7 Days & 6 Nights

4.6

South West Coast Path: Padstow to St Ives (7 Days & 6 Nights)

Walk the Padstow to St Ives section of the South West Coast Path.
Freshly caught fish and chips at Rick Stein’s in Padstow.
Walking for miles along white and pristine sandy beaches.
The wild Atlantic surf crashing into the cliffs below you.
Vast selection of local Cornish galleries and traditional culinary delights.

A 7 Day & 6 Night fast paced itinerary which will give you plenty of exercise Stretching between the fishing villages of Padstow and St Ives, this section of the South West Coast Path in Cornwall is one of the best. Smell the crashing Atlantic rollers, taste freshly caught fish and relish the cliff top views on this 61 mile adventure. Tempting beaches, picturesque fishing villages, wild seas crashing and secluded coves are all features of this wonderful walk from Padstow to St Ives along Cornwall’s Atlantic Coast. Padstow has become synonymous with Rick Stein, the TV chef, and is a delightful mix of quaint houses, quays, inns, restaurants and gift shops. Heading south you will discover a collection of quiet villages, estuaries full of fauna and flora and some of the UK’s best beaches. By the time you arrive in St Ives, the most famous of Cornwall’s holiday towns, all you will want to do is turn around and do it all over again. If you love walking, the South West Coast Path should be on your “must do” list and the Atlantic South Coast section from Padstow to St Ives is a real treat. Not only will you enjoy fabulous walking each day but each overnight stop is a highlight. With great walking, beaches, birdlife, restaurants, shops and a rich history you will be delighted with each and every day.

From £685.00

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Gallery

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive in Padstow and overnight

Synonymous with TV chef Rick Stein, Padstow is a delightful mix of piers, inns, restaurants and craft shops huddled around a small harbour.

Padstow is a 270 mile (5 hour) drive from London. It is also accessible by train and bus from London in 5 hours.

Overnight Padstow

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Old Custom House | Inn

Standing on the quayside, the Old Custom House is still one of the finest buildings in the town. Today it is famous for its fine food, award-winning ales, elegant, accommodation and for its Beauty Studio. The Old Custom House hotel has 24 bedrooms, as it is an old building, each room has a unique view and dimensions. It has long been a pub, providing a focal point for Padstow fishermen, local people and visitors to enjoy a drink and a bar meal. They serve stylish pub grub, washed down with award winning St Austell Brewery ales and a choice of good wines throughout the year.

London Inn | Hotel

The London Inn opened in 1803 which original housed three fisherman’s cottages and taking its name from an old Local Sloop. The owners will welcome you to their family run pub, full of charm, atmosphere and character. All rooms offer tea and coffee making facilities, TV and hairdryers. All their rooms are situated above the sometimes-busy bar. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the pub. Their classic pub menu is sourced locally using local ingredients whenever possible and comprises of local fish and meat dishes, which can be eaten in the main bar or in the lounge bar area.

Old Ship Hotel | Hotel

The Old Ship Hotel is an historic Grade II listed building in the heart of Padstow and each one of the spacious bedrooms has its own unique character. All have ensuite bathrooms, hot drinks facilities, Freeview and secure safes. You are assured a very warm welcome at the Old Ship Hotel, the perfect place to relax after your days adventure!

Day 2 Padstow to Mawgan Porth 18 miles / 29 km

A lovely start to your walk along low cliff tops, with tempting beaches below. The prominent Trevose Head offers wonderful views of the beaches ahead and Constantine Bay is a great spot for a relaxed picnic.

A popular spot for Victorian-era holidaymakers, head up to the sea cliffs of Park Head and Bedruthan Steps before coming into the tiny seaside village of Mawgan Porth.

Ascent: +230m / Descent: -216m

Overnight Mawgan Porth

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

The Merrymoor Inn | Bed and breakfast

The Merrymoor Inn really is a venue for all seasons and offers its guests a proper Cornish welcome. It has been run by the same family since 1961, so effortless, friendly service has been finely honed over the last 50 years. The Merrymoor Inn offers seven cosy en-suite rooms, most benefiting from dramatic views of the beach and cliffs beyond.

Trevarrian Lodge | Guest House

Declan and Jean takes great pride in welcoming walkers to Their pleasant guesthouse in the hamlet of Trevarrian. All rooms have recently been refurbished and are all en-suite. There is also a bright and airy dining room where breakfast is served between 8 - 9 am. Special diets and other times can be agreed at the time of booking.

Day 3 Mawgan Porth to Perranporth 17.3 miles / 27.8 km

This rugged coast of little coves and jagged headlands has been the graveyard of many ships. Local legends, expansive views and the three miles of sand at Watergate Bay are real highlights.

Leaving the busy town of Newquay behind you immediately find yourself on the famous surfing beach of Fistral. Then lookout for the prolific wildflowers on West Pentire Headland and the colonies of kittiwakes and waders.

Ascent: +285m / Descent: -310m

Overnight Perranporth

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

St George’s Country House | Country House

St George's is a small country house hotel with 8 en-suite guest rooms. They offer contemporary accommodation in an old mine captains house with a large garden and extensive views.

Seiners | Hotel

Oceanfront living at Perranporth Beach allows you to eat well, sleep well and surf well. The hotel offers locally sourced and freshly prepared food to order served in our traditional Cornish bar. Seiners bar has a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of seating, and an outdoor beach terrace. The winter menu ranges from sandwiches to steaks, with constantly changing specials, and a beautiful freshly prepared Sunday Roast. During the Summer months, Sunday Roast is switched to Sunday BBQ's, weather permitting!

Red Fox Barn | Bed and breakfast

Red Fox Barn is a small family run Bed & Breakfast situated in a beautiful setting close to the coastal town of Perranporth. Their rooms are bright and airy with luxury facilities and fittings, each room has a super-king bed and a small dining area where a full breakfast is served each morning. Toiletries (Shower Gel + Shampoo/Conditioner) and hairdryer are supplied. Wifi Internet is available in all rooms.

Day 4 Perranporth to Portreath 12 miles / 19 km

A day of steep climbs and descents through an area of ancient mines, many of which are now home to bats. The area around St Agnes Head is a favourite for birders.

Ascent: +748m / Descent: -748m

Overnight Portreath

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Portreath Arms | Inn

The Portreath Arms Hotel is a small, traditional, family run hotel located in The Square, the hotel has a bustling public bar and lounge - a traditional meeting place for locals. They only have seven guest rooms; therefore, the staff can give you their full attention to make sure you have a great stay. Breakfast is served each morning in the dining room and there is a choice of Full English or Continental. Lunch and Dinner can be taken in the traditional lounge bar, the dining room or even in the garden - weather permitting! The Portreath Arms Hotel serves an excellent choice of home cooked food, freshly prepared from locally sourced ingredients and local fish and crab is a speciality.

Cliff House | Bed and breakfast

Cliff House is a small and friendly B&B in Portreath, a 2 minutes’ walk from a sandy beach and situated on the coast path. The rooms light and airy and have tea/coffee making facilities and Freeview TV, with fluffy towels and quality linen provided, en-suite rooms are available.

The Copper House | Bed and breakfast

The Copper House is a B&B in the Cornish coastal village of Portreath, designed and built with comfort in mind, step inside the peaceful, modern rooms looking out onto the valley and ancient woods of Illogan. The rooms are light and spacious and furnished to a high standard. Sit outside in your private, furnished terrace and sip a glass of wine straight out of your own fridge. They have two rooms: both with large terraces and these are stylish and contemporary. Dressing gowns, hairdryers and Duck Island toiletries are provided along with tea, chocolate and Rombouts filter coffee.

Day 5 Portreath to St. Ives 19 miles / 30 km

Smugglers coves, with colourful names such as Ralph’s Cupboard pepper the coast. Cliffs, dunes and estuaries all contribute to a wonderful day of walking.

The path goes on the Hayle Swing Bridge, the oldest in Britain and ends in the delightful town of St Ives, where you could easily spend a few days exploring the galleries, craft shops and excellent cafes.

Ascent: +616m / Descent: -616m

Overnight St Ives

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Pedn Olva | Hotel

The Pedn Olva, with the sea only thirty feet below and flanked by golden sands, is founded on blue-black granite rocks on the southern shores of St. Ives Harbour and Bay. Each bedroom at the Pedn Olva has stunning views of St Ives and the Cornish coast – light, airy and contemporarily decorated – they have everything you need for a relaxing, memorable and comfortable stay.

Pedn Olva | Hotel

Western Hotel | Hotel

Steeped in history, The Western Hotel is one of St Ives's oldest coaching houses and has been a St Austell Brewery hotel since the 19th century. It has the perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and character in the heart of St Ives, this charming hotel resides within a characterful building, providing a unique and inviting atmosphere.

Day 6 Free day in St. Ives or Optional (15km) Carracks & Rosewall Hill Loop Walk

Today you can do a loop walk that goes along a further stretch of the South West Coast Path and through beautiful coastal scenery eventually leading to "The Carracks" - rocky islands just offshore and which mean “rocky” in Cornish. Continue inland climbing Rosewall Hill for more fabulous views before walking back into St Ives. (15 kilometres / 9.30 miles)

Ascent: +275m / Descent: -275m

Alternatively, if your legs have had enough walking then you can enjoy a free day in St Ives to explore the promenade and indulge in the culinary delights that this fantastic coastal town has to offer!

Overnight St Ives

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Pedn Olva | Hotel

Western Hotel | Hotel

Day 7 Onward travel

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 5kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 5kg is equivalent to 1 Neapolitan margherita pizza. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.

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Other Information

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Is it for me? Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included

Included

Accommodation in B&B's, guesthouses and country inns
Daily breakfast
Door to door baggage transfer
Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
Emergency telephone support from our office in the event of a problem

Excluded

Lunches & dinners
Snacks and drinks
Travel Insurance
Travel to Padstow
Travel from St Ives

Extras

Additional nights before, during or after the walk
Accommodation upgrades

When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

General Information

Online Documents

At Macs Adventure we care about the environment! We are taking action to minimize the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery.

On this tour, all your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via My Account on our website.

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.

When is the best time of year? Am I able to take my dog? What happens if I can’t walk a stage? How fit do I need to be? Do I need to be able to navigate? How far in advance do I need to book? Are there upgrade options available? What personal equipment do I need?

The South West Coast Path

Join us on a walk from St Ives to Penzance on the South West Coast Path. This remote and exhilarating walk along the clifftops visits the bustling towns, golden sands and secluded coves of Cornwall.
Walking the South West Coast Path

The South West Path stretches around the south-west peninsula of England, exposing dramatic coastal scenery as the walk unfolds. The route is split into several delightful sections as walking the entire route at once would be rather time-consuming. This video gives you an overview of the route and how best to tackle it.