SWCP - Padstow to St. Ives Leisure Walk

Our leisure walks enable walkers to enjoy more time at each stop. This walk is certainly one with excellent places to enjoy.

Explore along one of Cornwall's most spectacular stretches of coastline, from the calm of the Camel Estuary in Padstow to the artistic charm of St Ives. Over 66 miles of leisurely, moderately-graded walking, you'll wander glistening white sands lapped by turquoise seas, climb dramatic headlands, and discover secluded coves, sea caves, and rocky arches carved by the Atlantic. The path weaves through Cornwall's wild industrial past too, abandoned engine houses and ghostly mine chimneys near St Agnes hint at a time when over 100 mines once clung to these cliffs, while smugglers' tales linger at evocatively named spots like Hell's Mouth and Deadman's Cove.

Along the way, keep an eye out for grey seals and basking sharks offshore, peregrine falcons overhead, and wildflower-carpeted cliffs bursting with purple heather and yellow gorse. Each night you'll rest in charming fishing harbours or lively coastal towns such as Padstow, Newquay, and St Ives with excellent food and a warm welcome for weary walkers. Whether you're drawn by the surf at Newquay, a cycle along the Camel Trail, or simply the promise of undisturbed coastal isolation, this route delivers stunning panoramas and a true sense of escape from start to finish.