A pretty fishing harbour on the Camel Estuary, ringed by golden coves and famous for its food. Here is how we would spend a day in Padstow with your dog.
Padstow is a huddle of slate cottages around a harbour on the Camel Estuary, the kind of Cornish town that fills up with day trippers for good reason. It became a food destination on the back of a certain celebrity chef, but the real draw for a dog is the run of estuary beaches just past the last cottage, the coast path over the headland and the flat, easy Camel Trail that follows the old railway out of town.
A beach in the morning, a boat trip or a walk to a headland, a very good lunch and a harbourside pint is the shape of a Padstow day. This is how we would spend it, with the real, well-reviewed places we would actually take our own dog.
1
Morning: the estuary beaches
A short walk out of town along the coast path brings you to a string of beautiful beaches that welcome dogs all year. Harbour Cove, sometimes called Tregirls, is a wide sweep of golden sand backed by dunes, and just beyond it Hawkers Cove sits where the estuary meets the sea. St George's Cove, closest to town, is dog-friendly outside the middle of the day in July and August.
The walk out to them along the headland, with the estuary on one side and the open sea ahead, is half the pleasure, and every one of them gives a dog acres of sand to tear about on.
From the harbour you can take a dog out onto the sea. Padstow Sealife Safaris runs wildlife boat trips that welcome small to medium dogs, and the Jubilee Queen runs gentler coastal cruises with dogs welcome aboard. For a landlubber's outing, Prideaux Place, the Elizabethan manor above the town, welcomes dogs on leads in its gardens and deer park.
Padstow takes its food seriously and looks after dogs while it does. Prawn on the Lawn keeps a couple of dog-friendly tables and is superb, Rick Stein's Cafe welcomes dogs in the courtyard, and Greens of Padstow takes them on the terrace. Out towards the beaches, the Trevone Beach Stores and Cafe is a lovely, laid-back dog-friendly stop.
The Shipwrights sits right on the harbour with dogs welcome on the lower floors and its own doggy beer, which makes it the obvious spot to watch the boats. The Old Custom House takes dogs in the bar and out on the quayside, and a stroll from the centre the Cornish Arms is a proper Cornish local that welcomes dogs throughout and in its beer garden.
The Padstow Townhouse is the top-rated pick, with a couple of dog-friendly rooms and parking, a rare luxury in the town. Rick Stein's Cafe Rooms offer dog-friendly rooms with a welcome hamper, and the Padstow Harbour Hotel has several dog-friendly rooms with bowls and treats laid on.
Golden estuary beaches, a boat trip past the seals and some of the best food in Cornwall. Padstow spoils a dog and its people equally.
What to pack for a day out
The short list that turns a good day into an easy one. Throw it in the boot before you set off.
Water bottle and collapsible bowl
Towel for the boot
Poo bags, always
Spare lead and a long line
Treats for the pub
ID tag and vaccinations up to date
Questions dog owners ask
Are Padstow beaches dog friendly?
Yes. Harbour Cove (Tregirls) and Hawkers Cove welcome dogs all year, and St George's Cove is dog-friendly outside the middle of the day in July and August. All sit a short walk out of town along the coast path.
Can dogs go on the Padstow boat trips?
Yes. Padstow Sealife Safaris welcomes small to medium dogs on its wildlife trips, and the Jubilee Queen takes dogs on its gentler coastal cruises. Keep them on a lead and bring water on a warm day.
Which Padstow pubs take dogs?
The Shipwrights on the harbour welcomes dogs on its lower floors with its own doggy beer, the Old Custom House takes them in the bar and on the quayside, and the Cornish Arms welcomes them throughout.
Where can I stay in Padstow with a dog?
The Padstow Townhouse has dog-friendly rooms with parking, Rick Stein's Cafe Rooms offer dog-friendly rooms with a welcome hamper, and the Padstow Harbour Hotel has several dog-friendly rooms with bowls and treats.
Is there a good flat walk in Padstow with a dog?
Yes, the Camel Trail follows the old railway line along the estuary out of Padstow, a flat, traffic-free path that is ideal for an easy walk with a dog, with the water alongside you much of the way.
Padstow through the seasons
Spring
The beaches are empty, the coast path is at its best and the town is calm before the summer rush. A walk out to Harbour Cove and a table at Prawn on the Lawn is spring here at its finest.
Summer
The town gets busy and St George's Cove restricts dogs in the middle of the day, so aim for the year-round beaches, go early and carry water. A cooling boat trip is a fine way to spend a hot afternoon.
Autumn
The crowds ease, the light softens and the estuary turns silver in the low sun. Empty sands, warm cafes and cosy harbour pubs make for a lovely autumn day.
Winter
Wild and quiet. Wrap up for a blustery headland walk out to the coves, then thaw out on the lower deck of the Shipwrights with a salty dog at your feet.