Padstow – a beautiful, ancient harbour town in Cornwall
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- 24/01/2005
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Padstow Stein urges fishy rethink - 28/10/2004
400 year old Padstow pub can bu yours for just £1.25 million - 21/09/2004
103 year old ex- Padstow lifeboat for sale
Padstow is situated on the West side of the Camel estuary in North Cornwall. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty with wonderful bays and beautiful golden beaches. The town itself has a colourful and ancient history. Old crooked streets slope down to the harbour where many fine medieval buildings can still be seen. Today Padstow remains a working fishing port whose produce has been made famous by Rick Stein’s television series and acclaimed Seafood Restaurant.Padstow accommodation guide…hotels, guest houses, B&B’s, holiday lets, camping, caravanningBuying property in Padstow…don’t miss out on the Padstow property boomPadstow’s special events and attractions…including the centuries old Hobby Horse dance festivalHistory of Padstow…in which Padstow’s saint from the Dark Ages travels to India, medieval criminals find safe haven, and famous Elizabethans set up home in both the 16th and 20th centuriesUseful links…folklore, history, webcams, Cornish stuff From Padstow harbour you have a wonderful vantage point to watch the small fleet of daily fishing boats and the antics of holidaymakers “messing about in boats”. You will find beaches within walking distance of the Harbour, or a short drive along the coast will take you to some of the finest beaches in Cornwall. With its wonderful views Padstow is ideal for walking, golfing or a short break any time of the year.
Dining out in Padstow is certainly no hardship. Rick Stein has opened no less than five eateries – The Seafood Restaurant, the Bistro at St Petroc’s, Rick Stein’s Cafe, The Seafood Deli, and Stein’s Patisserie. From the Deli you can pick up hot takeaway snacks such as Goan Fish Curry, Stir-fried Salt and Pepper Squid and Mexican Fish Tacos. Commenting on the newly opened Patisserie the great man says:
“I decided to open something special, a good Patisserie right in the centre of the town which would match anything you could find in France or Italy. We’ll be selling lots of the great pastries, gateaux, fruit tarts and bread we do in the restaurants plus our much loved pasties, open sandwiches, croissants and feather-light pains au chocolat with Lavazza espressos and cappuccinos for breakfast.” more…
But in case you need a change from this unrelenting excellence, there are any number of other restaurants, cafes, pubs, and takeaways many of whom also subscribe to Rick Stein’s philosophy of making the most out of perfectly prepared, fresh Cornish produce.
Padstow enjoys an extremely mild and benign climate and a very sheltered position through being on the West side of the River Camel estuary. Cornwall is virtually an island being almost completely cut off from Devon by the river Tamar. On all other sides the county is surrounded by the sea and here you will find the most westerly point in mainland Britain (Lands End) and the most southerly (The Lizzard). It is this combination of being relatively so far South and West, with the critical influence of the Gulf Stream around the long expanse of the Cornish coast, that makes Padstow such a wonderfully mild place. Snow is very rare in winter and there are very few days of frost too.