Padstow
Padstow with its picturesque harbour is situated on Cornwall's north coast, 10 miles from Newquay. Once a fishing port, the town's main economy centres around tourism. The town has ancient origins with a history dating to 500 AD. In 981 Padstow records say that it was attacked and plumaged by the Vikings. Today, people flock to this seaside paradise to enjoy the beaches, pretty scenery, and festivals.
Beaches
Padstow has some of Cornwall's most beautiful beaches; you will be spoilt for choice. One of the longest is Constantine Bay Beach. With excellent water quality and big surf the beach is popular with surfers. When the tide is out good rock pools develop, which are fun for families to explore. However, swimming should be undertaken with caution due to hidden rocks and strong rips.
Mother Iveys Bay beach is a pretty stretch of sand that even during peak times remains relatively quiet due to its lack of facilities. However, it does have a small holiday park. To reach the beach, you'll have to hike up a winding path. Rock pool hunters will find plenty to explore here.
Treyarnnon Bay Beach is popular with families for its great rock pools and wide, sandy beach. The beach has a shop and toilets with no seasonal ban on dogs. During the summer lifeguards are on duty. Stay away from the left side of the beach, which can become extremely dangerous when the tide moves quickly in.
One of the area's best family beaches is Harlyn Bay Beach. The beach is wide, giving you plenty of room to spread out. It is one of Cornwall's safest beaches and good for those learning how to surf for the first time; there are surf schools located here. Facilities here are good with parking, toilets, summer lifeguards, a shop, and a café.
Festivals
Padstow hosts two significant and popular festivals. Its most famous is the 'Obby 'Oss Festival, which is held yearly on May Day. Its origins are ancient and Celtic, but not much else is known about its early days. The first records of the festival is only as recent as the early 19th century.
It features singing, dancing, flowers, and flags throughout the town. On both Boxing Day and New Year's Day another festival with ancient origins takes place – Darkie Day. On these days people dress up and parade through the town singing to celebrate midwinter.
Attractions and Activities
Unique to Padstow is the Lobster Hatchery, also one of the most popular attractions in the town. The hatchery was set up to help conserve Cornwall's fishing culture. Each year the hatchery releases 30,000 lobsters off the coast. Visitors can get a close-up look at how the lobsters are born and raised. Education about lobsters is another goal of the hatchery. You can also see Herman, the hatchery's resident giant lobster.
High above Padstow's harbour is the stunning Prideaux Place, a wonderfully preserved historic house that has been in possession of the Prieaux family for 14 generations. Views of the surrounding countryside are fantastic and the gardens have been going under restorations to bring them back to their former glory. The house is still very much a family home with an excellent furniture and painting collection. Entry to the house and gardens costs £8.50 for adults and £2 for children. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 12.30pm to 5pm and has a tea room for visitors.
Padstow has plenty of outdoor activities for everyone. Families will enjoy Green's Crazy Golf, while the more serious golfer will find several high quality courses in the area, such as Merlin Golf Club and Trevose Golf & Country Club. Tina's Riding Stables offers horse riding for both beginners and the experienced, including rides along the beach.
Walkers will find no shortage of beautiful walking trails. The SW Coast Path runs through Padstow on its way to Land's End. It is one of the UK's most breathtaking walking routes. The Padstow Circular Walk is also stunning, getting you close to the wildlife of the area. Saint's Way is another amazing and fantastic walking route.
Watersports are in no shortage around Padstow. There is so much on offer that even the most hardcore outdoor enthusiasts will never run out of stuff to try. You can go fishing by taking a charter boat or from the cliffs; you'll need a permit to fish from the shore. Kayaking, surfing, coasteering, windsurfing, and sailing are all popular local pursuits.
Visitors flock to Padstow for its beautiful scenery, both coastal and inland countryside. Make sure to spend some time around the harbour and perusing the local shops. This is a place to explore the great outdoors and connect with nature.
Find out more about all of these things above and experience Padstow in pictures in the video guide below.