Region

North Cornwall

Base in Padstow, Newquay or Bude; drive the coast in 3–4 nights, and book summer beds months ahead.

Open Cornwall Plan a trip

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Key facts · United Kingdom

Best months: May–Sep
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP, £)
Language: English
Plugs: G · 230 V
Time zone: GMT, BST from late March to late October

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 11Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
Cornwall ↗Transport for Cornwall tickets work across operators; the Cornwall All Day bus ticket is about £8 adult, £5 under-19, singles about £3 (2026 estimate).
Cornwall ↗Buy a train ticket before boarding; the Cornwall Ranger day ticket covers trains in Cornwall and Plymouth (about £14 adult, 2026 estimate — check).
Cornwall ↗GWR's Cornwall Pay as you Go smartcard is valid on trains within Cornwall.

North Cornwall is one coast road, the Atlantic-facing side of the county, running from Bude down through Boscastle, Tintagel, Padstow, Newquay and Perranporth. It is a car region: buses exist but are slow between villages, and the A39 and A30 are the only fast links. Pick one base and day-trip the rest rather than moving hotels every night.

Where to sleep

6 places in this region

Sleep base

PadstowCity guide
Camel Estuary, Camel Trail start, food-led harbour.
Best May–Jun, Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Padstow →
NewquayCity guide
Surf schools, Fistral, airport at NQY.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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BudeCity guide
North end of the coast, closest to Devon and the A39.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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Day trip

WadebridgeCity guide
Camel Trail midpoint; quieter and cheaper than Padstow.
Best May–Jun, Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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TintagelCity guide
Castle and cliff ruins; half a day.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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PerranporthCity guide
Three-mile beach; good on a windy day.
Best May–Jun, Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Perranporth →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

3 nights: Padstow 3; Tintagel and Boscastle as one day, Newquay as another
4 nights: Padstow 2 + Newquay 2, with Bude or Bodmin Moor on the transfer day

The A30 and A39 are busy on summer Saturdays and bank holiday weekends; allow extra time on arrival and departure days.
Rip currents are common on Atlantic beaches; swim between lifeguard flags, which are seasonal.
Bodmin Moor and the cliffs fog in quickly; tell someone your route if walking alone.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Tintagel	Padstow	45 min	unknown	Castle ruins need timed-entry booking in summer; check.
Boscastle	Tintagel	15 min	unknown	Pair with Tintagel; harbour and cliff path, short visit.
Newquay	Padstow	40 min	unknown	Fistral and the town beaches; parking fills by mid-morning in August.
Bodmin Moor	Wadebridge	35 min	unknown	Brown Willy and the Hurlers stone circles; fog can descend fast.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding on this coast; carry bags in the car or use a taxi between bases.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Padstow	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	×	×	go	ok	ok	ok
Newquay	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	×
Bude	×	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	×	×	×
Wadebridge	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	×	×	go	ok	ok	ok
Tintagel	×	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	×	×	×
Perranporth	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	×	×	go	ok	ok	ok
Cornwall (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	–	–	ok	ok	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
North Cornwall coastBude to Perranporth	cool	cool	ok	ok	best	best	best	best	best	ok	cool	cool

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, grey

North Cornwall coast: Atlantic-facing and wetter and windier than the south coast; sea temperatures stay cold year-round. July and August are warmest but also the busiest; May, June and September give the best mix of weather and space.

School holidays (late July to early August, plus half-terms) are the peak for both beds and traffic; book months ahead.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
London Paddington	Bodmin Parkway / Newquay branch	Great Western Railway main line, change for the Newquay branch	~4 h to Bodmin Parkway	The branch to Newquay is a separate connecting train; check times.
NQY (Cornwall Airport Newquay)	Newquay	Taxi or bus	~15 min to Newquay	Year-round routes are limited; summer adds more UK and EU flights.
Exeter / the M5	Bude and the north coast	A30 then A39	~1 h 30 to Bude	The A30 is expressway as far as Carland Cross; the A39 is slower and single-carriageway in places.
Plymouth	North Cornwall	A38 over the Tamar Bridge, then A30	~1 h 30 to Wadebridge	The Tamar Bridge tolls eastbound vehicles only.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Cornwall All Day bus ticket

check

Unlimited travel for a calendar day across the county's bus companies; fares were £5 adult and £4 under-19 in 2023 — check current prices.

Cornwall Ranger rail ticket

check

Unlimited train travel in Cornwall and Plymouth for a calendar day; £14 adult and £7 under-16 in 2023 — check current prices.

Car hire

buy

The realistic option for this coast; book early for summer and expect narrow lanes.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Seafood and fish and chips	Padstow and Newquay harbours	Book harbour-side tables ahead in summer; queues build from 18:00.Book harbour-side tables ahead in summer; queues build from 6:00 PM.
Pasties	Anywhere on the coast	Buy from a bakery rather than a tourist stand; lunch on the beach.
Cream tea	Villages along the A39	Cornish style is jam first, then cream; the Devon order is the reverse.
Cider	Bodmin area	Local farm cider is strong; check the strength before a second pint.

Go next

Cornwall

A30 or the main rail line

South coast bases: St Ives, Falmouth, the Lizard.

Devon

A39 or A30 east, ~1 h 30 to Exeter

Exmoor and the north Devon coast continue the same shoreline.

Bodmin

planned

A389 from Wadebridge, ~30 min

Gateway to Bodmin Moor and Lanhydrock.

Redruth

planned

A30 west, ~45 min from Newquay

Mining heritage and East Pool Mine.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 3 bases
Day trips: 4, 15 min to 45 min
Nights suggested: 3–4 nights
Ways in: 4 listed
Best months: May–Sep

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open Cornwall Up to Cornwall

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialVisit Cornwall
officialTransport for Cornwall
officialNational Rail Enquiries
officialCornwall Airport Newquay
officialMet Office
officialNational Trust
secondaryWikivoyage: North Cornwall, revision 5223013 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about North Cornwall

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