A Week in Padstow Cornwall

When I arrived in Padstow Cornwall I was welcomed by a warm wind and a positive atmosphere. I decided to grab breakfast at a small cafe sheltered from the wind. The food was good and they were quick to serve.  Once I finished my breakfast I decided to explore the town. There were quite a few brands: Animal, Fat Face, White Stuff and some other well-known clothes stores. I also found that there were a lot of gift shops and a tourist/information shop where you could get the pamphlet and find out information about the area. Once I had looked in the shops, I decided to have a Cornish pasty which in my opinion is the best part of Cornwall. If you’re new to Cornwall be wary of the seagulls who will do anything to get your food. After lunch, I went to Trevone Bay which is about a 10-minute drive from Padstow. The beach was pleasant and not too crowded there was also a shop that was selling/renting all the different things you need for surfing, body boarding and wetsuits for when the sea gets cold. The best bit, however, was a crater on the cliff facing the beach which looked remarkable and intrigued me.

Trevone Bay

On my second day in Cornwall I stayed at Trevone Bay I set up on the beach and rented out a surfboard. My biggest regret that day was not renting a wetsuit. The day was relaxed and enjoyable despite the freezing sea. For lunch, I went to the local deli and bought the materials for a sandwich. The deli had quite a lot of food and was only a 10-minute walk away. Everyone who lived in Trevone Bay was very welcoming to tourists and I felt like staying added to my experience in Cornwall. There was a second beach just around the corner to the first one but it didn’t have many people on it. The rest of the day was me and my family rotating between board games, and sitting on the beach in the surprisingly good weather. Towards the end of the day, we planned on what to do throughout the week.

Tintagel and Boscastle

Tintagel Castle was my highlight of the week, although it was quite a steep climb the view was definitely worth it. There was also quite a bit of history spread around the top and at the bottom. There were a gift shop and a cafe which had very good food. The actual town has fully embraced King Arthur and all the myths and legends, you can’t find a shop that doesn’t sell King Arthur props and figures. Once I was finished in Tintagel I went to Boscastle which is a small harbour village with a river flowing through it.

Boscastle has delicious clotted cream ice creams and history of the flood that happened in 2004. There is also a museum of witchcraft which I didn’t enter, it does cost money though. Boscastle feels like a community-run village and reminds me of Hobbiton from Lord of the Rings.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

The Lost Gardens of Heligan was also a highlight of the week. There is the history of the gardens and memorials for the workers who died in WW2. If you like animals there are also pigs goats and emus. The garden is huge and there is so much to do. They had a rope bridge which was quite exciting to walk on and gave you a good view of the garden below. I would make a whole day of it if you go because the park is huge and there is so much to do and observe. I’m not a huge fan of gardens but I found it interesting reading how it got abandoned in ww2 and then renovated into the park you can visit. It was busy but the park was big enough for everyone to be spread out and not feel overcrowded. I believe it is around 50-minute drive from Padstow. There are also a lot of small roads you have to drive on to get there.

Port Issac

My next visit was to Port Issac which is a fishing town build on a hill. If you don’t like the smell of fish I would recommend not to go. Also, most of the food they sell is fish or seafood, so if you’re looking for delicious, seafood Port Issac is the place for you There are not that many shops, but you can visit Doc Martins house from the tv show. I would defiantly go if you like fish because it is amazing especially the crab sandwich I had. The roads are also one way so I wouldn’t drive to the bottom to park. There isn’t anywhere to swim because it is a working harbour, which is why I visited for lunch rather than spend a day there.

Article by Archie Barnes