Cornwall Atlantic Loop

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The route · 8 stops

1
Plymouth, Devon
The gateway to Cornwall sits at the edge of Devon on the Tamar estuary. Plymouth's historic Barbican quarter, the panoramic view from the Hoe and the distant outline of Drake's Island set the tone for the coastal adventure ahead. From here the A38 crosses the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall in minutes.
The gateway to Cornwall sits at the edge of Devon on the Tamar estuary. Plymouth's historic Barbican quarter, the panoramic view from the Hoe and the distant outline of Drake's Island set the tone for the coastal adventure ahead. From here the A38 crosses the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall in minutes.
Arrive via the M5 and A38. A short walk along Plymouth Hoe is worthwhile if you arrive with time to spare; the views across Plymouth Sound make a fine introduction to the south-west coast.
2
Padstow
1 night1h 4m · 77 km from previous
Padstow is Cornwall's most celebrated food town, its compact harbour ringed by restaurants that have made the Camel Estuary a destination for food lovers. A morning walk to Rock by foot-passenger ferry, an afternoon on the Camel Trail cycle path and an evening meal at the harbourfront fills a satisfying day on the north coast.
Padstow is Cornwall's most celebrated food town, its compact harbour ringed by restaurants that have made the Camel Estuary a destination for food lovers. A morning walk to Rock by foot-passenger ferry, an afternoon on the Camel Trail cycle path and an evening meal at the harbourfront fills a satisfying day on the north coast.
Book dinner weeks ahead in peak season. The narrow lanes fill with pedestrians in summer; park at the edge of town and walk in rather than trying to drive to the harbour.
3
St Ives
2 nights58m · 69 km from previous
St Ives rewards two nights. The town has beaches on three sides, its cobbled lanes leading to independent galleries and the Tate St Ives above Porthmeor Beach. The Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden is a short walk away. The B3306 drive south from Padstow, past disused tin mines and granite moorland, is a highlight of the entire loop.
St Ives rewards two nights. The town has beaches on three sides, its cobbled lanes leading to independent galleries and the Tate St Ives above Porthmeor Beach. The Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden is a short walk away. The B3306 drive south from Padstow, past disused tin mines and granite moorland, is a highlight of the entire loop.
Park at Lelant Saltings station on the edge of town and take the St Ives Bay Line train in. The approach over the estuary is beautiful and avoids the notoriously scarce town-centre parking entirely.
4
Penzance
1 night13m · 15 km from previous
Penzance is the base for three iconic Cornish sights in a single day: St Michael's Mount at Marazion, the clifftop Minack Theatre at Porthcurno and Land's End at Sennen Cove, the westernmost point of mainland England. The seafront promenade and its art-deco Jubilee Pool lido make a good evening walk.
Penzance is the base for three iconic Cornish sights in a single day: St Michael's Mount at Marazion, the clifftop Minack Theatre at Porthcurno and Land's End at Sennen Cove, the westernmost point of mainland England. The seafront promenade and its art-deco Jubilee Pool lido make a good evening walk.
Check the tide timetable for St Michael's Mount before you go: the causeway is walkable at low tide, the ferry runs at high tide. National Trust membership gives discounted entry.
5
Lizard Peninsula
1 night22m · 26 km from previous
The Lizard is Britain's most southerly peninsula. Kynance Cove has turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks resembling the Mediterranean. Lizard Point, the UK's southernmost mainland tip, has a lighthouse open to visitors. The fishing village of Cadgwith, a short drive east, is a quiet and authentic contrast to the busier coves.
The Lizard is Britain's most southerly peninsula. Kynance Cove has turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks resembling the Mediterranean. Lizard Point, the UK's southernmost mainland tip, has a lighthouse open to visitors. The fishing village of Cadgwith, a short drive east, is a quiet and authentic contrast to the busier coves.
Kynance Cove car park fills by 9 am in peak summer. Arrive early or visit late in the afternoon for easier parking and better light. The path down to the cove is steep; wear shoes with grip.
6
Falmouth
1 night20m · 24 km from previous
Falmouth guards one of the world's deepest natural harbours, its distinctive merchant character visible in the Georgian architecture and the National Maritime Museum on the waterfront. A foot-passenger ferry to St Mawes takes ten minutes and gives views back to Pendennis Castle that are impossible to get from land.
Falmouth guards one of the world's deepest natural harbours, its distinctive merchant character visible in the Georgian architecture and the National Maritime Museum on the waterfront. A foot-passenger ferry to St Mawes takes ten minutes and gives views back to Pendennis Castle that are impossible to get from land.
The St Mawes Ferry (10 minutes) makes a satisfying half-day addition with good views of the Fal estuary. The Roseland Peninsula is best seen from the water before continuing east.
7
Fowey
1 night40m · 48 km from previous
Fowey (pronounced 'Foy') sits where its river meets the English Channel. The town's steep Georgian streets inspired Daphne du Maurier. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a short drive away, cover 200 acres of restored Victorian gardens. The Eden Project, 7 miles north near St Austell, fills two biomes in a clay pit and deserves three to four hours.
Fowey (pronounced 'Foy') sits where its river meets the English Channel. The town's steep Georgian streets inspired Daphne du Maurier. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a short drive away, cover 200 acres of restored Victorian gardens. The Eden Project, 7 miles north near St Austell, fills two biomes in a clay pit and deserves three to four hours.
Buy Eden Project tickets online to skip the queue. The Lost Gardens of Heligan are a calmer alternative if Eden feels too busy in peak season.
8
Plymouth, Devon
38m · 46 km from previous
The A390 east from Fowey and the A38 north bring you back to Plymouth across the Tamar Bridge, completing the Cornish circuit. The Barbican, Plymouth's historic fishing quarter with its Elizabethan streets and converted fish market, makes a fitting final stop for a meal before the drive home.
The A390 east from Fowey and the A38 north bring you back to Plymouth across the Tamar Bridge, completing the Cornish circuit. The Barbican, Plymouth's historic fishing quarter with its Elizabethan streets and converted fish market, makes a fitting final stop for a meal before the drive home.
The Barbican hosts street food markets on summer weekends, making it a convivial place to end the trip if you time the return for a Friday or Saturday afternoon.

Route highlights

Culture
St Michael's Mount, Marazion
A 12th-century island castle rising from the tidal flats of Mount's Bay, managed by the National Trust. Walk across the cobbled causeway at low tide for the best approach, or take the short ferry at high tide. The subtropical gardens on the terraced slopes are open in season.
Culture
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno
One of Britain's most extraordinary performance venues: an open-air theatre carved by hand from the granite clifftop by Rowena Cade starting in the 1930s. The 750-seat auditorium looks out over the Atlantic from a ledge 200 feet above the sea. Productions run from May to September.
Beach
Kynance Cove, The Lizard
Arguably Cornwall's most photogenic beach, with turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks that have made it a favourite since the Victorian era. At low tide you can walk between the rock formations and explore sea caves. The National Trust car park is a short walk from the cove.
Culture
Tate St Ives
Opened in 1993 in a former gasworks above Porthmeor Beach, Tate St Ives is one of Britain's best-known regional galleries. The permanent collection spans the artists of the St Ives School from the 1950s, and the rooftop terrace looks directly out over the Atlantic.
Scenic Drive
B3306 Coastal Drive
The B3306 from St Just to St Ives runs along the Atlantic clifftop past abandoned tin mines, granite moorland and ancient standing stones. The 20 km route takes around an hour allowing for viewpoint stops and is considered one of the finest coastal drives in England.
Activity
Eden Project, St Austell
Two enormous biomes set in a former china clay pit near St Austell house an equatorial rainforest and a Mediterranean landscape. Allow three to four hours. The outdoor gardens and summer music events extend its appeal beyond the biomes alone.
Food & drink
Padstow Harbour Seafood
Padstow's harbourfront has been a destination for seafood lovers since Rick Stein opened his first restaurant here in the 1970s. Today the town supports a range of independent restaurants alongside the original Seafood Restaurant, all serving fish landed at the quay each morning.

Cornwall Atlantic Loop

The route · 8 stops

Plymouth, Devon

Padstow

St Ives

Penzance

Lizard Peninsula

Falmouth

Fowey

Plymouth, Devon

Route highlights

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