Full News Report

20th February 2025

Inspired festival highlights Looe Valley gems

PLANS for an imaginative Looe Valleys Festival this spring are fast gaining momentum.

The idea is the collective brainchild of a group of town and parish councils, together with other community groups and individuals in the East and West Looe Valleys.

One of the group’s leaders, Sue Brownlow, explained the concept behind the inaugural festival: “We are all proud of the place in which we live and want to celebrate it across the community,” she said.

“We are planning a month-long community festival in April this year called ‘We are of this place – A’n tyller ma on ni’

“This will have something for everyone to take part in, contribute and learn, with events run by local groups in a programme co-ordinated by volunteers.”  

Guided walks, local produce and craft markets, regenerative farming and climate change, storytelling, a rockpool ramble and other events on the coast, plus some activity around water quality in local rivers are all proposed. 

“And, of course, there will also be Easter events in our village halls and churches,” said Sue.

The month-long community festival features a logo designed by ‘Looe boy’ Mark Camp, a qualified tour leader who has 25 years’ experience of walking expeditions in the South West of England under his Walkaboutwest brand. 

Mark is collating a master spreadsheet of activities and he should be notified of any new events that could dovetail into the festival. His e-mail address is: walkaboutwest@btinternet.com.

Although the festival has ‘Looe Valley’ in its title, the organisers agree that the actual boundary lines are pretty vague, so parishes north of Liskeard, such as St Neot, St Cleer, Linkinhorne, St Ive (Pensilva) could all be involved.

Among events already in the planning stage are Mark Camp’s walk linked to the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership along the Smugglers Way (Liskeard to Looe), while Iain Rowe has something similar for young archaeologists at Moorswater, Liskeard.

Brian Oldham is proposing to lead a walk from Platform No.3 of Liskeard Station (the Liskeard-Looe branch line) stopping at houses with a connection to the Looe Valley.

The British Heart Foundation has a family cycle ride from Penhale Pantry, Dobwalls, to Lerryn and the Caradon Monthly Walks group and Liskeard Hiking Club are also involved.

Liskeard Market Makers’ flower-related arts and crafts group have an idea for an exhibition and sale.

It is hoped to have a website up and running in the near future and social media outlets will also be used to publicise events in the festival.

For more information, please contact Liskeard Town Council’s deputy clerk, Yvette Hayward, by e-mail at: office@liskeard.gov.uk