Port Gaverne Holiday Cottages

Port Gaverne and Port Isaac

With Port Gaverne beach literally on your doorstep, and Port Isaac beach just a 20-minute stroll, there’s no shortage of sheltered coves within walking distance. These beaches are small, picturesque and family and dog friendly — a great way to while away an afternoon at any time of year. Port Gaverne beach is flanked by Port Isaac headland and ‘The Main’ (Port Gaverne’s headland), which tend to protect the beach from the big Atlantic waves. Port Isaac beach has a breakwater, so is generally a calm harbour with picturesque fishing boats dotted around.

Polzeath

An inspiration for poet Sir John Betjeman, Polzeath is a wide sandy beach about six miles from Port Gaverne. The village of the same name has plenty of restaurants and amenities to fuel a fun-filled day at the beach. With lifeguards on duty during summer days, a surf school on hand and plenty of rockpools to explore, Polzeath is the ideal place for a beach day.

Daymer Bay

Daymer Bay is a very sheltered beach about 8 miles from Port Gaverne. It sits in a sheltered spot at the mouth of the Camel Estuary, with calm waters and a long stretch of golden sand, and was one of poet John Betjeman’s favourite locations in Cornwall — it’s not hard to see why. One of this beaches great features is that it’s dog-friendly all year round too — and the wide open space makes it perfect to tire a four legged friend out!

Off the beaten track

Follow the coastal footpath to the east, or drive the road out of Port Gaverne and park up at Tregardock Farm. From here, it’s around a 20-minute walk and a bit of a scramble over some rocks to reach the sandy, quiet beach of Tregardock — be sure to check the tides beforehand! If you don’t fancy the walk, keep driving until you reach Trebarwith, with pub, shop and carpark, making it a little more family friendly and accessible — but a bit busier too. Both have an air of the undiscovered about them though, with waterfalls, caves and rockpools to explore, as well as being a little quieter than the likes of Polzeath.

Port Gaverne eateries

Port Gaverne has an extremely good food offering given the size of this tiny hamlet. Two of the best are in the heart of the hamlet — The Port Gaverne Restaurant and Hotel and The Pilchard’s Cafe, both of them are just off the beach. The Port Gaverne Restaurant and Hotel serves up excellent gastropub food and fine wines, or rinse off sandy feet and call in at The Pilchard’s for some tapas-style light bites and freshly made lunches.

Michelin-starred food

Neighbouring Port Isaac is filled with brilliant restaurants, but the most famous perhaps are those of Michelin-starred Cornish chef, Nathan Outlaw. The seafood tasting menu at Outlaw’s New Road is a real experience for anyone who appreciates good food — make sure you book in advance! If you’re after something a little more relaxed, wander down into the town to Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, where fishermen and local growers dictate the menu daily. Housed in a 15th century fisherman’s cottage, you can still expect white tablecloths and superb service but with a more relaxed atmosphere.

Laid-back dining

Follow your nose to popular Angry Anchovy and take a seat for excellent pizza and Cornish craft ale. This dog friendly restaurant serves freshly made pizza, and despite its name, offers plenty of non-seafood options, too. If you’re hankering after a crab sandwich, head to the top of the hill to Fresh From The Sea. Husband and wife team Callum and Tracey catch crab, lobster, mackerel and Cornish varieties of fish from their own boat and have been championing sustainable fishing practices since 2003.

Buying local in Port Isaac

This little town with two Michelin-starred restaurants is, unsurprisingly, one of the best places to get hold of fresh seafood. There are several fishmongers in this tiny village where you can pick up freshly landed fish, as well as delis in the centre and farm shops in the surrounding area.

Find out more about buying local in with our handy Local Food Guide to Port Gaverne and Port Isaac

Coasteering

If you’re after an injection of adrenaline, you’ll need to speak to Ben at Cornish Rock Tors. North Cornwall’s coastline lends itself particularly well to coasteering and other adventurous sea sports like kayaking, paddleboarding and wild swimming. Cornish Rock Tors have equipment to hire if you know what you’re doing, but we’d recommend getting Ben to show you around the Port Gaverne waters.

Tintagel Castle

The English Heritage Site of Tintagel Castle is often portrayed as King Arthur’s birthplace, with its Dark Age ruins, rich history of royals and mystical feel. Cross the footbridge and climb the 148 steps up to the island and walk through the wooden door that opens out to the Grand Hall, built by the fist Earl of Cornwall. Immerse yourself in the legend of King Arthur with the story slabs in the medieval garden, the bronze statue on the headland and search for the wizard Merlin’s face carved into the cliffs on the beach below.

St Nectan’s Glen

With an unmistakeable air of magic, this woodland walk with three waterfalls and hermitage are a must visit at any time of year and in any sort of weather. Park your car and walk 20 minutes into the woods to discover the first and biggest waterfall — at 60ft, this impressive waterfall has carved its own path through the rocks and tumbles down into the pool next to the pathway. Walk into the pool (if you forgot your wellies, the shop will lend you some for free) to really experience the magic of this waterfall – and make sure you don’t miss St. Nectan’s Kieve, the sacred hermitage next to the pool.

Padstow Foot Ferry

Port Gaverne to Padstow is a good 30-minute drive. Head to Rock, however, on the other side of the estuary and marvel at the millionaire’s playground. Hop onto the Padstow foot ferry that carries its passengers across the mouth of the Camel Estuary, past the Doom Bar and on to Padstow. The ten-minute journey is much shorter than driving to the town, and a much more entertaining mode of travel. The ferry goes every twenty minutes, usually from Rock but sometimes from Daymer Bay on a very low tide.