Pibbies

Pibbies is a first-floor 3-bedroom flat in Port Isaac village centre, sleeping five across three bedrooms with one bathroom. The location is as central as Port Isaac gets - Fore Street runs through the heart of the village, with the harbour, the Platt, and the pub a short walk down the hill.

The flat has wifi and no on-site parking. For a group of five, that means committing to arriving without a car or using the cliff-top car park and walking down. The narrow lanes into Port Isaac get very congested in July and August; the car-free arrangement actually works in guests' favour.

Port Gaverne beach is 600m away - a sheltered inlet used by local fishing boats, calmer than the exposed north Cornish beaches. Tregardock Beach lies 5.5km along the coast near Port Isaac, accessible on foot via the South West Coast Path, with Polzeath 6.5km south for surfing and swimming.

Doc Martin was filmed on these streets, and the village draws significant foot traffic from May to September - noise from below is part of the deal. Outside summer the lanes go quiet and Port Isaac reverts to a working harbour village with a fishing fleet still operating from the beach.

Best for couples or families who want to be inside the village rather than driving to it, and don't mind managing without parking. Less good for anyone needing accessible access or travelling with a lot of gear.