Fowey, Bodinnick and Polruan

Fowey (pronounced ‘foy’ to rhyme with ‘joy’!) is a beautiful Cornish port town, residing at the mouth of the River Fowey. Located near St. Austell on the South Coast, it is surrounded by beauty and steeped in history. With origins in fishing and smuggling, its trade now relates more to tourism and yachting.

On the other side of the river, Polruan and Bodinnick are also picturesque, just a short trip away on the Bodinnick Ferry for vehicles or the smaller Polruan Ferry for pedestrians. Around the corner is Polkerris and Par, an awesome coastal walk if visiting the area and with a few images featured in this unique stock photo album.

House prices in this wealthy area have shot up in recent years, now averaging around £500k in 2023 (nearly double the national average). This is particularly since Covid restrictions, with people selling up in the Southeast and London, instead choosing to work from a nicer home in a holiday location. Many of the local folk in Fowey and Polruan have now cashed in and sold up their properties. This has changed the area’s demographic, to an extent it’s now described by locals as the ‘Fowey-paloi’.

With views predominantly from and around Fowey, I share here a curated collection of my 2023 visit as royalty-free stock photos of the area. These include the cobbled Cornish streets, historic architecture (including the Church of St. Fimbarrus), boats, panoramic views out to Bodinnick and Polruan across the harbour, waterfront properties, and even round the corner on the coast path between Polkerris and Par.

The Autumnal colours, golden sun and dramatic skies make for stunning and unique views you won’t find elsewhere. You might also notice some iconic and interesting scenes, such as the stunning riverside cottages and a plaque to Daphne du Maurier, a famous author who lived in Fowey. Dawn French is another famous person who lived in this charming town, until 2021.

Images were taken in a late Autumn 2023 visit to Fowey and the surrounding area. You can also see my full Fowey photo album on Facebook for more photos, including bonus ones that didn’t make the cut here; feel free to get in touch if there’s any you’d like to purchase, and I’ll email them over.

If visiting Fowey, I’d recommend parking at Caffa Mill car park (it’s not extortionate like the others) if you can find a space, then walk up through Fowey from there. The King of Prussia is a pleasant place to stop for an ale, while Brown Sugar is a fab little café with great service. The Cornish pasties on Fore Street are the most awesome I’ve seen, then there’s plenty to browse and fill your day with the museum, aquarium, along with various galleries, antiques, and artisan shops.

Please be aware that the Photon Photography watermark visible on the preview images will not be present in the images you download.

For more info about this beautiful town, check out the interesting videos I found on YouTube below. One provides a short yet very interesting historical perspective. The other is a longer, yet very informative video ‘tour guide’, detailing the tourist attractions, walks, cafes, and more...