Cornwall Short Break: St Ives to Padstow

5 Days & 4 Nights

4.6

Cornwall Short Break: St Ives to Padstow

Discover Cornwall's North Coast on a short break in St Ives and Padstow
Rugged cliff tops, peaceful and pristine coves
The picturesque seaside town of St Ives with its lovely sandy beach
Walk to St Michael’s Mount on Cornwall’s Pilgrimage Route
Freshly caught fish and chips at Rick Stein’s famous restaurant

Discover the highlights of Cornwall's North Coast on a wonderful two-centre short break. Enjoy overnight stays in the quaint seaside towns of St Ives and Padstow, and follow trails through its beautiful and varied landscapes. Walk along the rugged clifftops and hear the wild Atlantic seas crashing against the rocks. Or as a contrast relish a walk through Cornwall's beautiful rural countryside on the St Michael's Way leading to Marazion. With optional easy walks from both St Ives and Padstow, and perhaps even a refreshing cycle along the Camel Estuary, this is the perfect Cornish escape to blow away those cobwebs!

From £490.00

Book Now Enquire Tour Brochure

Gallery

All Photos (9)

Itinerary

Expand all

Day 1 Arrive St Ives & overnight

St Ives is a bustling fishing village with a wonderful harbour, winding narrow streets, art galleries, and plenty of restaurants. Settle into your charming accommodation, then begin to explore!

Overnight St Ives

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Pedn Olva | Hotel

The Pedn Olva, with the sea only thirty feet below and flanked by golden sands, is founded on blue-black granite rocks on the southern shores of St. Ives Harbour and Bay. Each bedroom at the Pedn Olva has stunning views of St Ives and the Cornish coast – light, airy and contemporarily decorated – they have everything you need for a relaxing, memorable and comfortable stay. Whether you choose to dine in their restaurant or relax in the bar, you will be blown away by the unrivalled views of the sun kissed beach of Porthminster, and dramatic shores of the Cornish coastline to Godrevey Lighthouse.

St Ives Harbour Hotel | Hotel

In a breathtaking location the St Ives Harbour Hotel enjoys stunning views across the Porthminster Bay. Individually decorated in natural colours, the rooms at the St Ives Harbour Hotel each have a private bathroom and tea/coffee facilities. All rooms have a TV and radio, and many have wonderful balcony views of the sea. The Terrace Bar and Restaurant serves a seasonal à la carte menu, using fresh local produce. You can try the speciality Fruits de Mer dish, with shellfish caught just 15 minutes’ walk away. Cornish cream teas and real ales are served in the spacious lounge bar, or al fresco on the terrace. The St Ives Harbour Spa includes an indoor pool and hot tub, a sauna, crystal steam room, state-of-the-art fitness suite, and 4 treatment rooms. Slippers, robes and towels are provided, along with free herbal teas and water.

Seaforth | Bed and breakfast

Seaforth is a boutique B&B providing luxury accommodation in the heart of St Ives. The rooms are large and provide wonderful views over the harbour and surrounding beaches.

Day 2 Choice of walks from St Ives 8 miles / 11 km

Today you can choose from two wonderful walks from St Ives.

You may wish to take a walk along the St Michael’s Way pilgrimage route to Marazion, where you can see the iconic view over to St Michael’s Mount and perhaps take a walk over the causeway (tidal times permitting).

The other option is to head along the South West Coast Path and past beautiful coastal scenery to The Carracks, rocky islands just offshore and which mean “rocky” in Cornish. Continue inland climbing Rosewall Hill for more fabulous views before walking back into St Ives.

Walk to Marazion: 8m/13km / Ascent: +320m / Descent: -340m

Loop walk to The Carracks: 9m/15km / Ascent: +275m / Descent: -275m

Overnight St Ives

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Pedn Olva | Hotel

St Ives Harbour Hotel | Hotel

Seaforth | Bed and breakfast

Seaforth is a boutique B&B providing luxury accommodation in the heart of St Ives. The rooms are large and provide wonderful views over the harbour and surrounding beaches.

Day 3 Transfer to Mawgan Porth. Walk to Padstow 10 miles / 16 km

A transfer of about 1 hour, brings you to the beautiful golden beach of Mawgan Porth further up Cornwall’s north coast. From here the coast path climbs moderately until reaching a plateau that undulates past sandy beaches, rugged coves and offshore islands until the pretty seaside village of Porthcothan. From here you turn inland across a patchwork of farmland passing through St Merryn and continue through the backstreets of Padstow to the harbour.

Ascent: +240m / Descent: -245m

Overnight Padstow

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Old Custom House | Inn

Standing on the quayside, the Old Custom House is still one of the finest buildings in the town. Today it is famous for its fine food, award-winning ales, elegant, accommodation and for its Beauty Studio. The Old Custom House hotel has 24 bedrooms, as it is an old building, each room has a unique view and dimensions. It has long been a pub, providing a focal point for Padstow fishermen, local people and visitors to enjoy a drink and a bar meal. They serve stylish pub grub, washed down with award winning St Austell Brewery ales and a choice of good wines throughout the year.

The Golden Lion | Hotel

This inn dates back to the 14th century and is the oldest inn in Padstow. They have three guest rooms which have all the amenities you require for a comfortable night’s stay. They also offer a selection of home cooked food.

London Inn | Hotel

The London Inn opened in 1803 which original housed three fisherman’s cottages and taking its name from an old Local Sloop. The owners will welcome you to their family run pub, full of charm, atmosphere and character. All rooms offer tea and coffee making facilities, TV and hairdryers. All their rooms are situated above the sometimes-busy bar. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the pub. Their classic pub menu is sourced locally using local ingredients whenever possible and comprises of local fish and meat dishes, which can be eaten in the main bar or in the lounge bar area.

Day 4 Free day in Padstow or optional walk or cycle. 7 miles / 11.5 km

The town of Padstow is very charismatic with its little harbour and tiny cobbled streets that stretch away from the sea. There’s plenty to explore here and don’t forget to sample the excellent fish & chips at Rick Stein’s famous shop/restaurant.

Alternatively you can choose a more active option and take the little ferry to Rock where you can enjoy a short loop walk on sand dune trails and footpaths. Another option is to pick up a hire bike in Padstow (arranged and paid for locally, see your info pack for details) and follow the Camel Cycle, a route that initially takes you alongside the Camel Estuary, abundant with wildlife. The route actually goes all the way to Bodmin passing Wadebridge, but you can go as far as you like before turning back to Padstow.

Overnight Padstow

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Old Custom House | Inn

The Golden Lion | Hotel

Trevose | Guest House

Trevose is a small family run B&B located in a quiet residential area, approximately a 10-15 minute walk from the harbour, shops & restaurants of Padstow. Their aim is to make your stay as comfortable and as memorable as possible. All of their rooms are elegantly furnished, blending contemporary cool with coastal comfort. Both of their double guest bedrooms have been decorated with soft neutral colours and white bed linen with the aim of providing a calm & relaxing environment for guests to chill out & unwind. Rooms include: Free Wi-fi, Flat screen Freeview TV's, Guest toiletries, bathrobes soaps and hair driers. Tea and Coffee making facilities. Fridges with fresh milk & chilled water.

Your reservation will be on a room only basis for this night.

Day 5 Onward travel

Reviews

Expand all

Other Information

Expand all

Is it for me? Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

The South West Coast Path

Join us on a walk from St Ives to Penzance on the South West Coast Path. This remote and exhilarating walk along the clifftops visits the bustling towns, golden sands and secluded coves of Cornwall.
Walking the South West Coast Path

The South West Path stretches around the south-west peninsula of England, exposing dramatic coastal scenery as the walk unfolds. The route is split into several delightful sections as walking the entire route at once would be rather time-consuming. This video gives you an overview of the route and how best to tackle it.