eco holidays
holidays in cornwall
padstow harbour cornwall
padstow beach cornwall
north cornwall headland
guest comments
luxury cornish hampers
special offers cornwall holiday
Pencuke Farm Holiday Cottages & Yurts Pencuke St Gennys Bude Cornwall EX23 0BH tel 01840 230360 email info@pencukefarm.co.uk web www.pencukefarm.co.uk
terms of use - privacy policy - booking conditions - sitemap

out and about / visiting towns and villages / padstow

Padstow

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 and slate hung houses crowd narrow streets leading to a picturesque harbour. Padstow remains a working fishing port whose produce has been made famous by Rick Stein's television series and acclaimed Seafood Restaurant.

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". 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. 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 is perhaps best known for the Obby Oss Festival, when the 1st of May sees Padstow decorated with the first greenery of the year, bluebells and hazel twigs. The dance's origins are believed to be pagan and it is one of the oldest remaining customs in England. Male dancers cavort through the town dressed as one of two 'Obby 'Osses - the ‘Old’ and the ‘Blue Ribbon’ (as the name suggests they are stylised kinds of horses). Prodded on by acolytes known as ‘Teasers’, they try to catch young maidens as they pass through the town as two separate processions. The procession of the Oss, their teazer and the dancers, singers and musicians pass along the streets of the town playing a hypnotic tune to celebrate the coming of spring. Finally, late in the evening, the two 'osses do meet at the maypole, before returning to their respective stables where the crowd sings of the 'Obby 'Oss death, until its resurrection the following May Eve.

On South Quay you will find the Padstow Tourist Information Centre with knowledgeable and friendly staff that can help you get the most from a visit to Padstow.