads to people greeting you, asking how you are and stopping for a chat - which makes it even more of a home.

The walk to the shop often affords me a beautiful view.

Looe is pretty, its quaint and very photogenic - which is something I don’t take for granted and still keeps me looking for the next photo opportunity.