swim, surf, sauna...
...then walk the coast path to Padstow
All just a few steps from your room
Here's something the Padstow guidebooks miss: the best of this coast starts at our front door. Pull on your wellies, wander down the lane to the beach, and the coast path will carry you as far as your legs fancy, round headlands and across sandy coves, before bringing you home in time for a sauna, a pint by the fire or supper.
Harlyn Bay is the beach at the end of our lane, and it changes twice a day - as the tide goes in and back out, this is what you need to know before you wander down.
When the tide's in
Harlyn is a sheltered crescent of sand with gentler waves than most of this coast, and one of the most reliable beginner beaches in Cornwall.
Harlyn Surf School is just down from our garden gate, so you can be in a lesson before your cuppa's gone cold. It's lovely for paddleboarding and kayaking too.
When the tide's out
The bay opens into a vast, flat stretch of sand, with rock pools and caves to poke about in. Take a bucket and borrow a pair of wellies.
And whatever the season, Saunas by the Sea sits on the bay, with the sea as its cold plunge. Heating up, cooling off with a cold dip, then heading back into the warm is every bit as good in January as it is in July! Plus, as a little something for guests who are staying with us, you can enjoy an extra treaty discount. Just speak to us at reception, and we'll help you book your slot.
The Seven Bays of St Merryn
There's a saying round here, seven bays for seven days, and it's a lovely list to tick off - if you're lucky enough to be staying a week. The bays run along this stretch of coast from Trevone in the east to Porthcothan in the west, Harlyn Bay sits second in the chain.
That means Trevone is about 40 minutes one way along the coast path and the whole western run is walkable from our garden gate, round Trevose Head and on for as long as your legs will carry you.
Most guides count the bays from Padstow, where the holiday lets are, but we'd rather count them from here. And if you're only with us for a night or two, skip straight to our loop below, which takes in the best pick of them in a single day.
The seven bays
Harlyn Bay - you're already here
North-facing, sheltered and shallow - and right outside the door. Have your sauna and cold plunge before breakfast, or save it for after a day on the coast path.
Mother Ivey's Bay - 1.1 miles, west
A quieter, more sheltered bay with views out to Merope Rocks and Padstow Lifeboat Station. It's one of the team's own favourites for a swim, especially when Harlyn's got a bit of wind in it.
Trevone Bay - about 2 miles, east
Walk east for about 40 minutes and you'll reach Trevone - a wide sandy bay with rock pools at each end. Tucked into the rocks on its western side is a natural tidal sea pool, hidden until the tide drops.
Booby's Bay - about 3 miles, west
Round Trevose Head, Booby's only really appears at low tide, when the sand and rock pools open up between the cliffs. Look closely after a storm and you might spot the timbers of an old wreck, usually buried under the sand.
Constantine Bay - about 3 miles, west
Wide sand backed by dunes, with the golf course looking down from above. At low tide it joins Booby's Bay next door, so the two become one long beach to wander.
Treyarnon Bay - 3.5 miles, west
Treyarnon's trick is its natural rock pool, cut into the cliffs at the northern end and big enough to swim proper lengths in. Handy on a day when the sea itself is too rough to get in.
Porthcothan - 5.5 miles, west
The quietest of the seven bays, with a small village beach and rock pools of its own. A natural stone arch stood here until storms took it down in 2014 - the gap it left is still worth the walk to see.
Our favourite bay
Ask anyone on our team which bay to head for and the answer is always Mother Ivey's. It's just over one mile west along the coast path, sheltered and secluded, with views out to Merope Rocks and Padstow Lifeboat Station, and much quieter than the names everyone knows. Take a towel and a good book, because in spring and summer there's nowhere we'd rather swim or while away an afternoon in the sun.
On foot from Harlyn
No car, no route to plan. The coast path runs straight from the door - east into Padstow for the harbour and a plate of fresh caught lobster, or west round Trevose Head to Constantine Bay and the string of bays beyond.
Every direction ends the same way: back at the water, ready for a swim or a sauna!
2.5 miles | 40 minutes (each way)
Trevone and the pools
Head east along the coast path for about 40 minutes to Trevone and its tidal sea pool. At low tide, on the western side of Trevone Bay, Tinker Bunny's Bathing Pool appears, a natural sea pool tucked between Rocky Beach and Newtrain Bay that you might walk straight past at high water.
Next door, Newtrain looks rocky at first glance, but when the water drops it becomes one of the most peaceful swimming spots on this coast. Check the tide table before you set off, and aim to arrive as the water's going out, so the pools are there waiting for you.
Note: If you want to get the bus back, just catch the A5.
7.5 miles | 2.5 hours
The Four Bays (circular)
This is the walk our team do themselves, and if you've only got time to do one, it's the one we'd pick. Head west from the garden gate to Mother Ivey's Bay, quieter than the names everyone knows, then carry on past Padstow Lifeboat Station and round Trevose Head to the lighthouse.
From there the path drops down to the wide sands and dunes of Constantine Bay before looping back to us, with the tired legs and wind-pinked cheeks that earn a proper supper.
There's also a slightly shorter option - 6.3 miles.
5km | 3.1mile
Trevose Head 5km Run
If you're after a gentle morning jog or a leisurely afternoon leg-stretch, this 5K route is just the thing. Setting off from our door and winding through the beautiful local landscape before bringing you back home again, it's perfectly paced for a slow plod.
Long enough to find your rhythm and soak up the surroundings, yet short enough to leave plenty of time for a well-earned breakfast, coffee or perhaps something a little stronger.
A walk to the pub
The Cornish Arms in St Merryn, 30 minutes on foot
A pint always tastes better when you've walked for it and The Cornish Arms in St Merryn is about half an hour away.
Wander over in the late afternoon, settle in for a while, and stroll home when you're ready for supper, or stay put for that too... we won't take it personally.
Don't forget to take a torch if you are coming back after dark.
Before you set off
Check the tide times before you set off, particularly for the pools and caves, and give yourself plenty of time to get back before the water turns. Lifeguards cover Harlyn in season only, so outside those months swim with care and stay within your depth.
The coast path is uneven and exposed in places, so wear proper walking shoes or wellies, and take a layer and a brolly, whatever the forecast says. And when you're done, the warm bits are waiting at this end.
And if you change your mind
If your legs have had enough for one day, there’s plenty to keep you busy without leaving the gate, from the 11am Kitchen Garden tour to a long afternoon in the Resident’s Snug. And when you’re ready to go a little further, our favourite days out by car, bike and ferry are all in one place.
