Helford River Helford Village & Helford Passage Helford village and Helford Passage are situated on opposite sides of the Helford River. The river provides great shelter from th...
Helford Village & Helford Passage
Helford village and Helford Passage are situated on opposite sides of the Helford River. The river provides great shelter from the southwesterly prevailing winds, however is not so pleasant in an easterly wind. Helford has a sailing club with a slipway so is a good launch point to explore the river by boat. There is a ferry that travels to and from Helford village and Helford Passage.
Local note
Helford River works best as a base for small, unhurried coastal moments: a beach walk, a harbour visit, and time together without over-planning.
Check the final approach, parking arrangements and arrival window before travelling through narrow coastal roads.
Good for families who want a settled base rather than trying to fit too much into one day.
Use it as a base for local beaches, harbour walks, seafood stops and nearby fishing or coast paths.
Pack for mixed weather and plan a few easy coastal options nearby so the trip still feels good if the forecast turns.
Along the river from Helford is Frenchmans Creek which was made famous by Daphne du Maurier.
There are commercial fishing boats working from Helford but the majority of boats in the river are pleasure craft.
St Anthony in Meneage
St Anthony is a small village situated in Gillan Creek, a creek at the entrance to the Helford River.
St Anthony is an ideal sailing location and is home to a variety of yachts and small boats.
Gweek
Gweek is at the head of the Helford River. It was once a very busy port both during the pilchard fishing era and also as an export point for the local ores mined nearby. Nowadays Gweek is still an important centre for boat building and repairs.
The Cornish Seal Sanctuary is situated at Gweek, a tourist attraction whose main aim is to rescue injured seal pups and when possible to return them to the wild.
Durgan
Durgan is a small hamlet situated on the north bank of the Helford River.
The beach at Durgan is great for families and as a base for watersports.
Porth Navas
Porth Navas creek is home to an oyster farm where Cornish oysters and mussels can be bought. Porth Navas is very picturesque.
Sea Fishing in Helford area
The Helford River produces good sized mullet, big bream on lower stretches of the river. You can also catch various flatfish with good sized plaice being amongst them. Bass, pollack and mackerel can also be caught in the river. However, if catching bass beware that Helford is a spawning area for bass and there is a size limit on estuarine bass of 36cm - you are not allowed to keep bass caught in the river under this size.
A few useful Down The Cove picks connected to this read.
