Padstow
Narrow streets and alleyways with slate hung and pastel colour wash buildings make Padstow a delightful fishing village, well worth a visit.  A working harbour village but with the active fishing boats mostly on the harbour area on the outskirts of the village.
Facing the sea there is a large harbour side car park on the furthest right hand side, with a second smaller harbour side car park
as you proceed nearer the main village.  Park in the furthest car park where there is more room to turn the car and park & with more available parking spaces.  By this car park is the National Lobster Hatchery on the waterfront. For a modest charge you can enter the hatchery and see the hatching tanks, a display of live lobsters and an interactive lobster education room.  Also here you will find a large fresh fish and sea food market. At the other side of the harbour is the Tourist Information Office.  The  touristy gift shops have been mostly replaced by interesting and individual shops selling an array of goods no longer found amongst  chain store dominated city centre shops, at prices from the modest to expensive; restaurants and cafes. Any remaining gift shops have gone somewhat upmarket with more interesting ware-reflecting Padstow's attraction as a more upmarket destination.  Padstow is associated with the T.V. chef Rick Stein who has a seafood restaurant in the village.  Those who did not book well in advance for a seat in his restaurant  can instead visit Rick Stein's cafe!  A pedestrian ferry, leaving  from the harbour, crosses the estuary to Rock and back and operates most of the year.  In Fentonluna lane are the Tropical Bird and Butterfly Gardens (Bird Parks) where there are 2 acres of garden, a tropical house, and of course colourful birds and butterflies.  At the top of the hill is the large St Petroc church, interesting old carvings including one showing a fox preaching to geese.  May Day is the big day of the year with the colourful Padstow Hobby Horse Festival, a large event - possibly the oldest dance festival in the country.
 
 

Padstow harbour	Padstow harbour	Padstow harbour

Rock/Padstow Ferry arriving in Padstow	The Lobster Pot restaurant	The Famous Little Store

Rick Stein's Cafe	The National Lobster Hatchery	National Lobster Hatchery tank

National Lobster Hatchery	National Lobster Hatchery (interactive info on lobsters)	Padstow Bicycle Hire

Legend Leatherwork	The Padstow Mussel Company	Padstow harbour

Tourist Information office	View across the estuary to Rock	The Harbour Inn

 

Towns & villages of Devon and Cornwall