Port Isaac

Port Gaverne, Cornwall: A Hidden Cove Steeped in Smugglers’ Secrets Tucked just around the cliff from Port Isaac, Port Gaverne feels like stepping into a quieter, more secretive chapter of Cornwall’s north coast.  While Port Isaac draws the crowds with its postcard-perfect harbour, Port Gaverne offers something subtler—raw coastal beauty, a fascinating past, and a sense of seclusion that’s increasingly rare. A Cove Built by the Sea—and Smugglers Port Gaverne’s history is inseparable from the sea. Originally developed in the 18th and early 19th centuries as a small harbour, it served local trade and fishing—but its sheltered position also made it ideal for smuggling. Cornwall’s rugged coastline, with its hidden inlets and unpredictable tides, provided perfect cover for illicit trade. Brandy, tobacco, and other contraband goods were quietly landed here under the cover of darkness.  Local legend suggests that tunnels once linked the cove to inland buildings, allowing smugglers to...