You can’t park at Polperro’s picturesque harbour in Cornwall; discover why cars are banned and how far the mandatory, flat-rate parking lot is.
Polperro is one of the prettiest villages in Cornwall, and it still has the ring of authenticity about it. Despite a multitude of gift shops, Polperro doesn’t exist purely for tourists – it’s still a working fishing village. Albeit one that has become increasingly popular with Beyond Paradise filming in nearby Looe.
Parking in Polperro, Cornwall
However, visitors to Polperro may be in for a nasty shock if they expect to rock up to the scenic harbour, park their car and enjoy the views.
Parking in Polperro is scarce, largely because the village’s narrow streets are unsuited to cars. The parts of the village that anyone wants to visit – the shops, restaurants and harbour – are access-only. In practice, visitors cannot drive there.
Where is the Polperro Public Car Park?
Parking in Polperro, Cornwall, basically means leaving your car in the large private car park on the outskirts of the village.
The Polperro Public Car Park is between the A387 and Longcoombe Lane, opposite the Crumplehorn Inn pub.
Five great things to do while you’re in Cornwall
- 👻 Feel the chills in the abandoned cells on a hugely atmospheric tour of Bodmin Jail.
- 🌱 Explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest at the Eden Project.
- 🎬 Discover the Beyond Paradise filming locations around Looe on a specialised tour.
- 🐬 Spot dolphins, seals and porpoises on a RIB sealife safari from Padstow.
- 🏄 Hit the surf in Newquay with a two hour surfing lesson.
Polperro parking fees
The Polperro car park is a frustrating experience. For a start, it is cash only, although change machines are available.
Secondly, parking in the Polperro car park costs a flat rate of £7 for the day, even if you’re just stopping by for an hour or two.
How long is the walk from the car park to Polperro Harbour?
The walk from the Polperro Public Car Park to the harbour is 750 metres long according to signs within the village, and half a mile long according to Google Maps.
It feels longer than that, especially going back uphill.
Is Polperro wheelchair accessible?
This should be of particular consternation for wheelchair users. There are blue badge spaces within the car park, and the streets of Polperro are largely free of cobbles. But if you’ve got a manual wheelchair, whoever’s pushing it is going to have a workout. This is particularly the case on the way back, where the route is not prohibitively steep, but it is consistently uphill.
The council car park in Polperro
There is, however, a second, smaller car park in Polperro. It is next to Nanny Duck’s on Fore Street, run by the Cornwall Council and for commercial vehicles only.
In practice, that means it’s for taxis. For those staying nearby, it may work out easier to take a taxi into Polperro rather than negotiate the parking situation. Call the excellently-named local taxi service, Chariots of Hire, on 07930 870149 to book.
For blue badge users, it may work out better to temporarily leave the wheelchair user in Nanny Duck’s or the nearby Ship Inn then send the weary chariot-pusher back to the car park on their own. They can then drive down to the council car park and pick up, rather than have to push all the way uphill back to the Polperro Public Car Park.
All information and pricing was correct at the time of my visit in August 2025, although it is subject to change in future.
More Cornwall travel
Other Cornwall travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
