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
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive St Ives & overnightSt 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!

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.

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 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.
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

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.

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 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.
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

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

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.

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.
An included transfer is provided to Bodmin Parkway Railway Station, from where you can make your onward journeys.
Other Information
Is it for me?This tour is perfect if you are looking for a quick escape to classic Cornwall, with overnight stays in the famous Cornish towns of St Ives and Padstow. The walks are easy, mostly low-level and well way-marked although you do have the option to choose a couple of slightly longer/more difficult walks if you so wish. Overnight stays will be in small and welcoming B&B's, guesthouses or inns in the centre of St Ives and Padstow.
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 5 Years
This tour is graded as easy overall. There are some elevation gains and losses as you walk up and down the cliff paths but all of the walks included are fairly low-level. There are also a couple of inland sections where the terrain will be more rolling. You will be following well-trodden trails for the most part, but when walking inland, you may be walking on trails through farmland and occasionally on wooded trails and country lanes. If you choose to do the longer loop walk from St Ives via The Carracks, this particular walk is graded more towards moderate due to the fact that the terrain is slightly more varied than on the inland walk to Marazion.
You will stay in a mixture of carefully chosen B&B’s and guest houses.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.
We welcome solo walkers on this trip although you should, of course, take extra care in the outdoors when walking solo.
Navigationally, for all the walks we provide comprehensive route notes and you will have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone’s GPS. Using this combined with the provided route notes and maps means you should have no problems finding your way
- 4 Nights in B&B’s and guesthouses
- 4 Breakfasts
- Luggage transfers
- Transfers as mentioned in the itinerary
- Detailed Information Pack, route notes and map
- 24/7 telephone support
- Travel to St Ives
- Travel from Bodmin Parkway
- Dinners & lunches
- Drinks and snacks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance
- Bus from Marazion back to St Ives
- Ferry from Padstow to Rock
- Additional nights before or after the holiday
This tour can be enjoyed from March to October and you can start on any date which suits your plans. Spring and Autumn/Fall are great because it is quieter on the paths but be aware that the weather may not be as favourable - be prepared for colder temperatures, potentially prolonged heavy rainfall and strong winds.
By Rail/Bus - Trains run from London to St Erth (5hrs), where you need to change trains to St Ives (15mins)
By Car - St Ives is a 5 and a half-hour drive from London, there is limited parking and the car parks can often be very busy in the summer months so we recommend taking the train wherever possible.
By Air - You can also fly into Newquay Airport. From here you can take a public bus to Newquay Bus Station (one every 30 mins). Then you can take a bus to St Ives from here. The journey takes about 2 hours and buses only run every 4 hours, so be sure to check the timetables on the Traveline website. Alternatively we can arrange private transfers from Newquay Airport to your accommodation for you - please just ask for prices when booking.
By Rail/Bus – A transfer is included from Padstow to Bodmin Parkway railway station. From here you can catch a direct train to London Paddington (4hrs).
By Car – There is a long stay car park in Padstow. If you wish to drive, you could leave your car here, but it would mean taking 2 buses from Padstow to St Ives (approx 3hrs) or a taxi (approx 1hr). If at all possible we recommend taking the train as it is much easier.
By Air – Padstow is easily accessed from Newquay Airport. Buses run regularly from here to Padstow and take approx 1hr or again we can arrange a private taxi transfer - just ask us for a price when booking.
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes and do not include the walk to/from your overnight accommodations.
Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
As far in advance as possible! We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as Cornwall is extremely popular, especially during the summer months. If booking at short notice we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc.
This Cornwall itinerary is very enjoyable at any time between March and October , although it is particularly lovely in late spring and early Autumn.
All baggage transfers are included. We request that you have only one piece of luggage per person and it should weigh only 20kg.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets.
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
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