About Padstow & North Cornwall
Built on a hillside overlooking the Camel Estuary, Padstow is a fine example of a Cornish fishing port. The small town remains largely unspoilt, the beautiful harbour area surrounded by some medieval buildings. Prideaux Place sits above the town near to the Parish Church of St Petroc, an Elizabethan mansion with a long historical association with Padstow. Rich Stein's famous Seafood Restaurant is situtated on the quayside along with the Padstow Cookery School and Stein's Fish and Chip shop.
Many wonderful beaches can be found nearby- some easily reached by foot along the path leading out of Padstow's town centre, forming part of the well known South West Coastal path. A foot ferry service operates daily from Padstow to Rock on the other side of the estuary, affording a good opportunity to explore the beaches here. At Rock there is a sailing school and nearby the golf course at St Enodoc. Visit the Church once buried in the sand dunes, the burial place of the famous poet, Sir John Betjeman.
The Camel Trail, a disused railway line of approximately 17 miles winds it's way along the River Camel towards Wadebridge and then inland towards Bodmin. Popular with both walkers and cyclists, it provides wonderful views of the Camel estuary and countryside alike. Passing close to the award winning Camel Valley Vineyard, which provides an interesting place to stop and visit.
Boat trips, both pleasure and fishing, operate daily from Padstow harbour, depending on the weather and tides.
Padstow is also within a 40 minute drive of other large attractions in Cornwall such as the Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant at Watergate Bay, is a short distance along the coast towards Newquay.