Polperro, a spectacular few miles along the coast from Looe, is a different kettle of fish. Sheltered from the ravages of time and tide in its cliff ravine, it’s an enchanting jumble of cottages, each one unmistakably the work of a Cornish fisherman.

Wending your way through the traffic-free streets to the small harbour, you’re treading the paths where barrows of fish were once carted and, under cover of night, brandy casks and tobacco bales were carried into their hideouts. Make no mistake, this peaceful fishing cove, mellow Polperro, was once a thriving centre for the area’s smuggling.

Wagonloads of contraband left here, some heading across Bodmin Moor en route to London. The ‘freetraders’ have long since sailed into folk history and the shining shoals of pilchards have gone, but a visit to the smuggling museum brings this rich heritage back to life.

Today, in cellars where furtive smugglers once dodged the customs men’s muskets, you can see displays of local crafts and fishermen’s smocks, or you can dine in style at one of Polperro’s excellent restaurants.

The coast either side of the harbour provides some wonderful walking, if somewhat steep in places! Talland, between Polperro and Looe has a sandy beach with a couple of cafes open in the season. Going the other way, Lansallos is a secluded cove only accessible on foot, just the sort of place smugglers would have landed in times past.