Anyone familiar with Newquay, Cornwall?

melanzana

Hello everyone.

I live in Dublin, and have just discovered that there are regular flights to Newquay. Yay!

Cornwall is a place I've always wanted to visit, but it just was too far from the usual hubs that Dublin Airport serves.

So now..... I can go!

Just a few days away maybe four or five, want to see Padstow and St. Austell. (Eden Project). Maybe two nights St. Austell, and three Newquay?

Would we need a car? Prefer not to, so any information on public transport would be great. Also any recommendations for hotels. Would like a treat, so something with a sea view in Newquay anyway? Will be going early September, once the schools go back.

Many thanks.

Tuesday_Tenor

For public transport, have a play around on the travelinesw journey planner to see what's possible:

http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15

You can also google
Newquay transport
for some useful sites, but I'm not sure how uptodate they are.

PasturesNew

Padstow and St Austell are on different coasts, as you know.

You do really need a car as buses are very slow.

Upon arriving at Newquay Airport you should really have a taxi booked, or see if there's a bus listed as in service. Buses there can be flakey (non existent out of the usual season). http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/travel/to-and-from-the-airport/bus-timetable

The airport is inland by some 10-15 minutes' drive from Newquay.

Eden Project is "in the middle of nowhere", but there'll be buses there from St Austell. Without a car it can be difficult to tell you where to stay in St Austell, especially as we've no idea what you like to see/do.

It can be tricky in Cornwall finding things to do, to be honest. If you wake up and have an idea to go and see something, then you go - and within 1-2 hours you're wondering where to go next .... you usually need to have a plan involving 3-4 places on a round-robin-route in any one day.

Shopping: forget it, you'll not find any good shopping in Cornwall, it's not like what you're used to.

So you need to think about what you'd like to see/do really.

PasturesNew

Oh, Newquay has a Fish Festival 16-18 September, if you time your visit round that then you'll at least have something to see/do for some of the time. It's not huge, check out Google to see the entire size of the harbour area, but they do put on demonstrations etc etc by chefs.

http://www.newquayfishfestival.co.uk/

There's no fee to get in, you just shuffle round, eat stuff, listen to entertainment ... then go round again.

melanzana

Hi and thanks.n (Tuesday Tenor) I think you are the poster who helped me with Oxford, you are so kind!

I have a website for buses in Cornwall. They are very infrequent, but regular, so we just have to time it I suppose!

Just wondering if there is anything wonderful in the vicinity of Newquay that is a must see apart from the places I mentioned in OP? But the whole place looks absolutely gorgeous I have to say. Google Streetview is amazing.

PasturesNew

melanzana wrote: »

Just wondering if there is anything wonderful in the vicinity of Newquay that is a must see apart from the places I mentioned in OP? But the whole place looks absolutely gorgeous I have to say. Google Streetview is amazing.

Nothing "wonderful" except the scenery. There are small "things to see" if you're into ancient stuff and legends and history... but just a few small things to stare at for 1 minute, dotted here and there.

e.g. there are some caves on some of the beaches, there's a discovery trail (walking) round the town that helps you explore the town's history, there's a small 14th century hut on the headland to stare at for another minute.

If you like walking, there are plenty of coastal walks you can do starting from there.

Or, there are day trips, at about £25. e.g. a Poldark Tour taking you to a few places the filming was done in Cornwall, or a Port Isaac trip (Doc Martin) which is about 20 miles away.

There is an Amateur Dramatics Theatre, that puts on occasional stuff, just on the outskirts. If you had a car I'd suggest 2-3 old thatched pubs locally, but in town the pubs aren't that old.

If you want a seaview there are lots of hotels or apartments offering that, at various locations. Without a car it might be sensible for you to focus your accommodation requirements between the Harbour and Fistral Beach as that gives you options on turning left or right each morning. Stay off anywhere that calls itself Pentire - you'll find it's a trek into town, or anywhere.

Oh, there's also a big/new cinema right in the centre of Newquay, lots of films on all the time. Lighthouse Cinema, WTW.

For water activities, you'll be a bit limited as to whether the weather's suitable for jetskis, banana boat rides or coasteering.

There's also a small swimming pool in town and a tennis court... if you do either of those and can be bothered when on holibobs. There's a Zoo. There are a few pitch n putts. There's a big golf club but it's a bit "intimidating/unwelcoming" in the main and tends to keep itself to itself and its members.

The boats will always take you out shark or mackeral fishing, if the weather's OK.

melanzana

PasturesNew wrote: »

Padstow and St Austell are on different coasts, as you know.

You do really need a car as buses are very slow.

Upon arriving at Newquay Airport you should really have a taxi booked, or see if there's a bus listed as in service. Buses there can be flakey (non existent out of the usual season). http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/travel/to-and-from-the-airport/bus-timetable

The airport is inland by some 10-15 minutes' drive from Newquay.

Eden Project is "in the middle of nowhere", but there'll be buses there from St Austell. Without a car it can be difficult to tell you where to stay in St Austell, especially as we've no idea what you like to see/do.

It can be tricky in Cornwall finding things to do, to be honest. If you wake up and have an idea to go and see something, then you go - and within 1-2 hours you're wondering where to go next .... you usually need to have a plan involving 3-4 places on a round-robin-route in any one day.

Shopping: forget it, you'll not find any good shopping in Cornwall, it's not like what you're used to.

So you need to think about what you'd like to see/do really.

Hi and thanks. We like walking A LOT!, not into shopping at all, just like to meander and find things really. There seems to be a great Coastal Path from NQ to Padstow, that sounds amazing (weather permitting). Great scenery and sea air, together with good grub is our heaven. So a visit to Rick Stein's place in Padstow is a must.

There is a bus from NQ to St. Austell, and to Padstow aswell. I've no problems hiring a car, but sometimes going on public transport is an experience too! When it is reliable that is.... Decisions, decisions!

PasturesNew

The coastal path as you listed is quite arduous and even trecherous at times of bad weather. It's worth doing that walk though. See iWalk he does loads of walks and takes videos of them. He walks, to sell his walks, but he posts lots of clips/videos, worth a look.
https://www.facebook.com/iwalkcornwall

Going the other way, I can thoroughly recommend the walk via Crantock to Polly Joke, then over Kelsey Head to Holywell. Once you get there you can pick up the bus back to Newquay from just outside the thatched pub (that is one of those I'd have suggested you drive to). Bus back takes about 20 minutes.

If you're walking over beaches, then you need to know the tide times. In particular, avoid high tide and try to pick dates when the tide's high at about 9-10 am as it'll then be "mostly out most of the day" lessening your chances of getting cut off.

melanzana

PasturesNew wrote: »

Nothing "wonderful" except the scenery. There are small "things to see" if you're into ancient stuff and legends and history... but just a few small things to stare at for 1 minute, dotted here and there.

e.g. there are some caves on some of the beaches, there's a discovery trail (walking) round the town that helps you explore the town's history, there's a small 14th century hut on the headland to stare at for another minute.

If you like walking, there are plenty of coastal walks you can do starting from there.

Or, there are day trips, at about £25. e.g. a Poldark Tour taking you to a few places the filming was done in Cornwall, or a Port Isaac trip (Doc Martin) which is about 20 miles away.

There is an Amateur Dramatics Theatre, that puts on occasional stuff, just on the outskirts. If you had a car I'd suggest 2-3 old thatched pubs locally, but in town the pubs aren't that old.

If you want a seaview there are lots of hotels or apartments offering that, at various locations. Without a car it might be sensible for you to focus your accommodation requirements between the Harbour and Fistral Beach as that gives you options on turning left or right each morning. Stay off anywhere that calls itself Pentire - you'll find it's a trek into town, or anywhere.

Oh, there's also a big/new cinema right in the centre of Newquay, lots of films on all the time. Lighthouse Cinema, WTW.

For water activities, you'll be a bit limited as to whether the weather's suitable for jetskis, banana boat rides or coasteering.

There's also a small swimming pool in town and a tennis court... if you do either of those and can be bothered when on holibobs. There's a Zoo. There are a few pitch n putts. There's a big golf club but it's a bit "intimidating/unwelcoming" in the main and tends to keep itself to itself and its members.

The boats will always take you out shark or mackeral fishing, if the weather's OK.

Thanks so much. Bookmarked.

PasturesNew

You can get from Newquay to St Austell by train, but I'd not advise that. Take the bus. The train is "odd", you'll go at 10mph for many miles, then get off (and there can be a 2 hour wait) before getting on the next train and trundling just 2-3 miles.

So, get the bus and you'll end up at exactly the same spot in the centre of St Austell.

In Newquay, if you ride horses, you might be able to take a short horse trek across a beach; that'd be down to whether they're doing that on the dates you're there. They do several short treks, for horse riding experienced people only in the main. It's a small operation they run.

For about £50/night ... you can sleep on a private beach, in an almost unserviced beach hut ... they're "posh". Loo block's 25 yards away, and a little shared kitchenette alongside; there's just 4-6 huts. There's a security guard on site all night, so you won't get drunk loons turning up.
https://www.facebook.com/Tolcarne-Beach-148124121907583/

Although it is a trek to the road ... (over 100 steps, or a winding roadway) ... when the tide's out you can get there across the beach.

melanzana

PasturesNew wrote: »

You can get from Newquay to St Austell by train, but I'd not advise that. Take the bus. The train is "odd", you'll go at 10mph for many miles, then get off (and there can be a 2 hour wait) before getting on the next train and trundling just 2-3 miles.

So, get the bus and you'll end up at exactly the same spot in the centre of St Austell.

Thanks, I have often found in some places that the bus is much quicker than the train, although we all think the opposite! Thanks for the tip.