Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North

Westward Ho! to Padstow along the rugged coast of North Cornwall.

7 to 9 nights
78 miles
Moderate to Moderate / Demanding

From £630 per person

Discover the available tours

About this route

This varied walk along the South West Coast Path sweeps over rugged headlands and around secluded coves. It travels through lively fishing villages and is awash with ocean views, but there’s a unique jewel in its crown: the dramatic ruins of Tintagel, the birthplace of King Arthur.

Between this legendary site and the lively stops around it, Cornwall’s Atlantic Coast offers a wealth of things to see and do.

 

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Interactive
Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North map
Westward Ho! to Padstow
78 miles (124 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday Highlights

Delving into rich literary links to Charles Kingsley, Rudyard Kipling, and Dickens.

Wandering the open-air ruins of King Arthur’s birthplace at Tintagel.

Exploring links with popular culture, from Westward Ho! To Clovelley and Port Isaac.

Available tours

CodeTourDurationDifficultyPrice per person
CACN1 From Westward Ho! to Padstow 7 nights, 6 days walking Moderate / Demanding£630
CACN2 From Westward Ho! to Padstow 8 nights, 7 days walking Moderate / Demanding£720
CACN3 From Westward Ho! to Padstow 9 nights, 8 days walking Moderate£810

Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North 7 nights, 6 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
Start

Travel to Westward Ho! where your first night's accommodation has been booked

Day 1

Westward Ho! to Clovelly. 11 miles (17.5km)

Day 2

Clovelly to Hartland Quay. 10.5 miles (17km)

Day 3

Hartland Quay to Bude. 15 miles (24km)

Day 4

Bude to Boscastle. 16 miles (26km)

Day 5

Boscastle to Port Isaac. 13.5 miles (21.5km)

Day 6

Port Isaac to Padstow. 12 miles (19km)

Finish

Depart from Padstow after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to walk more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are walking on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Walker or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Walker Supplement
£35.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£30.00 per person / per night

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night

What's included?

  • 7 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

An extra night gives you a chance to explore some of the villages on the path or to simply relax on one of the many sandy beaches for which Cornwall is famous.

The pretty little village of Clovelly is a popular choice. Clovelly is also worth considering if you would like to visit Lundy Island, which is noted for its birdlife.

There is a lot to see at Bude and Boscastle and Port Isaac is also worthy of an extra night, but Padstow, with its lively harbour, is an ideal base for enjoying the unique Cornish atmosphere.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£55.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 78 miles (124 km)
Duration: 7 nights, 6 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 10.5 miles (17 km)
Maximum daily distance: 16 miles (26 km)
Code: CACN1 Grade: Moderate / Demanding
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Westward Ho!
End of holiday: Padstow

Route Profile

Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Bristol, Exeter and Newquay Airport.

By Rail - The nearest rail station to the start of the trail (Westward Ho!) is at Barnstaple (about 10 miles away). The nearest rail station to the end of the trail (Padstow) is at Bodmin Parkway (about 19.5 miles away).

By Bus - Various bus services run to Westward Ho! and from Padstow.

From London - Trains run from London Paddington station to Barnstaple. From there a taxi/bus will be required to Westward Ho!

Return To The Start - To easiest way to return to the start of the trail is to take a bus/taxi from Padstow to Bodmin Parkway rail station. From there trains run to Barnstaple, where a bus/taxi will be required back to Westward Ho!.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Routes on this trail

North Devon

7 to 12 nights
87 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £630 per person
Route 1 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Minehead to Westward Ho! along the North Devon section of the South West Coast Path.Find Out More

Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - South

6 to 11 nights
66 miles
Easy / Moderate+
From £540 per person
Route 3 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Padstow to St Ives along the Atlantic Coast section of the South West Coast Path.Find Out More

Far West of Cornwall

4 to 7 nights
40 miles
Easy / Moderate+
From £360 per person
Route 4 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
A walking holiday from St Ives to Penzance around the most western point of England.Find Out More

South West Cornwall

5 to 7 nights
61 miles
Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £450 per person
Route 5 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Penzance to Falmouth around the Lizard Peninsula of South West Cornwall.Find Out More

South Cornwall

7 to 11 nights
76 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £630 per person
Route 6 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Falmouth to Plymouth along the peaceful coastline of South Cornwall.Find Out More

South Devon

7 nights
67 miles
Moderate / Demanding+
From £630 per person
Route 7 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
A walking holiday from Plymouth to Brixham around the coastline of South Devon.Find Out More

Tor Bay and Babbacombe Bay

3 to 4 nights
27 miles
Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £270 per person
Route 8 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Brixham to Exmouth along the beautiful coastline of the English Riviera.Find Out More

East Devon

4 to 5 nights
30 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £360 per person
Route 9 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Exmouth to Lyme Regis along the Jurassic Coastline of the South West Coast Path.Find Out More

Dorset

7 to 8 nights
75 miles
Moderate / Demanding+
Dog friendly
From £630 per person
Route 10 of 10 routes on the South West Coast Path
Lyme Regis to Poole along the dramatic coastline of Dorset and the Jurassic coastline.Find Out More
Explore more holidays on the South West Coast Path trail

You might also like

Land's End Round

5 to 9 nights
57 miles
Easy / Moderate+
From £475 per person
A circular walk taking in the most westerly point of England and Britain's only European Cultural Route.Find Out More

Pennine Way

14 to 22 nights
256 miles
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From £1,120 per person
A self-guided walking holiday from Edale to Kirk Yetholm along England's best-known National Trail.Find Out More

Customer reviews from the Cornwall's Atlantic Coast - North

“Wonderful time exploring the coastline. Excellent B&Bs picked for us. Superb service from the luggage transfer company also. Bags always there when we arrived and no damage. Already picking our next holiday with you.”
Mr Learmonth, UK
“Thank you once again for a wonderful week of walking and hiking – we loved our trip from Westward Ho! to Padstow. Thanks for all you did to make it a special and successful trip.”
Ms Kappmeyer, USA
“We spent an enjoyable 10 days on the walk. Thanks for arranging the B&B's for us.”
Mr Burnett, UK
“Scenery superb.”
Mrs Horrocks, UK
“It was just a fabulous week, scenery spectacular, some fantastic B&BS and great food.”
Dr Begley, UK
“Nice scenery and wonderful arrangements.”
Mr Kuhns, USA
“Thank you Contours for organising our walking holiday. We would certainly be recommending your company to others.”
Mrs Larum, Australia
“Didn’t know what to expect on this holiday but it exceeded all of my expectations. This part of the Devon/Cornwall coastline is spectacular. It can be a tough walk but the views and the scenery are exceptional.”
Mr Madge, UK
“More strenuous than anticipated but most enjoyable. We wish we had built in some rest days to enjoy the small towns. The coast itself is spectacular and well worth the physical challenges.”
Mrs Malmsten, Canada

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