Cornwall: The Best of Coastal Britain

04.02.2025 - 18:57 / travelpulse.com / Scott Hartbeck

So you've been to London, bumped fists with Big Ben, watched a Premier League game and witnessed the Changing of the Guard.

You've seen Scotland, from the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to the craggy, whisky-scented glens of the Highlands.

Maybe you've even walked the medieval walls of a cathedral city like York, strolled the graceful boulevards of Bath or got cozy by the fire at a country pub in the Cotswolds or Lake District. 

All these experiences are unbelievable, but you or your clients haven't truly experienced Britain until you've been to the coast. Thousands of miles long, dramatic as can be and within 70 or so from any point on the island, the coast is as quintessentially British as tea and soccer.

The British coast is lined with quaint fishing villages, seaside resorts, breathtaking beaches and a unique way of life. What's more, as a resident here for nearly a decade, I can attest that the seaside and visions of wild stretches of shoreline are so ingrained into the imagination of British people, that visiting it is one of the most "local" things you could ever do while here. 

And nowhere shows off the spirit of Britain's coast like Cornwall.  

This county in the far southwest of England is rich in history and enjoys a wealth of wide sandy beaches, jagged coastal scenes and fishing villages full of character. 

I recently visited and couldn't have fallen more in love.  It wasn't my first visit, but it was the one that confirmed for me that Cornwall represents the absolute best of coastal Britain. 

The harbor of Padstow in Cornwall, England (Photo Credit: Scott Hartbeck)

First impressions being as consequential as they are, I always try my best to orchestrate an excellent opening ceremony for my trips, and that's how I found myself standing barefoot in a downright Caribbean combination of soft sand and clear water at Harbour Beach—just outside of Padstow. 

Located on the soft side shores of the River Camel, it’s one of the closest beaches to town. From the beach towel, I gazed out over the water and contemplated the infamous “Doom Bar”, a sandbar that has led to the demise of many a vessel. But not on this day. After a session on the sand and a few splashes in the water, it was time to officially begin the trip by heading into Padstow proper. 

But first I had to go through customs. And by that, I mean checking in at The Old Custom House, a pub & restaurant with rooms and pride of place on Padstow's working harbor.

The Old Custom House pub in Padstow, England (Photo Credit: Scott Hartbeck)

As the name suggests, this pub with rooms is located in the former Revenue and Customs building, and if you look to the top of the building, you can still see the door where goods from far and wide were loaded in for surveying.