Get Up Close to the World’s Wildest Animals

Where in the UK can you stroke farmyard animals, join a Lemurs’ tea party and encounter zebra, ostrich, meerkats and antelope in an authentic African Maasai village – all in a single day? Answer: only a few minutes drive from Liskeard.

For 22 years, Porfell Wildlife Park & Sanctuary has been South East Cornwall’s hidden tourist gem, rescuing animals worldwide from other parks and zoos. Set amid rolling fields and untouched woodland, it teems with exotic species that delight children and adult alike.

There’s so much to do at Porfell, it can easily take all day. Experience the new African Adventure: get your passport stamped at border control, trek past safari camp to a real mud hut village and discover the ways of the Maasai warriors. Then, see snakes, wallabies, marmosets and more, take a nature walk, join a ‘meet the animals’ session, feed farm creatures up close and feed yourself at the Peacock Tearooms. It’s a wonderful family experience, open every day from Easter to October, whatever the weather.

PS: Lemurs Tea Party requires advance booking but it’s an unforgettable encounter, perfect for your child’s birthday.

Porfell at a Glance:

• Free Parking
• Tearoom
• Maasai Village
• Woodland Walks
• Animal Interaction Area
• Hand Feeding
• Picnic Area
• Gift Shop
• Adopt an Animal

Siblyback Lake

There’s plenty to do at this scenic lake, including miles of walks, excellent bird watching, children’s play areas and a cafe overlooking the water, offering delicious cakes and a variety of light lunches from Easter to October. Cycle hire is now available

For more details visit www.southwestlakes.co.uk

Boat trips out of Looe (March – October)

20 mins from Liskeard by road (and easy to get to by public transport the bustling port of Looe offers dozens of boat trips and sightseeing excursions from the harbour walls. March through to October, you’ll find skippers drumming up trade for trips around Looe Island, sailing along the coast between the fishing ports, or going out on a glass-bottomed boat. A boat trip is great for the whole family and you get to see Cornwall from a different angle. The skippers are often great sources of local information, too, but don’t ask them where the best fishing spots are, because they’ll just smile and say something like: ’Where the biggest fish are…’

Glass-bottomed boat

Boatzer – Sea life under your feet. Cruise around Looe island, explore caves and spot seals. Friendly skipper. Call Anthony on 07896 162 292.

Mackerel fishing

The Emma Louise – Go mackerel fishing with Dave Haines, a friendly Looe fisherman who knows the waters well. Keep all you catch. Call Dave on 07770 267 155.

Exceptional Coarse & Game Fishing Only a Few minutes Drive from Liskeard

Bake Lakes is considered the ‘Jewel in Cornwall’s Angling Crown’. It offers nine lakes and ponds set in around thirty acres of glorious Cornish countryside. First class fishing for both Trout and Coarse Fish in a wide variety of settings suitable for all skill levels from beginner to expert. We have an on site tackle and bait shop, qualified and licenced tuition in both coarse and fly fishing; it’s all available at Bake Lakes.

Birdwatching at Bake Lakes

Our tranquil set of lakes and ponds is home to a huge variety of birds, wildfowl, mammals and the two rarest dragonflies in the Country. Bake Lakes is a wonderful place to combine a days fishing with bird watching and, if you are lucky on a summers day, a sighting of a Lesser Emperor or Red Veined Darter Dragonfly among the Emperors, Common Darters and Black Tailed Skimmers that abound along the margins of the waterside. Kingfishers are seen daily; often feeding in the lakes from the branches of a waterside Willow or Alder and we are visited by Foxes, Badgers and occasional Otters. The winter brings in more varieties of wildfowl and Bake Lakes is often a temporary home for a lost and rare visitor.

South East Cornwall Beaches

East Looe: Family friendly sandy beach with safe swimming and all services nearby. Easily accessible – there is even a beach wheelchair for disabled visitors.

Hannafore, West Looe: Great for rock pooling at low tide or snorkelling at high tide, free parking on road above, facilities nearby.

Lantic Bay: National Trust owned beach, reached by 20 min walk from car park along and down a steep coast path. Swimmers should be aware of strong currents and shelving.

Lansallos: Another National Trust beach, a secluded cove at the end of an old smugglers path, popular with families.

Seaton: Large dog friendly sand and shingle beach to the east of Looe. Parking behind beach. All facilities.

Talland Bay: Between Looe and Polperro, mix of rock pools and sand, cafes and parking.

Whitsand Bay: Long sandy beaches at bottom of high sloping cliffs. Best place for surfing in area but rip currents can make it dangerous for swimming. Life Guards stationed at Freathy during summer season.

For more detail, see our South East Cornwall Beach Guide