Highlights of Cornwall's North Coast

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.6 Read 8 reviews
  • Walking the best of Cornwall’s north coast from St Ives to Padstow & Tintagel.
  • Rugged cliff tops, peaceful and pristine coves.
  • Tintagel and its mystical connections to King Arthur and Merlin.
  • The quaint port of Port Isaac, where TV drama Doc Martin was filmed.
  • Freshly caught fish and chips at Rick Stein’s famous restaurant.
A self-guided walking tour experiencing the highlights of Cornwall’s north coast from St Ives to Padstow & Tintagel. Enjoy overnight stays in the quaint fishing towns and villages of St Ives, Padstow and Tintagel and follow trails through designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Walk along the rugged clifftops and hear the wild Atlantic seas crashing against the rocks. As a contrast, pass through secluded and peaceful golden sandy coves. Encounter Cornish history first-hand as you pass the ancient remnants of the mining industry and hear locals regale in the local pubs about the legend of King Arthur and Merlin.
This tour immerses you in the amazing natural beauty, sights and history of the north coast of Cornwall. Enjoy staying in pretty fishing towns and villages, and walking to places so stunning that they have been chosen as settings for TV dramas. Also encounter areas steeped in history, including historical links to the tales of King Arthur. If this sounds like your idea of a great holiday this tour is definitely for you.

Tour Type:

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.

Activity:

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.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • Coastal Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is graded as moderate. Most of the walks are along coastlines and so do include elevations and losses as you walk up and down to the cliffs from the beaches. Walking inland at times will be more rolling and not as challenging. 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.

Navigation

When walking on the South West Coast Path the route is well waymarked and easy to follow. However, for all the walks we provide comprehensive route notes, maps and gps tracks on our smartphone app, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding your way. 

Accommodations

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.

Included
  • 7 Nights in B&B’s and guesthouses
  • 7 Breakfasts
  • Luggage transfers
  • Transfers as mentioned in the itinerary
  • Detailed Information Pack, route notes and map
  • 24/7 telephone support
Excluded
  • Travel to St Ives
  • Travel from Bodmin
  • Dinners & lunches
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Personal equipment
  • Travel insurance
Extras
  • Additional nights before or after the holiday

When To Go

This tour can be enjoyed from March to October but you can walk at any time of year. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans. Spring and Autumn/Fall are great because it is quieter on the paths.

Getting to the Start

By Rail/Bus - Trains run from London to St Erth (3hrs), 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.

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.

Getting from the End

A transfer from your accommodation in Tintagel will be included to Bodmin Parkway Train Station.  From here there are direct trains to London Paddington which takes about 4 hours. More information can be found on the Traveline or National Rail.

Luggage Transfer

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.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. 

Equipment

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.

Travel Insurance

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.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive St Ives and overnight Day 2 Loop Walk via The Carracks and Rosewall Hill 9 miles / 14.4 km Day 3 Free day in St Ives or optional walk 8 miles / 12.9 km Day 4 Transfer to Mawgan Porth. Walk to Padstow 10 miles / 16 km Day 5 Free day in Padstow or optional walk. 7 miles / 11.3 km Day 6 Transfer to Port Isaac. Walk to Tintagel 9.5 miles / 15.3 km Day 7 Tintagel Loop Walk via Boscastle 10 miles / 16 km Day 8 Onward Travel

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