Padstow (a historic Cornish port town)
Padstow is a historic port in the small county of Cornwall. It’s one of those towns that is actually prettier than you think, the opposite of what can sometimes happen!
It’s known for being home to several restaurants and a cooking school of TV chef Rick Stein. But you don’t have to eat seafood to enjoy this pretty place. And Rick himself serves up Cornish Briam (roasted vegetables) and seasonal salads, an amiable chef who embraces different belief systems.
Always follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and toxic plants/trees) and on leads near birds, barnyard friends and wild ponies.
At the coast, keep away from nesting birds and never walk on sand dunes. Learn how to keep dogs safe by the seaside (check beach bans before travel).
Named after a Welsh missionary
Saint Petrol was a 6th century Welsh prince who became a missionary, and is known as ‘captain of the Cornish saints!’ He founded several monasteries, including one at Padstow (near where he died) and a hermitage in Bodmin.
He is known for his connection to nature (he once sheltered a stag being hunted by a pagan king, which led the king to convert to Christianity). He is also known as the saint to help homeless people.
The Doom Bar (a treacherous sandbank)
This is a shifting sandbank at the mouth of the Camel Estuary between Padstow and Rock, known to have caused hundreds of shipwrecks. A few years ago, a teenage girl drowned when the family boat capsized near here, after being struck by a high wave.
It is also hazardous for walkers, having caused deaths at low tide, so keep people and dogs well away.
The start of the Camel Trail
The Camel Trail is a popular walking route (just over 18 miles) of wonderful Cornish scenery, with lots of options to break it into smaller sections (it also has no hills!) Taking in natural woodland and wild marshlands, it winds through the River Camel to meet the sea.
The trail is free to use and designed for pedestrians (the only traffic is in the three towns it links to: Padstow, Wadebridge and Bodmin. Keep dogs away from wildlife, and on leads near bike traffic.
The Saint’s Way (an ancient pilgrim walk)
The Saint’s Way is a pilgrimage walk that has been taken for centuries by those with faith. It runs from St Petroc’s church in Padstow to Fowey on the south coast, a journey of 27 miles. And takes around three days.
There are many bed and breakfasts (and pub inns) along the way. Many are dog-friendly, though note dogs require lifting over some closed-spaced stiles (and keep dogs on lead near farmer fields, which the route passes through and at road crossings).
