St Ives - Last Visit July 2015
Initially we had programmed our Sat nav for a car park close to the harbour, but after travelling around a few streets, some of which were very steep and narrow, we found a large car park at the leisure centre. Walking down from the leisure centre it's a little steep, so you can get the bus if you wish; we chose the bus for the return journey. Park and ride is another option, however you have to pay for parking and the train ticket, making it a little expensive.
Initially we had programmed our Sat nav for a car park close to the harbour, but after travelling around a few streets, some of which were very steep and narrow, we found a large car park at the leisure centre. Walking down from the leisure centre it's a little steep, so you can get the bus if you wish; we chose the bus for the return journey. Park and ride is another option, however you have to pay for parking and the train ticket, making it a little expensive.
Whether you walk down or get the bus from the leisure centre, you arrive at the top of the town centre, near/outside the co-op; from here it's a lovely walk through the narrow, cobbled streets, with many shops.
There's plenty to see in St Ives, with lovely beaches and the harbour, we really love it here and feel it would be a nice place to stay in and during our day visit; we just sat looking out to sea for quite some time, without a care in the world, however previously when we have visited St Ives, we haven't spent enough time to enjoy it, being too hasty to move on to the next place, but it really is worth staying, especially if the weather is as good as when we visited in July 2015.
There's plenty to see in St Ives, with lovely beaches and the harbour, we really love it here and feel it would be a nice place to stay in and during our day visit; we just sat looking out to sea for quite some time, without a care in the world, however previously when we have visited St Ives, we haven't spent enough time to enjoy it, being too hasty to move on to the next place, but it really is worth staying, especially if the weather is as good as when we visited in July 2015.
Newquay – Last Visit July 2015
Having not been impressed with Perranporth, we decided to move on to the tried and tested Newquay and It was so much better. There are plenty of shops, large beaches and what Newquay is most popular for – Surfing!
Bude - Visited July 2015
We visited Bude during our stay at Atlantic Surf Pods in July 2015, we had previously visited Bude, but this time we had more time. There's a large long stay car park within 2 minutes walk to the centre and is close to Summerleaze beach. The centre has a selection of shops and is nice to walk around, but we headed up the hill to the top where Sainsburys is and along the side of the golf course to Crooklets Beach. From here we could walk up along the South West coastal path back to Summerleaze Beach car park. It was a very windy day when we visited, especially along the coastal path, but from here you can look down to the massive stretch of beach below and the large sea pool.
If you're looking for somewhere nice for an evening meal, we would recommend The Bank, lovely environment, beautiful food, great friendly service, the only thing that let it down was the deserts, my wife’s came & her plate was warm enough to have already melted her ice cream, we believe it had just come out the dishwasher, as her desert was not a hot one and my baked cheesecake unexpectedly had currants in it, which I personally don't like or expect to find in a cheesecake.
We visited Bude during our stay at Atlantic Surf Pods in July 2015, we had previously visited Bude, but this time we had more time. There's a large long stay car park within 2 minutes walk to the centre and is close to Summerleaze beach. The centre has a selection of shops and is nice to walk around, but we headed up the hill to the top where Sainsburys is and along the side of the golf course to Crooklets Beach. From here we could walk up along the South West coastal path back to Summerleaze Beach car park. It was a very windy day when we visited, especially along the coastal path, but from here you can look down to the massive stretch of beach below and the large sea pool.
If you're looking for somewhere nice for an evening meal, we would recommend The Bank, lovely environment, beautiful food, great friendly service, the only thing that let it down was the deserts, my wife’s came & her plate was warm enough to have already melted her ice cream, we believe it had just come out the dishwasher, as her desert was not a hot one and my baked cheesecake unexpectedly had currants in it, which I personally don't like or expect to find in a cheesecake.
Mevagissey
This beautiful harbour village was recommended to me and it was worth visiting. We visited on a wet, grey day and I still loved the look of the place, I will definitely be visiting again and hopefully with better weather.
This beautiful harbour village was recommended to me and it was worth visiting. We visited on a wet, grey day and I still loved the look of the place, I will definitely be visiting again and hopefully with better weather.
Fowey
Situated on the south coast, this tiny little harbour is very pretty, we sat on a bench eating a bag chips.
Situated on the south coast, this tiny little harbour is very pretty, we sat on a bench eating a bag chips.
Padstow - Last Visit July 2015
Parking is straight forward in Padstow, with a large car and coach park at the bottom as you drive in, with toilets next to the cafe. There's a lovely little town centre to walk around, just off the harbour front, with lovely many shops to look in.
Walking around the harbour you can stop for an ice cream, before heading up the hill, past the cafe with the crazy golf (check out our crazy golf page here) and along the pathway, where you could take a picnic, sit on the grass (or there are plenty of benches, especially along the top), looking out over the estuary.
Carrying on further up the path, you will arrive at the monument, walking past the monument and down the other side is a beautiful beach. We took a little dirt path off the main pathway and then over a rocky section at the end to get down to the beach, however I wouldn't recommend it for with children and/or pushchairs and the elderly may also find it difficult, but we presume there's an alternative way down further along the main pathway.
On the other side of the estuary is a little place called Rock, from Padstow harbour you can get a ferry across, we didn't due to my wife’s sea sickness, but from Padstow it looks like a beautiful little place and would probably be a nice venture out.
Although we personally prefer St Ives, especially if you have children, Padstow is a beautiful place to visit and we would definitely recommend it.
Parking is straight forward in Padstow, with a large car and coach park at the bottom as you drive in, with toilets next to the cafe. There's a lovely little town centre to walk around, just off the harbour front, with lovely many shops to look in.
Walking around the harbour you can stop for an ice cream, before heading up the hill, past the cafe with the crazy golf (check out our crazy golf page here) and along the pathway, where you could take a picnic, sit on the grass (or there are plenty of benches, especially along the top), looking out over the estuary.
Carrying on further up the path, you will arrive at the monument, walking past the monument and down the other side is a beautiful beach. We took a little dirt path off the main pathway and then over a rocky section at the end to get down to the beach, however I wouldn't recommend it for with children and/or pushchairs and the elderly may also find it difficult, but we presume there's an alternative way down further along the main pathway.
On the other side of the estuary is a little place called Rock, from Padstow harbour you can get a ferry across, we didn't due to my wife’s sea sickness, but from Padstow it looks like a beautiful little place and would probably be a nice venture out.
Although we personally prefer St Ives, especially if you have children, Padstow is a beautiful place to visit and we would definitely recommend it.
Port Isaac
More famously known for the ITV series of Doc Martin this is a really nice small harbour, but it is extremely tight for navigating the narrow street to get parked and the parking is not very organised, we parked on the beach when we visited, but it really needs to be one way in and one way out, as I struggled getting out in my estate car.
More famously known for the ITV series of Doc Martin this is a really nice small harbour, but it is extremely tight for navigating the narrow street to get parked and the parking is not very organised, we parked on the beach when we visited, but it really needs to be one way in and one way out, as I struggled getting out in my estate car.
Boscastle - Last Visit July 2015
This is an absolutely gorgeous little place to visit, the whole village was flooded in August 2004 and many people were airlifted to safety. It was a devastating natural disaster for everyone who lived in the village, but thankfully the village has been restored and saved for visitors to enjoy and villagers can continue to live in such a beautiful place they call home.
This is an absolutely gorgeous little place to visit, the whole village was flooded in August 2004 and many people were airlifted to safety. It was a devastating natural disaster for everyone who lived in the village, but thankfully the village has been restored and saved for visitors to enjoy and villagers can continue to live in such a beautiful place they call home.
Looe - Last Visit July 2016
Arriving into Looe from the west you get a beautiful scenic view of the village as you drive across the bridge, turn right at the end and the car park is on your right. From the car park you can walk away from the bridge along the high street, follow it along keeping to the right and you will eventually be able to take a street to your right and walk along the waters edge. You will now arrive at the mouth of the river, where everything opens up, looking out to sea with a nice size beach as well.
Arriving into Looe from the west you get a beautiful scenic view of the village as you drive across the bridge, turn right at the end and the car park is on your right. From the car park you can walk away from the bridge along the high street, follow it along keeping to the right and you will eventually be able to take a street to your right and walk along the waters edge. You will now arrive at the mouth of the river, where everything opens up, looking out to sea with a nice size beach as well.
Gorran Haven
Only a small harbour and small beach, this is a pretty little place and a little harder to find, so not many tourists visiting here and parking is a little tight.
Only a small harbour and small beach, this is a pretty little place and a little harder to find, so not many tourists visiting here and parking is a little tight.
Perranporth – Visited July 2015
There’s a large car park and the typical coastal shops, we didn’t stay here for long when we visited, as we find it a bit drab.
There’s a large car park and the typical coastal shops, we didn’t stay here for long when we visited, as we find it a bit drab.