Early this summer I managed to get down to Cornwall for the very first time in my entire life; and let me tell you this for free, it is one BEAUTIFUL part of England. We spent 4 days in Cornwall, based on the northern coast near the tiny town of Camelford. And as my very first post-lockdown trip, it was an absolute GEM. Here’s our exact Cornwall itinerary. (Which was almost entirely put together by one of my pals, might I add.)
Well done that pal.
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Cornwall Itinerary Checklist
- Accommodation in Lanteglos-by-Camelford
- A day in Port Isaac
- Dinner at Port Isaac
- Cornish pasties in Padstow
- An afternoon at Rock Beach
- Stumbling across random Cornish churches (true story)
- Lunch at Boscastle
- A walk (and a freezing cold paddle) to St Nectan’s Glen
Before we begin…
Before we begin this wonderful foray into our 4 days in Cornwall, let me tell you the criteria of this particular southwest staycation. I travelled to Cornwall with my two lovely friends Alicia and Alex, and their three year old daughter Nora- meaning this was a slightly different style of trip than I normally wax lyrical about on this here blog.
Everything on this Cornwall itinerary is perfect for families with children, from the accommodation we stayed in to where we ate and how long we spent exploring. But that’s not to say the locations listed aren’t also great for anybody’s 4 days in Cornwall. Everywhere we went was really easy to get to (with a car), and we were also more about that outdoorsy life- which helped us to stick to a relatively small budget.
If you’re curious about a longer road trip itinerary across the entire south of England, check out this one I wrote (from experience) here!
Cornwall itinerary day 1: a 10 hour drive. No, really.
Pals. I’m including this as day 1 in my Cornwall itinerary because we were, if I’m honest, expecting to have a little bit more time to do a little bit in actual Cornwall on this day. Did that happen? No, no it did not.
You should always be prepared, when venturing by car to the extremities of England, for a long old trip. There are only two main roads in and out of Cornwall, so on a sunny bank holiday weekend you will almost certainly be sat in traffic. (For a considerable amount of time.) In our case, it was approximately ten hours of in-car time, from Eastbourne to the north coast of Cornwall.
It was long, but somehow it didn’t matter too much, because for the first time in forever, we were going somewhere new. 2020 really did make us appreciate the little things in life, didn’t it?
Where we stayed
Home for our 4 days in Cornwall was a wooden lodge in the tiny hamlet of Lanteglos-by-Camelford, and it was an all-round brilliant base for exploring this part of Cornwall. The holiday lodge was one of many located on the grounds of Lanteglos Country Hotel– a beautiful country house surrounded by ferns and flowers, with also happens to have one of the prettiest outdoor pool set-ups I’ve ever seen.
Our particular lodge was owned by an Airbnb host (although several of them are hotel-ran) and I was absolutely loving the retro-kitschy vibes of the whole place. It had everything we needed; from the actual essentials like a fully equipped kitchen, wifi and a barbecue on the patio, to Jazzy-Jeff inspired 1990s curtains, sets of marbles and a basket full of CD albums. The walls featured a lot of cross stitch art and the kitchen contained the kind of recipe books that involve a lot of glaçe cherries and canned food.
I was in my absolute element I tell you.
(In fact, it reminded me a lot of the wooden cabin we stayed in in the Ore Mountains. Dated but downright wonderful in every way.)
Cornwall itinerary day 2: Port Isaac
Our first complete day in Cornwall took us to the little village of Port Isaac, about 15 minutes down the road from Lanteglos by Camelford. After a late afternoon chill back at home, we headed back in to Port Isaac for dinner at The Golden Lion.
As if I hadn’t fallen in love with the landscape of Cornwall enough already, driving over to Port Isaac pretty much sealed the deal.
What an absolute stunner of a place.
Port Isaac has been here since at least the 14th century, and is home to slate-roofed houses, narrow winding lanes and seaweed-strewn rockpools in the little harbour at low tide. Fishermen stride into the water in full waders, and children scoop baby crabs out of rock pools and into buckets. You can’t get more quintessential English fishing village than this, surely. Port Isaac also has a long-standing TV career as Portwenn, Doc Martin’s home- so if you’re a fan, book yourself onto a Doc Martin filming locations tour on the double.
If cute fishing villages float your boat: Take a Trip to Rye
There are two main car parks at Port Isaac, and the closer one to the harbour has a stunning view of the coastline, so keep those eyes peeled my friends- not just for the cliff-views, but also for any passing marine life. We spotted a seal from high up above and that moment pretty much made my day.
For seafood sandwiches galore, head to The Krab Pot. It’s expensive, but even the smell wafting from the front of the shop is incredible. We went to Buttermilk Artisan Confectionary for some absolutely delectable ice cream, although it gathers a queue as much for the ice cream as the fact that it doubles as Portwenn Chemist.
And on a sunny evening it’s definitely worth grabbing a pint and heading to the beach to enjoy the sunshine and relaxed atmosphere. The Mote currently has an outdoor bar, and if you’re interested in some delicious locally-sourced fish dinners this is also consistently highly-rated. So check it out if you dare.
Cornwall itinerary day 3: Padstow and Rock Beach
A morning at Padstow and an afternoon at Rock. Which is actually a completely sandy beach, with not even a single pebble in sight.
Padstow
Fancy times, guys, as next on the agenda of the Cornwall itinerary is Rick Stein’s own personal stomping ground, the bigger fishing town of Padstow. The TV chef has a plethora of fish restaurants in Padstow, from the original The Seafood Restaurant to Stein’s Fish and Chips.
Personally we bypassed old Rick and headed to Chough Bakery for Cornish pasties; I’m happy to report they were scrumptious.
We spent the morning wandering around the harbour, where families sit on the Harbourside dangling crabbing lines over into the sea in front of pastel houses. Every now and again I spotted a little critter chilling in a clear plastic bucket, but for the most part crabbing at Padstow is probably more about the taking part, you know!? To dodge the crowds, wander off into the one of the side streets and loop back around in the direction of the ferry to Rock.
More of the West Country: Exploring South East Devon
Rock and Roll
The ferry across the river takes mere minutes and costs £3 each way for adults. Payment is currently only taken by card. However- we actually decided to drive! (Which takes significantly longer, but it made sense for our day)
Rock is way more upper-class than your average Cornwall fishing village, with a high density of millionaires and billionaires running around its sleekly paved streets. Members of the royal family have been spotted hanging out bedecked in pearls and boat shoes, while other celebrities occasionally get helicoptered in for a glam weekend away.
Rock Beach is the main drawing point of this little community, and it definitely makes for one of the best beaches for families in Cornwall. The shallow estuary water is safe, and the golden sand stretches on forever. I loved climbing up in to the sand dunes above the beach, and its possible to walk all the way across the dunes to Daymer Bay and beyond.
The Beginner’s Guide to Rock
I took a wander down to the little Norman church in Lanteglos-by-Camelford in the evening, partly because I have a fascination with pretty graveyards. And it did not disappoint! The churchyard is purposefully allowed to grow all the wildflowers, so at the end of May it was speckled with bluebells, wild garlic, ferns and cow parsley. A little waterfall springs out of a wall, feeding a stream that runs past the church and out the other side.
Cornwall is a magical place, and the stumbled-upon locations like St Julitta’s church confirm that just as much as the prime tourist spots.
Cornwall itinerary day 4: Boscastle and St Nectan’s Glen
Day 4 of the Cornwall itinerary, a.k.a. the day of ice cold waters. A morning dip in the pool, followed by a trip to Boscastle and a walk to St Nectan’s Glen.
As this particular trip to Cornwall was in 2021, there are a few Covid rules we had to be aware of. The main one being that we couldn’t just launch ourselves into the hotel pool whenever we felt like it. As is the case for many hotels these days, we needed to pre-book our swimming pool slot a day in advance.
The downside is the lack of spontaneity afforded to us. But the up side is that we had the whole pool all to ourselves, what an absolute joy! The weather was absolutely glorious, and once my body half-heartedly adapted itself to the icy cold pool, the whole experience was marvellous. It also was a great way to kick start a full day of roaming through chilly waters.
Boscastle Harbour
I had only really heard of Boscastle because of the Boscastle flood in 2004; the village sits at the bottom of a steep-sided (and very picturesque) valley, with a river running through it to the sea, which is a recipe for disaster after heavy rainfall. The village is so very pretty, and centres around the river that runs through it, although it was also once a major port. There are also tonnes of beautiful walks nearby, from where you can get incredible views of the rugged Cornish coastline.
Nowadays tourism in Boscastle is very much thriving. (I can say this with certainty as finding a place to park was an absolute nightmare I tell ya.) A lot of the village and the land around it is looked after by the National Trust, and we had lunch in the National Trust cafe next to the river.
Visit at low tide and you can paddle right into the shallow water, which gets slightly deeper as you head towards the harbour wall. Did I get in the water? Yes, yes, I did. Was it freezing cold? Yes, yes it was. How very hardcore I am.
Talking of the National Trust: Visit the Parminter Cousins in Devon
I walked as far along the harbourside as I could, past the row of fishing boats on a sand bank and on to get a glimpse of the sea crashing at the bottom of the cliffs in the distance. There’s a blowhole at the far end known as the Devil’s Bellows, which spouts water out either side of low tide (I missed it in action, but there’s a video here if you’re interested.).
Blowhole: geological blowholes are formed when sea caves grow landwards and upwards into vertical shafts, which can result in hydraulic compression of sea water. The water is spouted out from the top of the blow hole in the style of a whale.
St Nectan’s Glen
After the morning at Boscastle, it was time to head on over to St Nectan’s Glen. This stunning waterfall is one of the best waterfalls in Cornwall, and isn’t too hard to find. Although, like Boscastle, parking is a real problem.
This is one awkward thing about Cornwall; parts of it are very isolated, and public transport isn’t great. You kind of need a car. However- this has just resulted in a big old parking problem, in places that would be kind of spoiled in places if car parks started to spring up.
At St Nectan’s Glen, park on the road and then head past the farm buildings down a narrow lane towards the waterfall. (Stop in at the little church if you fancy a snoop around. Which I always do.) There are signposts all along the walk, which takes just over half an hour, eventually heading into a pretty forest towards the glen. Follow the steps up to the entrance, which has been remodelled as a spiritual haven filled with ribbons, crystals and incense, and then back down some steep steps to the bottom of the waterfall.
If UK walks are your thing: The Best Walks Near Eastbourne, East Sussex
You have to walk through the water to reach the other side, but if you’re brave enough, standing under the waterfall is also an option. I wasn’t brave enough for that, although one of my pals was and I take my hat off to that guy! (Not that I had a hat. I forgot it and got a scarlet scalp as a result. Classic.)
The entrance fee for St Nectan’s Glen is £5.95 for adults, and you’ll definitely want to wear footwear that can withstand a bit of mud. The final part of the walk is squelchy even on a hot summers day. Beware!
Is 4 days in Cornwall enough?
Honestly, I feel like I could return to Cornwall and spend another four weeks exploring at least, but for a short staycation this was actually perfect! This Cornwall itinerary is all focused around the Port Isaac area, but that is just one tiny pocket of the prettiest corner of England. There are tonnes of places to visit within a stones throw of each other, and if you’re a lover of the outdoors like me, Cornwall really is perfect.
Don’t forget to sign up, pals!