Willow baskets and crab pots, made the old way

Sue is a basketmaker, and willow is at the heart of her work. Known locally as withy, it is cut, sorted and soaked until supple, then woven entirely by hand into baskets that are made to be used and to last.

She also makes traditional willow crab pots, using age-old techniques handed down through generations of fishing families on this coast. Long before wire and plastic, every pot that went to sea from coves like this one was woven from withies, and the skill of making them is now a rare one. In a house where crab fishing is still the family trade, it is a craft that feels very much at home.

If you would like to try it for yourself, courses in basket making and willow crab pot making can be arranged on request. Whether you are a complete beginner or have woven before, Sue will guide you through each stage, and you go home with something you have made with your own hands. It is a lovely way to spend part of your stay, and a piece of Hope Cove to take away with you.

• Handmade willow baskets
• Traditional willow crab pots
• Courses arranged on request