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Country house
Prideaux Place
Grade I listed Elizabethan house built in 1592 above Padstow, home of the Prideaux family for over 400 years.
A mini guide to
Padstow & the Camel Estuary
A fishing port, estuary cycling and sandy bays on the north coast
Photos
1 / 8Welcome to the area
A fishing port, estuary cycling and sandy bays on the north coast
Padstow is a fishing port on the west bank of the Camel estuary. Visit Cornwall says the harbour may have been in use as far back as 2,500 BC, that the town sits on the Saints’ Way pilgrim route, and that its restaurant scene grew from a first restaurant opened in the 1970s. The National Lobster Hatchery and Padstow Museum are on or near the harbour, and Prideaux Place, an Elizabethan house of 1592, stands above the town.
The Camel Trail leads from Padstow along a former railway to Wadebridge and on to Wenford Bridge, 18.3 miles in all. Rock and Daymer Bay face the town across the water, with St Enodoc’s Church on the dunes behind, while Trevone, Harlyn Bay and Constantine Bay lie to the west and Polzeath and Pentire Head to the north.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Visitor centre
National Lobster Hatchery
Marine conservation charity on the South Quay that rears lobsters for release into the sea.
Directions Website Report a problem with National Lobster Hatchery
Museum
Padstow Museum
Small local museum with artefacts and documents about Padstow and its docks.
Cycling and walking trail
Camel Trail
Shared path for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users along a former railway, running from Padstow to Wenford Bridge.
Village
Rock
Coastal village opposite Padstow on the north-east bank of the Camel estuary.
Church
St Enodoc's Church
Chapel at Trebetherick in the parish of St Minver, near the Camel estuary.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Padstow & the Camel Estuary and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Cycle the Camel Trail
The trail is a shared path for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users, and Wikipedia gives its length as 18.3 miles from Padstow to Wenford Bridge via Wadebridge and Bodmin. It follows the river with only a slight incline.
2
Visit the lobster hatchery
The National Lobster Hatchery on the South Quay posts closures on its homepage, for example during storms. Check it before you go.
3
Look at the wildlife
Visit Cornwall says the estuary and the Carnewas to Stepper Point coast are both National Landscapes and home to otters and rare plants.
4
Book restaurants ahead
Padstow’s restaurants are a draw in themselves, so booking is sensible. Opening hours drop in the colder months, so confirm each place’s own site.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Padstow & the Camel Estuary (area photo): Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Prideaux Place: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0, source
- National Lobster Hatchery: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Padstow Museum: LavaLampBamboo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Camel Trail: Paul Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rock: Olaf Tausch, CC BY 3.0, source
- St Enodoc's Church: Matthew Lemin, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Daymer Bay: Roger Lombard, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Polzeath: Wayland Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Pentire Head: Paste at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Stepper Point: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Trevone: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Harlyn Bay: Harlynbay, CC0, source
- Trevose Head: Amanda King, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Wadebridge: en:User:Benjaminevans82, Public domain, source
- Fowey, Polperro & the south-east coast: Marika Reinholds, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Ives & West Penwith: ArildV, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Penzance, Mousehole & Land’s End: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Falmouth & the Helford: Tim Green, CC BY 2.0, source
- Newquay & the North Coast: Otto Domes, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Cornwall