The Cornwall peninsula: from St Ives to Padstow

Travelling from Saint Ives to Padstow, you go along the coast from west to east. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the Cornish coast, with its sandy beaches nestling in creeks and its windswept moors. Saint Ives is a typical small fishing harbour, full of life and colour. It is a place much visited by artists, including Turner and Whistler. The most distinctive quarter is the Island, a rocky outcrop at the end of the bay. Padstow, meanwhile, was once Cornwall's only safe refuge. Its quays are lined with old houses.

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Saint Ives

Saint Ives

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St Agnes Beacon  

A3075 Newquay TR50NU

Nature and gardens

South of the town, St Agnes Beacon is a hill 191m high overlooking sea and land. The view from here is extraordinary. In the foreground is the typical Cornish landscape, speared by old mine stacks.

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Trerice  

Kestle Mill Newquay TR84PG

Architecture, castles and historic districts

Trerice is a grey-stone manor house rebuilt to an E-shaped plan in 1572-73. The east front is highly ornate with scrolled gables and a 16C stone-mullioned window. The interior is notable for the quality of its plasterwork and fine furniture.

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Padstow

Padstow