Explore Our Area

Padstow

Rugged coastlines, sweeping sandy beaches, quiet coves and fabulous walks, fishing, golf, sailing and water sports, plus a wide selection of pubs, restaurants and shops are all at hand in Padstow and the surrounding area – what a destination from which to base your holiday!

The historic town of Padstow is a delight, with its fleet of fishing vessels, colourful buildings, and narrow streets. Historically Padstow was a very busy commercial fishing village. Today Padstow has a unique charm all of its own and offers a wide range of activities to suit both the young and the young at heart and throughout the year.

Over 4000 years ago, it is thought that travellers used the Fowey and Camel Valley on their journeys from Brittany to Ireland. By using this route, known as “The Saints Way”, the sea passage around Land’s End could be avoided. Walkers can still experience “The Saints Way” 

St Petroc’s arrival on the shores of the River Camel in the 6^th Century put Padstow on the map. St Petroc studied theology and then founded a monastery at Lanwethinoc (which later became known as Petrocston, and then ultimately Padstow). He died in Wales, c. 594 but was buried in Padstow.

Today, the working fishing fleet can be seen going about its business from the harbour area. Many of the restaurants have a daily supply of fresh fish as a result of such a local fishing fleet. There are many holiday activities available from the harbour area to visitors, these include a high-powered speedboat trip or a more leisurely cruise aboard the ‘Jubilee Queen’, a ferry trip across to Rock (to visit St Enodoc church where Sir John Betjeman is buried), or a family fishing trip around the bay.

Prideaux Place overlooks the town and was built in 1585 by Sir Nicholas Prideaux. The building is set in sixty acres of ground which includes twenty-two acres of deer park situated opposite the house. This deer park is thought to be the oldest in Britain with records dating back to the year 450.

As time went by Padstow continued to develop as a fishing and trading port and as a ship building centre. In the 16th century the port gave shelter to Sir John Hawkins as he made his way back from the West Indies and also to Sir Martin Frobisher on his way back from his search for the Northwest Passage to China in 1577. Most famously of all, Sir Walter Raleigh lived in Padstow for a time when he was Warden of Cornwall, and his Court House on Riverside was the administrative centre for the collection of taxes. In the 17th century, mining was expanding in Cornwall and copper ore and slates were exported. The heyday of the Port was reached in the 19th century by which time several shipbuilding yards had been established and the fishing industry was at its peak.

Today Padstow’s working fishing fleet can be seen going about its business from the harbour area. The smaller boats are inshore crabbers landing daily with lobster, crayfish and crab and the larger boats are netters or trawlers. Many of the restaurants in Padstow have a daily supply of fresh fish, as a result of such a local fishing fleet. There are many activities available from the harbour area to visitors. These include a high-powered speedboat trip, a more leisurely cruise aboard the ‘Jubilee Queen’, a ferry trip across to Rock (and visit St Enodoc church where Sir John Betjeman, Poet Laureate is buried), or a family fishing trip out in the bay. The local coastal waters offer excellent fishing.

As well as the passenger ferry running regularly between Rock and Padstow there is also a water taxi service.

Padstow used to be the Cornish terminus of the Southern Railway and there was a direct train service from London Waterloo to Padstow, “The Atlantic Coast Express”. The existence of the station came to an end as a result of Dr Beeching’s cuts, but all was not quite lost, as the old rail track became the ‘Camel Trail’, a very popular cycle and pedestrian link between Padstow and Wadebridge proceeding to Bodmin before moving up to Wenford Bridge near St Breward on the slopes of Bodmin Moor. Bicycle hire is available from both Padstow and Wadebridge.

Padstow offers a fine mix of retail outlets including Bookshop, fashion boutiques, craft, art galleries, souvenirs, and home furnishings, all nestled in its quaint narrow streets.

Also on offer is an amazing array of places to eat, catering for all tastes and pockets! One of the most well-known is Rick Stein with his world-famous Seafood Restaurant. He now has several other eateries in the town including St Petroc’s Bistro, The Café, Seafood Cookery School and his Fish and Chip shop! Others include Michelin Starred Paul Ainsworth’s No 6. in Middle Street, Caffè Rojano and The Mariners a short hop by Ferry over to Rock. Check out The Best Places to Eat and Drink. 

Don’t forget to sample a Cornish pasty, Cornish clotted Ice cream and local fudge.

Dogs are permitted at Harbour Cove and Hawkers Cove throughout the year. The sandy beach St Georges Cove has a seasonal dog ban. Dogs are not allowed on the beach from 1st July to 31st August / 10am to 6pm

During the spring and autumn usually Padstow steadies to a more leisurely pace. At the beginning of May Padstow holds its famous May Day ‘Obby Oss’ pagan festival celebrating the beginning of summer. This is truly a unique experience that shouldn’t be missed!

Even in the winter, the Christmas Lights around the quayside, harbour, and town along with the Fireworks display have become a must to visit. Padstow is proving a regular migration for many throughout December for Foodies with live music in various venues, mulled wine on tap and the Padstow carollers taking to the streets. Why not have a look at our Christmas and New Year winter break packages?

Trevone Bay The first of the seven bays is at Trevone where the delightful sandy beach attracts swimmers and surfers all year, a small village one and a half miles from Padstow, designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty and boasts two beaches, the sandy beach is very popular with families offering beautiful golden sand and swimming with life guards to hand from May to September. Dogs are not allowed on the main beach between 10am -6pm Easter Day and 30th September . There is a beach shop, The shop at Trevone Farm, general convenience store,  Café/Bar and two large car parks. The delightful sandy beach attracts swimmers and surfers all year.

Surfing and body boarding are popular at Trevone with wetsuits and boards being available to hire from the beach shop and local surf schools that teach all age groups.  The rocky beach, located to the west of the main beach, has a natural swimming pool and children will love to explore its rocky pools for crabs and fish.  This area of Trevone permits dogs all year round.

There are beautiful coastal walks leading round to Padstow or up to Trevose head, not to mention the famous ‘round hole’ which is a natural blow hole on the cliff top. A blowhole is formed as caves grow landwards and upwards into vertical shafts and expose themselves towards the surface. The result is a quite spectacular display of blasts of water from the top of the blowhole.

The facilities of Padstow are only a mile and a half away. During the the spring, autumn and winter.

Harlyn Bay is a beautiful and spacious beach half a mile long popular with families and surfers. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year around and there are life guard services in the summer and a large car park as well as hot food cafe and a great Surf School.

Mother Ivey’s Bay, on the other side of Cataclews Point, is small and secluded, with a steeply shelving beach.

Fringed by sand dunes, Constantine Bay provides swimming and year round surfing facilities and has an expansive sandy beach with many rock pools and plenty of sand for the children to play within. During the school holidays you can enjoy Cornish clotted cream  ice-creams from the Cornish Kellys Ice-cream Van and a coffee or hot chocolate from the Coastal Coffee van.  There is a sloping path to the beach and as parking is limited, it is worth considering parking at Treyarnon Bay and walking the coast path to Constantine Bay which takes approx 10 minutes with narrow sandy beach with rocks on its northern side providing many rock pools and a large natural swimming pool. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. Or walk right across Constantine Bay and up the steps or over the rocks to Boobies Bay  a surfer’s favourite.   where the greens and fairways of Trevose Golf and Country Club stretch back from the sands.

Porthcothan Beach, with its golden sands, dunes, cliffs, and rock pools, is ideal for a family holiday or as a picnic spot. The gorse-covered cliffs between Bedruthan and Porthcothan are at their most beautiful in early summer.

Rural Padstow

Local villages immediately surrounding the harbour Town of Padstow, continue to be very popular with guests.  Beaches and shops are within close proximity but also offer a degree of separation away from the crowds.

St Merryn boasts a medieval church various shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants including a Chinese takeaway and Seasonal Fish & Chips (as well as famous Barnecutts Pasties!)

St Issey offers pubs offering great food and drink and access to The Saints Way which over 4000 years ago it is thought that travellers used the Fowey and Camel Valley on their journeys from Brittany to Ireland. By using this route,  the traitorous sea passage around Land’s End could be avoided. Saints founded the parishes of St Issey and Little Petherick, and the Saints’ Way passes through the villages on its way to Fowey. The Saints’ Way Trail crosses mid-Cornwall from coast to coast. Public footpaths run along both sides of the creek to join the Camel Trail by the Iron Bridge on the outskirts of Padstow. It covers approximately 30 miles/48 Km from the northern harbour town of Padstow to the southern port of Fowey. The route starts at Padstow harbour and heads south through Little Petherick, St Breock Downs and Lanivet.