Visiting Padstow

By Car

From the M5 Motorway you have a choice of three routes. The first two are best suited for vehicles towing caravans or trailers.

Car Route 1

Continue straight on at the end of the M5 motorway. This merges into the A38 dual carriageway which takes you past Plymouth and over the Tamar Road Bridge into Cornwall. There is no charge to enter Cornwall but you will have to pay a toll when you go back into Devon.

Continuing on the A38 towards Bodmin, you will see signs for 'A30 Truro & West.' Follow these and you will then join the Bodmin bypass. This is a dual carriageway which you follow to a roundabout. Continue following signs 'A30 Truro & West.' Carry on past the BP petrol stations. There are major road works on this road (see Highways Agency). Ignore the first sign for 'Padstow / Wadebridge B3274' - this is a very narrow, twisting, road with very few passing places. Proceed under the railway bridge until you see another sign for 'Newquay, St. Columb, Padstow.' Take this road and continue to the roundabout. Take the fourth exit, signposted 'Wadebridge A39', and continue to the next roundabout. Take the first exit, signposted 'Padstow B3274'.

Within 2 miles you will see excellent views of the Atlantic to your front and left, and Padstow and the Camel Estuary to your right. Also to the right you will see the Cornish Mountains Brown Willy and Rough Tor, on Bodmin Moor.

After approximately 3 miles you will come to a small cross-roads. Turn left here for St. Merryn, Treyarnon, Constantine, Porthcothan and Trevose Head. Carry straight on for Padstow and Trevone.

Another 1½ miles on, the B3274 becomes the A389. Continue following this road.

After about another 1½ miles there will be a sign on your left for 'Newquay B3276 Coast Road.' Take this road for Trevone Bay. For Padstow, continue following the A389.

by Car

Car Route 2

Leave the M5 Motorway at Junction 31, marked 'A30'. This exit is approx. 3½ miles from Exeter Services and is also less than ½ mile from the end of the Motorway. If you miss this exit you will merge into the A38 for Plymouth & West.

From Junction 31, A30, you have dual carriageway until just past Launceston. From here to the Bodmin bypass you travel over Bodmin Moor, getting excellent views of Brown Willy and Rough Tor, the moor, and a large area of Cornwall. Look out for Jamaica Inn on your left. It is bypassed, but well signposted. A considerable length of this road is dual carriageway and the few non-dual stretches are excellent trunk road.

As you leave Bodmin Moor you join the Bodmin bypass. At the roundabout continue to follow 'A30'. You travel the full length of the Bodmin bypass, which is dual carriageway - the last you have on your journey to Padstow. Continue following signs 'A30 Truro & West.' Carry on past the BP petrol stations. There are major road works on this road (see Highways Agency). Ignore the first sign for 'Padstow / Wadebridge B3274' - this is a very narrow, twisting, road with very few passing places. Proceed under the railway bridge until you see another sign for 'Newquay, St. Columb, Padstow.' Take this road and continue to the roundabout. Take the fourth exit, signposted 'Wadebridge A39', and continue to the next roundabout. Take the first exit, signposted 'Padstow B3274'.

Within 2 miles you will see excellent views of the Atlantic to your front and left, and Padstow and the Camel Estuary to your right.

After approximately 3 miles you will come to a small cross-roads. Turn left here for St. Merryn, Treyarnon, Constantine, Porthcothan and Trevose Head. Carry straight on for Padstow and Trevone.

Another 1½ miles on, the B3274 becomes the A389. Continue following this road.

After about another 1½ miles there will be a sign on your left for 'Newquay B3276 Coast Road.' Take this road for Trevone Bay. For Padstow, continue following the A389.

by Car

Car Route 3

Leave the M5 Motorway at Junction 31, marked 'A30.' This exit is approx. 3½ miles from Exeter Services and is also less than ½ mile from the end of the Motorway. If you miss this exit you will merge into the A38 for Plymouth & West.

From Junction 31, A30, you have dual carriageway until just past Launceston. Approx. 1½ miles from the end of this dual carriageway, follow signs 'A395 Camelford / Wadebridge.' This is a nice, steady, run with views of Bodmin Moor, which is on your left. Continue on the A395. Approx. 1 mile past Davidstow bear left onto the A39, signposted Wadebridge. Carry on until you reach a roundabout. Take the third exit, signposted 'A39 Truro'. As you come off the Wadebridge bypass you will see The Royal Cornwall Showground on your left. After another 1½ miles turn right onto the 'A389 Padstow' road unless you are towing a caravan or trailer, or driving a large mobile home.

The 'A389 Padstow' road is not suitable for caravans, trailers or large mobile homes. As well as being narrow, a new traffic calming system has narrowed the bridge at Little Petherick to single lane with priority signs. Further on, the road has also been narrowed to single lane, again with priority signs. Traffic at times can tail back for a considerable distance from these two calming units due to motorists ignoring the priority signs and causing severe traffic jams...

Continue on this road, through St Issey and Little Petherick, until you come to a T-junction. For St. Merryn, Treyarnon, Constantine, Porthcothan and Trevose Head, turn left onto B3274 and continue until you reach a crossroads, where you must turn right. For Trevone and Padstow, turn right and follow the A389. After about another 1½ miles there will be a sign on your left for 'Newquay B3276 Coast Road.' Take this road for Trevone Bay. For Padstow, continue following the A389.

If you are towing a caravan or trailer, or driving a large mobile home, continue on the A39 until you come to the 'Winnards Perch' roundabout. Take the third exit, signposted 'Padstow B3274.'

Within 2 miles you will see excellent views of the Atlantic to your front and left, and Padstow and the Camel Estuary to your right. Also to the right you will see the Cornish Mountains Brown Willy and Rough Tor, on Bodmin Moor.

After approximately 3 miles you will come to a small cross-roads. Turn left here for St. Merryn, Treyarnon, Constantine, Porthcothan and Trevose Head. Carry straight on for Padstow and Trevone.

Another 1½ miles on, the B3274 becomes the A389. Continue following this road.

After about another 1½ miles there will be a sign on your left for 'Newquay B3276 Coast Road.' Take this road for Trevone Bay. For Padstow, continue following the A389.

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By Bus/Coach

Western Greyhound

Western Greyhound operate the local bus service, and the Bodmin Parkway service, which meets many of the mainline trains into Cornwall. Please note that due to timetable schedules buses can only wait a very limited time for late running trains.

National Express

National Express coaches have a stop in Wadebridge. Travel on to Padstow can be made by bus, operated by Western Greyhound, or taxi. It is strongly advised to book taxis in advance.

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By Rail

Bodmin Parkway

Bodmin Parkway is the nearest railway station to Padstow, situated on the Great Western main line between London Paddington and Penzance, which crosses the Tamar into Cornwall via the Brunel Bridge at Plymouth. Trains to and from Scotland, the North, the Midlands, Wales and London pass through the station. For railway timetables, see Network Rail.

Train operators serving Bodmin Parkway:

Western Greyhound buses meet many of the mainline trains into Bodmin Parkway but because of timetable schedules buses can only wait for a limited period of approx. 10 minutes for late running trains. Buses do not meet all trains, so please check when booking. Bus timetables are available at most rail stations. Taxis are usually available at the station but it is advisable to pre-book. A Taxi phone is situated at the exit.

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By Air

Newquay Airport

Newquay Cornwall International Airport is the nearest airport to Padstow, and is the main airport serving Cornwall. The airport is a fairly short taxi trip from Padstow or the surrounding bays. It is advisable to book a taxi in advance.

Airlines serving Newquay Cornwall International Airport:

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