About Mousehole

Mousehole (pronounced Mow-zel) is a charming fishing village in Cornwall, known for its picturesque harbour. Dylan Thomas described Mousehole as “the loveliest village in England.”

If you’ve never visited Mousehole before, you are in for the quintessential Cornish experience. With its beautiful harbour and a great choice of gift shops and places to eat, Mousehole really does tick all the boxes. So, when film and TV crews want ‘classic Cornish fishing village’ this is where they often come!

History and tradition

First mentioned in 1283, Mousehole has history and tradition; from an attempted Spanish invasion in 1595 to Star Gazey Pie!

For many, Mousehole signifies Summer holiday’s; it’s sandy feet and ice cream and quite right too! But like coastal communities the world over, Mousehole’s history has been shaped by the sea.

Recently, The Solomon Browne Hall has been opened in Mousehole; a brilliant new communal space for locals and visitors alike. On the 19th December 1981, the mini-bulk freighter MV Union Star lost power and began drifting towards the rocks at Boscawen Cove, near Lamorna not far from Mousehole. RNLB Soloman Browne from the Penlee Lifeboat Station, crewed by local volunteers, set out in appalling conditions to join the rescue.  In all, sixteen people died that night, including the eight volunteer lifeboatmen. You can gain a much greater understanding of the events here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeIX0VnUMKo

Tip: Check out the bi-annual Sea, Salts & Sail Festival.

Christmas in Mousehole

For nearly 60 years, Mousehole has put on a real show at Christmas! The illumination of a fantastic display of festive lights is an annual event organised by the Mousehole Harbour Lights Committee. People travel from far and wide to see the colourful displays which adorn the buildings, hillside and float in the harbour. Crowds congregate from late afternoon to early evening most nights from mid-December to early January. Then on the 19th December, the lights are turned off for an hour between 8 and 9 pm in memory of the crew of the Solomon Browne.

On the 23rd of December is Tom Bawcock’s Eve. Legend has it that, Bawcock set out alone into the rough seas to catch fish to feed a community ravaged by starvation. From that day, the so-called Starry Gazey pie has been cooked and eaten to commemorate his actions.

During the festive period, Mousehole feels cosy and quaint. It’s a great atmosphere for the kids. It’s chilly with the smell of wood smoke in the air.

Mousehole out of season

We love Mousehole and Cornwall ‘out of season’. It can be wild and windswept. The pubs are cosy and generally, there’s a different atmosphere. So if you’re looking to change the backdrop, to work remotely, or you just fancy a week of blustery walks to a log fire and a pint, come on down!  We use a great app called iWalk Cornwall to find great walks from Mousehole or a little further afield.  One of our favourite walks is a circular walk from Zennor along the coastline to Gurnards Head and then stopping off at the Gurnards Head Hotel for a drink and a bite to eat before heading back to Zennor.

Great pubs and restaurants

Cornwall is getting increasingly known for its cuisine, and most notably the quality of its local produce. Many cafes, restaurants and pubs make a real virtue of sourcing their produce from local fisherman and farmers. In addition to food, there is a growing choice of locally produced wines, beers and gin!

We’re always finding new places to eat and drink but our favourite places close-by include The Old Coastguard (Mousehole), The Tolcarne Inn (Newlyn), 2 Fore Street (Mousehole), The Ship Inn (Mousehole), Rock Pool Cafe (Mousehole) and The Logan Rock Inn (Treen).

Tip: book ahead, the best places get very busy during the high season, Christmas and Easter.