Route Highlight
Padstow
This quiet fishing village at the mouth of the River Camel has been transformed within a generation to become a major tourist attraction. Locals who’ve seen the sudden changes call it ‘Padstein’ celebrating how celebrity chef Rick Stein has put it on the foodie radar.
Don’t forget that there are great beaches here too, and classic seaside activities like boat trips, fishing and watersports. Highlights include the Camel Trail walking/cycling track that runs scenically from Padstow along the river to Wadebridge.
Of course food and drink play a huge part in the appeal. You can visit a lobster hatchery and a vineyard – but it’s the celebrity eateries that are the star attractions. There’s everything from award-winning fish & chips and cream teas to the gourmet creations of TV chefs like Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth.
Even the dangerous sand bank in the middle of the Camel estuary has become a beverage celebrity. Britain’s most popular cask ale is named after it: Doom Bar.
During your trip
Other Route Highlights
The Surf Beaches
From Gwithian Towans near Hayle to Constantine Bay near Padstow, this stretch of the Southwest660 offers an impressive sequence of big sandy beaches with big waves to match. That means there’s always plenty of space on vast sandy expanses like Porthtowan, Perranporth and Watergate beaches.
Newquay
We can’t hide the fact that Newquay is the biggest party town along the whole southwest660 route. Some will love the surf bars, crowds and music, others will immediately press the accelerator and head for quieter spots.
Hayle
Hayle is one of Cornwall’s surprise packages. It’s the opposite of Padstow’s culinary chic. Instead, this former industrial harbour town is a glimpse of the old Cornwall. It was a centre for smelting tin with its industrial relics forming part of the mining World Heritage site.
