THINGS TO DO IN PADSTOW.?......APART FROM PONCE AROUND THE HARBOUR.

[tiredemma]

We are off to Padstow next week, what delights are in store for us- what should we avoid like the plague?

any recommendations gratefully appreciated.

we have two boys aged 4 & 6

thanks

[LIZS]

Rick Steins deli or fish and chips(eat out) Bike ride down the Camel Trail. Watergate is a great beach but probaby heaving. Newquay Aquarium is ok-ish but £££ for just an hour or so , take some discount vouchers.

[Whizzz]

Play dicing with death in the car park (watch the harbour wall !), battle through the crowds, get mown down on the tiny streets......no really, I love Padstow but is gets soooooo busy in the summer

[Whizzz]

I'm just jealous really

[tiredemma]

after I booked it I regretted it to be honest, would have preferred to have gone somewhere less crowded, but DP really wanted to go.
Everyone says its HEAVING in the summer- dreading it.

Has anyone been to that Flambards place on Lizard peninsular?

[WaynettaSlob]

Get the ferry across to Rock and laze on the beach
And DEFINITELY do Rick Stein's fish n chips - delish!

[tiredemma]

I phoned up in FEBRUARY!! to try and get a tabel for Dinner at Rick steins- fully booked for every evening that we are there- had to settle for Sunday lunch instead. SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE!! better be good.

[LIZS]

Dr Who exhibition is at Land's End .

[Sunshinemummy]

The boat trip to Puffin Island is fun (although mis-named in that we didn't see any Puffins). The Lobster Museum is interesting and they have a quiz for kids and things to colour in. Take the boat over to Rock as the beach there is lovely and it gets the sun for longer. I believe that the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan aren't far away either. Oh and a brass band plays in the harbour on Sundays, which is lovely. Am very jealous, I love Padstow.

[LIZS]

There's 15 at Watergate in corner of beach side car park. Apparently they do a brunch for which you just turn up and a taster menu for dinner for £60

[Sunshinemummy]

Rick Stein's is lovely. I've been twice and loved it both times.

[ahundredtimes]

Rent bikes and do the Camel Trail. There's a bike rental place in Padstow, you can get tow-alongs if needed.

Also queuing. You do a lot of queuing at the Rick Stein fish and chip place, but it's soooo worth it.

[ahundredtimes]

Sorry, but am lol at the Lobster Museum. How interesting can this be? Really?

We went to a Herring Museum in Cornwall once. It was raining a lot.

[MrsJohnCusack]

I think Malory may be an expert on Padstow? (and, in fact, poncing)

[lucykate]

cycling?, the camel trail goes round there. we hired bikes and rode from wadebridge to padstow, had rick stein fish and chips, then rode back.

carruan? good play area, you can do a tractor ride and food is cheap and good

really cheesy but brocklands? big adventure park, we spent the whole day there, kids loved it

[tiredemma]

in all- is it a nice place? But expensive yes?

it looks lovely on the web- hope we have a good time.

[lucykate]

beaches wise, try trebarwith strand or strangles, both worth a visit, lovely at sunset.

[Sunshinemummy]

I really enjoyed the lobster museum - it was fascinating. Lobsters are quite interesting creatures. Me and friend were the oldest people in there without children by some distance.
I love Padstow - it's fab.

[filthymindedvixen]

hi tired emma, we aresetting off tomorrow for tintagel. Fricking severe weather warning for tues/weds...70mph gales etc

Tiredemma, get up early and go to Trebarwith Strand (about 10 mins drive away, spectacular lovely beach with rock pools etc. Go to tintagel, (boys will love riunning about with toy swords). There's a very hokey but fun chilkdren's farm/play centre called Trethorn with petting zoo, playground play barn etc, Launceston steam railway and bodmin steam railway.

loads to do if the weather is ok..
Newquay has a zoo and indoor lesire/wave pool place too.

And you can look out for me and megalegs and Dumblesore's girl at polzeath...

Please oh please let us have some decent wweather...

May I hijack and ask if there's anything indoor8 at Penzance?? All I have found is a pilchard* factory tour [extreme disgust]

[heifer]

The beach at Padstow is lovely,, and just a short walk away from the town centre...

Was quite isolated (well it was 4 weeks ago)....

[florenceuk]

We spent last week of July in Trevone - it was very wet! Lappa valley railway fun here. Also one at Bodmin if you are into that sort of thing. Lanhydrock has nice grounds for walk, house not that exciting. Personally found the lobster hatchery somewhat underwhelming. Trevone is a nice beach close by, with a rocky beach and a sandy beach - its a few minutes drive - if you are keen you can walk there at about 45min across the fields (DS did this at 4.5). The speedboat rides are exciting. If it rains, the new National Maritime Museum at Falmouth is good - very child-friendly (DS loved it). Personally I think Lizard peninsula a bit far to drive as beaches near Padstow very good. We went to St Petrocs Bistro which was good and also Ripley's in St Merryn - much better service and delicious bread. Last year we went to No 6 and Margots - both worth trying. There is a small cafe down an alley near the Stein Patisserie which does great bacon sandwiches!

[PandaG]

agree the Camel trail by bike - about 4.5 miles to Wadebridge from Padstow - we did it the other way round from Wadebridge to Padstow, lunch in Padstow and then back to Wadebridge, but we were staying in Rock. THe beach there is truly lovely, and you can walk on round to some more great beaches.

We enjoyed the Eden Project, and the ferry from Padstow to Rock is fun.

[lucykate]

if your dc's like animals, try tamar otter sanctuary in launceston we've been twice, the kids love the otters.