The Helford River is a delightful unspoilt estuary stretching from the south west corner of Falmouth Bay up to the old port of Gweek. Inside the river entrance open fields run down to a rocky shore dotted with little beaches. On the north bank the beautiful gardens of Glendurgan and Trebah lead down to Durgan village and Polgwidden Cove; famous for its part in the D-day embarkation.

Where the river narrows, Helford Village with its sailing club and iconic thatched The Shipwrights Arms pub on the south shore, and Helford Passage on the north are still linked in the summer by a pedestrian ferry that has been in operation since the Middle Ages. The larger waterfront houses on this river are some of the most valuable in Cornwall. A small fishing fleet still operates from Helford Village while around the corner is Port Navas, where huge granite blocks were once loaded for shipment to London and beyond.

Further up river, past the oyster beds and beyond Frenchman’s Creek to the south and Polwheveral to the north, ancient oak woods line the banks creating a truly magical atmosphere.