How long is the Cornwall Atlantic Loop route?

This route takes 7 days taking in 8 stops.

Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Plymouth, Devon to Plymouth, Devon in Cornwall, South West England, England.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is May to September.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Easy-going. Easy-going and accessible for most fitness levels.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Relaxed — plenty of time to linger at each stop.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Coastal, Culture, Food & drink, Classic road trip.

Cornwall Atlantic Loop

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The route · 8 stops

5 overnight bases · 1 day trip · 2 stops on the way

On the way

Plymouth, Devon
Quick stop
The gateway to Cornwall sits at the edge of Devon on the Tamar estuary. Plymouth's historic Barbican quarter, the panoramic view from the Hoe and the distant outline of Drake's Island set the tone for the coastal adventure ahead. From here the A38 crosses the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall in minutes.The gateway to Cornwall sits at the edge of Devon on the Tamar estuary. Plymouth's historic Barbican quarter, the panoramic view from the Hoe and the distant outline of Drake's Island set the tone for the coastal adventure ahead. From here the A38 crosses the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall in minutes.
Recommendations

On to Padstow

Padstow

1 night

Padstow is Cornwall's most celebrated food town, its compact harbour ringed by restaurants that have made the Camel Estuary a destination for food lovers. A morning walk to Rock by foot-passenger ferry, an afternoon on the Camel Trail cycle path and an evening meal at the harbourfront fills a satisfying day on the north coast.Padstow is Cornwall's most celebrated food town, its compact harbour ringed by restaurants that have made the Camel Estuary a destination for food lovers. A morning walk to Rock by foot-passenger ferry, an afternoon on the Camel Trail cycle path and an evening meal at the harbourfront fills a satisfying day on the north coast.

Recommendations

On to St Ives

St Ives

2 nights

St Ives rewards two nights. The town has beaches on three sides, its cobbled lanes leading to independent galleries and the Tate St Ives above Porthmeor Beach. The Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden is a short walk away. The B3306 drive south from Padstow, past disused tin mines and granite moorland, is a highlight of the entire loop.St Ives rewards two nights. The town has beaches on three sides, its cobbled lanes leading to independent galleries and the Tate St Ives above Porthmeor Beach. The Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden is a short walk away. The B3306 drive south from Padstow, past disused tin mines and granite moorland, is a highlight of the entire loop.

Recommendations

Day trip from St Ives

4
Penzance

On to Lizard Peninsula

Lizard Peninsula

1 night

The Lizard is Britain's most southerly peninsula. Kynance Cove has turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks resembling the Mediterranean. Lizard Point, the UK's southernmost mainland tip, has a lighthouse open to visitors. The fishing village of Cadgwith, a short drive east, is a quiet and authentic contrast to the busier coves.The Lizard is Britain's most southerly peninsula. Kynance Cove has turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks resembling the Mediterranean. Lizard Point, the UK's southernmost mainland tip, has a lighthouse open to visitors. The fishing village of Cadgwith, a short drive east, is a quiet and authentic contrast to the busier coves.

Recommendations

On to Falmouth

Falmouth

1 night

Falmouth guards one of the world's deepest natural harbours, its distinctive merchant character visible in the Georgian architecture and the National Maritime Museum on the waterfront. A foot-passenger ferry to St Mawes takes ten minutes and gives views back to Pendennis Castle that are impossible to get from land.Falmouth guards one of the world's deepest natural harbours, its distinctive merchant character visible in the Georgian architecture and the National Maritime Museum on the waterfront. A foot-passenger ferry to St Mawes takes ten minutes and gives views back to Pendennis Castle that are impossible to get from land.

Recommendations

On to Fowey

Fowey

1 night

Fowey (pronounced 'Foy') sits where its river meets the English Channel. The town's steep Georgian streets inspired Daphne du Maurier. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a short drive away, cover 200 acres of restored Victorian gardens. The Eden Project, 7 miles north near St Austell, fills two biomes in a clay pit and deserves three to four hours.Fowey (pronounced 'Foy') sits where its river meets the English Channel. The town's steep Georgian streets inspired Daphne du Maurier. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a short drive away, cover 200 acres of restored Victorian gardens. The Eden Project, 7 miles north near St Austell, fills two biomes in a clay pit and deserves three to four hours.

Recommendations

On the way

Plymouth, Devon
Quick stop
The A390 east from Fowey and the A38 north bring you back to Plymouth across the Tamar Bridge, completing the Cornish circuit. The Barbican, Plymouth's historic fishing quarter with its Elizabethan streets and converted fish market, makes a fitting final stop for a meal before the drive home.The A390 east from Fowey and the A38 north bring you back to Plymouth across the Tamar Bridge, completing the Cornish circuit. The Barbican, Plymouth's historic fishing quarter with its Elizabethan streets and converted fish market, makes a fitting final stop for a meal before the drive home.
Recommendations

Route highlights

Culture
St Michael's Mount, Marazion
A 12th-century island castle rising from the tidal flats of Mount's Bay, managed by the National Trust. Walk across the cobbled causeway at low tide for the best approach, or take the short ferry at high tide. The subtropical gardens on the terraced slopes are open in season.
Culture
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno
One of Britain's most extraordinary performance venues: an open-air theatre carved by hand from the granite clifftop by Rowena Cade starting in the 1930s. The 750-seat auditorium looks out over the Atlantic from a ledge 200 feet above the sea. Productions run from May to September.
Beach
Kynance Cove, The Lizard
Arguably Cornwall's most photogenic beach, with turquoise water and serpentine rock stacks that have made it a favourite since the Victorian era. At low tide you can walk between the rock formations and explore sea caves. The National Trust car park is a short walk from the cove.
Culture
Tate St Ives
Opened in 1993 in a former gasworks above Porthmeor Beach, Tate St Ives is one of Britain's best-known regional galleries. The permanent collection spans the artists of the St Ives School from the 1950s, and the rooftop terrace looks directly out over the Atlantic.
Scenic Drive
B3306 Coastal Drive
The B3306 from St Just to St Ives runs along the Atlantic clifftop past abandoned tin mines, granite moorland and ancient standing stones. The 20 km route takes around an hour allowing for viewpoint stops and is considered one of the finest coastal drives in England.
Activity
Eden Project, St Austell
Two enormous biomes set in a former china clay pit near St Austell house an equatorial rainforest and a Mediterranean landscape. Allow three to four hours. The outdoor gardens and summer music events extend its appeal beyond the biomes alone.
Food & drink
Padstow Harbour Seafood
Padstow's harbourfront has been a destination for seafood lovers since Rick Stein opened his first restaurant here in the 1970s. Today the town supports a range of independent restaurants alongside the original Seafood Restaurant, all serving fish landed at the quay each morning.

Cornwall Atlantic Loop

The route · 8 stops