Cornwall In Style

Perfect for those looking for a self-guided walk on the Cornwall Coast In Style. Expect all taxi and luggage transfers to be included and walks to be around 5 to 10 miles a day through secluded bays, golden beaches and picturesque fishing villages. Learn about the incredible history of the Cornish people, taste delicious locally caught seafood in Rick Stein's restaurants or simply just enjoy the sense of happiness that comes from having fish and chips by the sea after a good day's walking!

In Style | After a day of exciting adventures and soaking up unbeatable scenery, retreat to stylish accommodations and unwind with fine food and wine. This trip type is for those who like sophisticated places to stay and are looking for active routes but still want the holiday to feel special.

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Coastal Walking

The minimum age for this tour is: 18 Years

Most of the Walks on this tour are largely graded Easy to Moderate (therefore, the tour collectively is graded as Easy to Moderate); however, expect some days to be moderate in difficulty (Charlestown to Fowey on Day 6). If this is too hard for you, then you can opt to visit the Eden Project instead, or we can arrange the taxi transfer to drop you off in Par which is closer to Fowey.

IMPORTANT: Be aware that this tour is classic coastal walking, and paths generally follow the cliff line, meaning it can be unfenced at sections. Whilst the paths are completely safe, being comfortable with walking at heights is recommended. If you have any serious issues with vertigo, we wouldn't recommend doing this tour.

Expect a mixture of coastal trails (rocky/gravel and craggy underfoot), soft sandy beaches, woodland tracks, and, at times, minor paved roads. Some of the paths can become very muddy and boggy when rain falls,  often making progress slower than normal. There are some elevation gains and losses, especially when walking on the coastal paths, as the trails follow cliffs and may go up and down to walk along beaches in between. Be sure to keep away from the edge when walking along cliff-side trails and stay out of fenced-off areas. You should also take extra caution when there is a steep slope beside the path. It is also not uncommon for sections of Cornwall to be prone to storms and partial flooding - should you be due to walk a day when a storm is forecast, we would advise against it. As this is a multi-centred trip, walks can be skipped and instead, you can choose to simply have a free day to explore the iconic Cornwall fishing villages you are overnighting in.

It should also be noted that sea fog and sea mist in coastal areas is a thing and can make visibility difficult at times. If you happen to be walking and fog descends on you, ensure you pay close attention to the Macs Adventure app and always be vigilant of the immediate step ahead of you.

You will stay in a mixture of 4 and 5 star luxury and boutique-style hotels. In Padstow, enjoy celebrity chef Rick Stein’s St Edmunds House, just steps from the harbour. The Pig at Harlyn Bay offers a relaxed, rustic-luxe stay with sea views, garden-to-plate meals, and a focus on sustainability. Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes features elegant Mediterranean-inspired rooms and peaceful terraces, while Fowey Harbour Hotel sits above the estuary with modern rooms and easy access to the village and waterfront.

Alternate accommodation

During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations, which are not listed in the description. If those listed are unavailable, the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described.

Twin rooms

Currently, we do not offer twin rooms on this tour as it is difficult to secure twin room accommodations in Cornwall. In some properties, there may only be one room that offers either two single beds or a zip-and-link mattress. Many luxury accommodations also use four-poster beds in their deluxe rooms or suites, which cannot be converted into twins.

As a result, twin rooms are generally in a lower room category in luxury hotels, meaning we don't feel they fit our In Style category. If you'd still like to visit Cornwall in a twin room setup in great accommodations, we recommend our Highlights of Cornwall in Comfort tour.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

Solo walkers are welcome, but single-room supplements in luxury hotels and the cost of taxi transfers mean the price per night is higher. While this makes it harder to offer the same value for money as shared rooms, solo guests still enjoy the same comfort and quality throughout the tour.

Additional Nights

• Fowey - The Eden Project is a 20-minute drive away, so for those who opted to do the walk instead of visiting it on Day 6, an extra night in Fowey to pay a visit is well worth it!

• Alternatively, why not head further south to Land's End and combine the In Style tour with our popular St. Ives to Penzance self-guided walking tour? It's the perfect accompaniment for those looking to tick all the boxes of things to see and do in Cornwall.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning and consists typically of a continental buffet with tea and coffee, fresh fruits, yoghurt, cereals, eggs and bread with jams. Often also on the menu are cooked options like freshly made porridge or a traditional cooked English breakfast (Bacon/Eggs/Sausage/Beans). This, of course, varies depending on what hotel you are overnighting in.

Lunch and Dinner are not included, except for your overnight stay at The Pig at Harlyn Bay on Day 3. We’ve included dinner here because the hotel serves an exceptional 3-course meal made entirely from local produce and ingredients grown in their own garden. It's a wonderful experience and not to be missed!

In Cornwall, you will find a range of high-quality, varied options for eating out, from award-winning gourmet restaurants to classic English fish and chips by the sea. Almost all restaurants, pubs and cafés in the area are proud to use (and showcase) delicious locally sourced produce. With Cornwall being on the Coast, it is of course particularly famed for some of the best seafood you can eat in the world! With the area championed by celebrity chef Rick Stein, we recommend trying freshly caught Cornish sardines, mussels, crab and scallops in his Seafood restaurant.

As this is a self-guided walking tour, you will be responsible for navigation, decision-making and safety during your trip. The Cornwall In Style tour is not specifically waymarked, but you are walking through sections of England’s national trail networks, including the South West Coast Path, so you won't get lost. The paths, while remote in sections, are walked by other walkers and locals, with a few short sections being on indistinct paths. On this tour, you must use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App. The app allows you to easily locate yourself on the trail using offline mapping and follow it as you walk. You should not have any issues finding the way.

This Cornwall itinerary is very enjoyable at any time between the beginning of April and the end of October, although it is particularly lovely in late spring and early Autumn.

NOTE: Due to minimum night restrictions at weekends, it's not possible to start the tour on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. The Tresslick ferry (Day 5) also only operates from around late May to mid-September. If you are walking in the shoulder months, you will need to do an alternative walk around the Roseland Peninsula instead.

By nature, the South West Coast of England is prone to the different extremes of weather year on year. Always be prepared for changeable conditions when walking on the coast and expect anything from soring heat to stormy weather, including strong winds and/or prolonged rainfall. The paths can be rocky in places; so take extra care as these may be slippery when wet. Before you set off each day, it is also important that you pay attention to any weather, wind, or gale warnings in the area (we recommend: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/).

It should also be noted that sea fog and sea mist in coastal areas is a thing and can make visibility difficult at times. If you happen to be walking and fog descends on you, ensure you pay close attention to the Macs Adventure app and always be vigilant of the immediate step ahead of you.

Padstow is accessible from Bodmin Parkway Railway Station. From here a taxi transfer to your hotel in Padstow is included. There are direct trains to Bodmin Parkway from London Paddington. More information on train times and schedules can be found on the National Rail website. Padstow is also accessible from Newquay Airport. Flights arrive here from all over the UK and there is a bus (Western Greyhound 556) to Padstow that takes about one hour.

A transfer is included from your accommodation in Fowey to Par Train Station. From Par train station you can catch a direct train to London Paddington which takes about 4 hours (trains run approximately every 1-2 hours). If you are flying from Newquay Airport you can catch a train from Par to Newquay, and then catch a connecting bus to Newquay Airport. More information on train times and schedules can be found on the National Rail website.

As this is a multi-centre tour, luggage will be handled differently on various days you move locations:

On Day 3, our local luggage handler will move your overnight luggage from your Padstow accommodation to the PIG Hotel in Harlyn Bay. All you need to do is ensure your overnight bags are down at reception in Padstow for 8.30am. When you arrive at the PIG Hotel in Harlyn Bay, your bags should be waiting for you.

On Day 4, take your overnight bags with you in the afternoon taxi transfer to St Mawes.

On Day 6, take your overnight bags with you in the morning transfer. You will be dropped off at Charlestown (walk start point) or the Eden Project, then your bags will continue onward to your accommodation in Fowey, where you will collect them at reception when you arrive later.

IMPORTANT: It is essential that you only have one piece of luggage per person and it should not weigh any more than 20kg.