Downderry

Downderry is a quiet coastal village on Cornwall’s south-east coast, sitting on the cliffs between Looe and the Tamar Valley. It’s the kind of place that barely registers on most tourist radars, which is exactly why the people who know it keep coming back. The village has a good sandy beach that faces south, catching the sun for most of the day, and the water is generally calm — proper swimming conditions rather than surfing territory.

The village itself is small: a handful of houses, a pub, a village shop and not much else. That’s the point. The beach is rarely crowded even in peak summer, and the coastal walking in both directions is excellent. Head east along the coast path towards Seaton for easy, flat walking with views across Whitsand Bay, or go west towards Looe for something more dramatic. The Monkey Sanctuary at nearby Murrayton is an unusual day out for families.

Downderry works well as a peaceful base for exploring south-east Cornwall without the bustle of Looe or Polperro. Plymouth is about half an hour away across the Tamar Bridge if you want a bigger town fix, and the Rame Peninsula — often called Cornwall’s forgotten corner — is nearby and well worth a day’s exploring.