Savour the best of coastal cuisine
ENGLAND has transformed itself into a foodies’ paradise, so why not combine some fine cuisine with a blast of refreshing sea air? KATIE
ROWE comes up with some mouth-watering ideas...
CELEBRATE THE SEA IN LOOE
GET your nautical stripes ready for Looe Festival Of The Sea, celebrating the Cornish fishing town’s close-knit relationship with the coast on May 1. There’ll be boat trips to the wildliferich Looe Island, plus fishing and seal spotting trips and a plethora of fresh seafood to sample.
Local chefs from Old Sail Loft and Squid Ink restaurants will rustle up tasty seafood in cooking and fish prep demonstrations, showcasing the fantastic fish landed in Looe.
Need a place to stay? Drop your bags off at the Hannafore Point hotel and admire views across Looe Bay from your balcony.
TASTE NORTHUMBERLAND
THE county’s coast is peppered with friendly foodie haunts offering some of the finest seafood, including well-known fish smokers L Robson & Sons in Craster, producers of the famous Craster kippers. Ask nicely and they may let you have a nose around the original smokehouses where they use the same methods as they did 170 years ago. Alternatively, build up an appetite as you lap up the sea air on a cliff-top ramble to the 14th Century ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Don’t forget your camera for some spectacular shots, and on your return, head to the Jolly Fisherman on Haven Hill to tuck into Craster kipper pâté and crab sandwiches while gazing out to the North Sea.
ESSEX’S SEAFOOD ISLAND
TWENTY miles from Clacton-on-Sea, Mersea Island’s pastel beach huts and golden sands scream seaside getaway. This small estuary island is famed for its seafood, with locals regularly flocking to The Company Shed for fresh shellfish including grilled oysters and seared scallops.
Back on the mainland, spend some time enjoying English wine and verdant views of the Essex countryside at the Dedham Vale Vineyard, just 30 minutes from Mersea Island.
A BRIXHAM FISHERMAN FRIEND
AN EARLY morning visit to the Devon town’s fish market is the most authentic way to experience coastal life in the South West. Local fishermen catch £25million of fish a year, with huge sea bass, stacks of scallops and boxes of plaice going under the hammer every morning.
Tours of the market are held by Rick Smith, who has decades of experience. The hustle and bustle of buyers haggling with fishermen while the rest of Brixham sleeps, followed by breakfast at the Fishermen’s Mission as the sun rises over the harbour, is worth dragging yourself out of bed for.
Nearby, check into the Berry Head Hotel where you can soak up sea views over dinner or while exploring the gardens.