Liskeard

Liskeard is a market town in east Cornwall at the head of the Looe Valley, roughly 15 miles from Plymouth. It grew wealthy from the tin and copper trades, and the grand buildings along Fore Street and The Parade reflect that prosperity. Stuart House, a 16th-century town house where Charles I stayed during the Civil War, now operates as a museum and arts centre with period rooms, a garden and a small cafe.

Things to Do

The Looe Valley Line is one of Cornwall’s most enjoyable branch railways - just under 9 miles of track that winds through wooded valleys and along the estuary before arriving at the harbour in Looe. Trains run regularly and the journey takes about 30 minutes. Carnglaze Caverns, a former slate quarry a few miles west, offers self-guided tours through underground lakes and cathedral-sized chambers. The Liskeard & District Museum covers local mining, railway and rural history. A weekly farmers’ market runs on the high street.

Where to Stay

Liskeard has around 50 holiday properties in the surrounding area, with converted farmhouses and rural cottages the most common type. The town works well as an inland base - Looe is 8 miles south by road, Polperro around 12, and the Eden Project roughly 15 miles west. Accommodation tends to be more affordable here than on the coast.

Getting Here

Liskeard sits on the Great Western Railway main line, with direct trains from London Paddington (around 4 hours) and Plymouth (25 minutes). The A38 dual carriageway passes just south of town, making it one of the easiest places in Cornwall to reach by car from the east. The Looe Valley Line branch departs from the same station for the coast.