Top 10 UK Car Drives

UK top 10 best car road drives - forget speed cameras, roadworks and traffic jams: blow away the cobwebs with the best British country drives. Stuck in a rut of the daily commute? Leave the hustle and bustle behind and head for the British countryside. Even in these congested times, the UK has plenty to offer in terms of scenic drives and cracking roads; you just need to know where to find them. Here we show you the route to happiness with the top ten British country drives…

1. Hebrides
It may take a bit of effort to get there, but the Isle of Skye is an unspoiled haven within the Inner Hebrides.

Take the A87 from Portree - it skirts the coastline round the island and turns into the A855. There are numerous single-track roads for the really keen, while the harbour at Portree is perfect for a few snaps. There’ll be something for drivers and sightseers alike.

2. Northumberland
The North East has more than its fair share of rugged coastlines and spectacular scenery.

Start at Berwick-upon-Tweed (taking in the view of Lindisfarne) and head south to Alnwick. Pick up the B6431, which turns into the B6432, skirting Northumberland National Park. Stop for a brew at Farlam Hall in Brampton and marvel at the feat that is Hadrian’s Wall.


3. Lake District
The Lake District’s twisty country lanes are a driver’s delight - if you can avoid the peak of summer.

The B5289, just outside Cockermouth in Cumbria, loops around Derwentwater to picturesque Keswick. Stretch your legs with a walk through the Lake District National Park, then head south to Hardknott Pass - the steepest road in England. You’ll end up in the Victorian town of Ambleside for a well-deserved cuppa.

4. Peak District
Perfect for a family getaway, Britain’s first national park offers magnificent views of peaks and valleys in almost every direction.

To get the most out of them, you can’t do much better than the A57 from Glossop. Wind your way over the Moorland for miles, keeping an eye out for the Ladybower, Howden and Derwent Reservoirs. Finish up at Bakewell for, you’ve guessed it, the essential Bakewell Tart! If you’re taking little ones with you, take a look at Confused.com’s Guide to Keeping Kids Happy on Long Journeys.

5. Isle of Wight
This often-overlooked nugget of seaside delight is only half an hour from the mainland.

The Military road runs across the south coast of the island, following the sea cliffs as they look out over the English Channel. Rising and falling, they’re ideal for a slow cruise or an enthusiastic sprint. The road itself was part of the Palmerston Forts, built in the 1860s, in response to the perceived threat of French invasion.

6. Cotswolds
Burford, just 16miles west of Oxford, is one of England’s prettiest medieval towns.

The 1000 locals will welcome you as you partake in the delightful high street and quaint shops. From there, pick up the B4425. You’ll enjoy a fabulous fast and flowing open road for almost 15 miles before you reach Cirencester. Unwind and explore the weekday markets and renowned Corinium Museum.

7. Suffolk
Situated in the east of the UK, Suffolk offers some architectural delights, while the rural roads provide some challenging routes once you head off the beaten track.

Castle Hedingham

Follow the A12 south out of Ipswich, through the delightful Vale of Denham, before heading to Sudbury and picking up the B1058 towards Castle Hedingham. This, and the subsequent B1053 and B1057, loop around Saffron Walden – explore Audley End, one of the most ostentatious Jacobean houses in England.

8. North Wales
Find yourself in the right part of Wales and you can enjoy some of the best roads the UK has to offer.

Start at Bala and take the A42122 through the heart of Snowdonia. Head through Porthmadog and Pwllheli along the south coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, then back up along Caernarfon Bay. If you’re really keen, head north to Anglesey, and try out its race circuit, which looks out over the Irish sea.

9. Dorset
Take pleasure in the stunning views on offer in Dorset. Enjoy the traditional seaside town of Weymouth before following the coastal road up to the A352, visiting the iconic Lulworth Cove.

Gold Hill, Shaftsbury, Dorset

Head into Poole and explore its natural harbour, the second largest in the world, before looping back along the A35 through Tolpuddle to Dorchester - the home of Thomas Hardy and the Dorset County Museum.

10. Cornwall
A part of the UK not to be missed, head south along the coast from Bodmin to Lizard Point, and across to Land’s End. From there, drive north through the popular beaches of St Ives and Newquay.



For one final flourish, follow the A30 out of Bodmin again and head over the challenging moor roads, but be prepared for the Brown Willy effect: a localised weather phenomenon that brings heavy rain and flash flooding. Check out the amazing Cornwall Sunrise if you get the chance!

Country roads may take a bit of negotiating. Before you leave the hustle and bustle behind, make sure your car insurance is up to date and you’re covered for breakdown.

Enjoy South West - My South West

Favourite View
Choosing a favourite view is easy. It’s the view from the closest bit of coast to my home on the Lizard in West Cornwall. Church Cove at Gunwalloe, just a few hundred yards across Mullion Golf Course, is the quintessential Cornish cove but also has a tiny church backed into the headland flanking the beach.

It is a beautiful place but we have another link with this special part of Cornwall going back more than 30 years. In our family, the headland into which the church cowers is called ‘Decision Point’, because that is where my parents made the decision to move our life down here. So it was really where Classic Cottages was born. They started with just four fisherman’s cottages and we now have a portfolio of some 680 holiday homes spread across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. As we celebrate our 30th year in business, I am very grateful that, standing on the cliffs looking across to Land’s End, my parents decided to make that bold step.

It is easy to get complacent about the place we live in, but I walk or run that piece of coast almost every day and, whatever the weather, it always reminds me how lucky I am.

My South West Speciality
Fresh mussels from the Helford River, plucked from their host rocks with my own hands, cleaned and potted that day; how could it get better than that?

We have come a long way in the south west over the last 20 years. Touring the food tents at both the Devon and Cornwall County Shows bears testament to the incredible energy, imagination and enthusiasm of the local food producers. Back in the ‘old days’ we could not have shone a light on the standard of food in the south west, it simply would not have passed the ’credibility test’ with our guests. But now we promote local produce and gastronomy as another great reason to come to the south west and book a Classic Cottage. The likes of Messrs Stein, Caines and Oliver have been enormously influential in shining the spotlight on our part of the country, but the real progress has been made in the village shops, local pubs and restaurants where the high profile hype is backed with consistently high quality food and produce wherever you go.

My Own Personal Haven
A recent episode of ’Coast’ covering Cornwall included a scientific study of the quality of the light in St Ives. A sample of air from London was pumped through a piece of filter paper and compared with the air from St Ives. Unsurprisingly the London filter was filthy and the St Ives one pristine. But it did highlight one of the things I like best about living in the south west. It is the sense of open space, big skies and fresh air. The same applies whether I am on the cliffs or trudging across Dartmoor. This sense of freshness and vitality is at its strongest when I am on the sea or, even better, in it. As a mid-life-crisis surfer, there is nothing I like better than sitting in the still water beyond the breaking waves on an autumn evening following the setting sun as it drops behind Land’s End – closely followed a rude wake-up call from ‘Mother Ocean’ as she shakes me out of my reverie and refreshes me with a well targeted wave.

Sum up the South west
There is no doubt that, down here in the south west, we are all shaped in some way by the special nature of our environment. But there is an implicit assumption that, because we live in such a great ‘playground’ all we ever do is play. There is so much more to the area than chocolate box villages and rural idyll. Scratch the surface and everywhere you look you will find pockets of enterprise and innovation.

We do not have a core business, so we each have to find our own niche. It is that bit harder, but I also think that the variety of activity means that it is healthier. Looking at my own business, it would be easy to classify us as just another tourist business, but we have a collection of more than 25 people who are all specialists in a range of roles including marketing, building web sites, programming, inspecting properties, and customer relations. Classic Cottages is not unique, there are many businesses like us throughout the region, all with their own expertise, competing on national and international stages. So it is not all play, our surrounding also gives us the energy and inspiration to be quite good at work too.

Simon Tregoning is managing director of Classic Cottages, a specialist letting agency based in Helston in Cornwall. The agency markets more than 600 high quality self catering holiday homes across the south west and this year the family run business is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Go to Classic.co.uk and you will find a great selection of quality holiday cottages, country cottages and pet friendly cottages.

TIP: Check out the Classic Holiday Guide for things to do in the South West: Holiday Guide Cornwall, Holiday Guide Devon, Holiday Guide Somerset & Holiday Guide Dorset

Top 5 Beaches in Cornwall, 2009

The Marine Conservation Society has recently released their Good Beach Guide for 2009. The guide is taken from data compiled over the summer of 2008 and includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island, as well as The Channel Islands and The Isle of Man. With many UK tourists opting to save their travel money and head to our own holiday resorts this summer , I thought I would compile my top five beaches in Cornwall.
(All of the following have been recommended by the MCS as having excellent water quality).

5. Trebarwith Strand
Trebarwith lies on the north coast just over two miles from the popular destination, Tintagel.

Trebarwith Strand Beach, Tintagel

Often regarded as one of the nicest stretches of coast in the country, the quality of water and waves make the beach a great destination for surfers. However, keep an eye on the tide times because the beach can be completely submerged at high tide, causing a high risk of being stranded on the rocks.

Map and Directions to Trebarwith Strand


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4. Mother Iveys Bay
More family friendly and just as breathtaking, Mother Iveys Bay retains its quality despite being popular with tourists.

Mother Iveys Bay Beach, Padstow

Being near Padstow is another plus, whilst the surf is often also good. The beach gets its name after Mother Ivey, a white witch who is said to have cursed a local field in anger for Harlyn’s starving villagers.

Map and Directions to Mother Ivey


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3. Maenporth
Just around the corner from the busy harbour town of Falmouth and its beaches Gyllingvase and Swanpool, the beach at Maenporth is more sheltered and famed for its gently sloping bay.

Maenporth Beach, Falmouth

Situated on the south coast, the area is not known for its surf but it does offer facilities that are sometimes hard to find at the nicer spots in Cornwall, such as car parking, the Cove restaurant and toilets.

Map and Directions to Maenporth


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2. Sennen Cove
Lands End is the most westerly area of mainland England, and Sennen Cove lies just north, boasting golden sands and crystal clear waters. The beach is popular with surfers and bathers but also benefits from its impressive length.




Map and Directions to Sennes Cove


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1. Porthcurno
Sheltered by high cliffs and offering a funnel shaped beach, Porthcurno is often considered number one by tourists and locals alike.

Porthcurno Beach, just off Minack Theatre

Dramatic geography and clean waters proved so beautiful, that Rowena Cade decided to build an open air theatre to overlook the bay as a backdrop. Subsequently the beach is very popular with visitors who are also drawn to the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum.


Map and Directions to Porthcurno


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Newquay Surf Holiday 7 Tips

Head down to Fistral beach in Newquay any time of year and you?ll see a flotilla of board-riders out on the waves, no matter the weather. Despite the cold sea and grey skies, surfing is big in the UK and getting bigger every year. A haven for surfers in the UK and the location for major surfing competitions, Fistral, Newquay is internationally renowned and popular for consistent waves.

The well-established surf industry in Cornwall means there are plenty of surf schools offering the chance to learn to catch a wave, but there's more to the sport than simply pulling on a wet suit and heading out to the waves. If you want to be taken seriously on the Newquay surf scene this summer, there are seven golden rules:

1. Be blond and gorgeous
Strolling along Fistral Beach on a summer afternoon you have to pick your way between clusters of clone-like blue-eyed youths with sun-streaked, tousled hair and lithe, tanned bods. Have you just stumbled across a distant outpost of Sweden, or is there some weird breeding experiment happening here on the north Cornish coast, the creation of a genetically modified beautiful new race that doesn't turn lobster red in the sun and comes with pierced belly buttons, six packs and Celtic-style tattoos as standard?

The occasional herd of bloated, sunburnt stags sleeping off a hangover from the night before will remind you that, in fact, you are still in Britain. If you are not young, blond or gorgeous, don't despair. You can always opt for the 'wise old man of the sea' look - think Patrick Swayze in Point Break - which involves a small pointy beard (though not if you are female), a half peeled-off wet suit dangling from your waist, a weather-beaten face and a faraway look in your eyes. If even this is beyond your capacity, a few stitches won't go amiss, just to show you mean business.

2. Develop an Australian accent
Even if you are from Essex. All the best surfers are Australian, and all the best British surfers spend at least four months of the year perfecting their bottom turns Down Under and have the Aussie twang to prove it.

Joe Moran, Cornwall's answer to Brad Pitt, has it sussed. He works half the year on a building site in Newquay so he can spend the rest of his time surfing in Australia. He has just been offered a full-time job working as a sales rep for a surf-gear company. 'I feel it's time to put down some roots, get a mortgage, get the company car, but then again...' He trails off and gazes out towards the ocean. Don't do it, Joe.

What's even harder to fathom is why so many Aussies spend half the year surfing in Newquay when they've got all that gorgeous blue sea and sunshine back home. Forbesy is from Brisbane. He reckons that on a good day, when the sun is shining, Newquay can just about hold its own with the Gold Coast.

'But it's really the nightlife and the whole scene which brings travellers here. It's a real party town,' he adds before stumbling off into the night to find his friends.

3. Get a sponsor
You are nobody on the Newquay surf scene if you don't have a sponsor. Former British surf champion Steve Winter, who runs the Winter Brothers Surf School on Fistral Beach, is sponsored by Blackthorn Cider, which means he gets paid for wearing a sweatshirt with the firm's logo on it. Easy money. But you have to be good. He and his brothers Dean and Russell (currently ranked seventeenth in the world) are among 50 or so surfers in Newquay who are considered good enough to merit sponsorship.

If you are going to fake it, make sure you choose the right brands: the surf clothing labels Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl and surfboard manufacturer Mellow Marsh Yellow are a good bet. A Peacocks carrier bag and a pair of Speedo swimming trunks aren't going to fool anyone.

4. Don't be a tourist
Forget that cosy little B&B overlooking the bay, or a visit to Dairyland to see the cows being milked. All you care about are the waves, right? Hotels are for wimps (and if you've left it until now to book you won't get one anyway - Newquay sells out in summer). Real surfers sleep in a van in the beach car park. You'll see them spilling out of their cars at first light, doubled up and bleary eyed, wrapped in a towel for warmth.

However, saying that, there has been a growing trend amongst wealthy 20 to 40 year olds who are going that little bit extra with their above average city wages and splashing out on holiday cottages in Newquay. This offers them the luxury of a modern holiday cottage close to the Fistral surf that they can share with friends.

Alternatively, you could probably find a similar level of discomfort - and hence authenticity - by opting to stay at one of the town's many so-called 'surf lodges' which are basically pebble-dashed hotels built in the Seventies which, when the coach parties stopped coming because Newquay got too rowdy, cannily decided to add the word 'surf' somewhere in their name and cram six people into a room designed to sleep two. Instant credibility.

Remember those sunburnt stags you saw on the beach earlier? They'll be staying here too because nowhere else will take them.

5. Learn the language
Don't say 'dude' or 'man' - apparently they only do that on the telly - but do say 'sick' and 'gnarly' a lot (only applies to under thirties). As in, 'That's one sick bird' (that's a compliment if you happen to be the woman in question, but if you are anywhere other than Newquay, be offended) and 'Those waves are really gnarly' which means heavy.

But if you find yourself saying things like 'Got caught in a sick pit, so decided to hang 10 but went over the falls and got ripped in a gnarly barrel. It was rad,' it's time to go home. You've lost the plot.

6. Body boarding doesn't count
'Whoever's enjoying the surf the most is the best surfer,' says Steve Winter. It helps, however, if you have a surf board. Jumping up and down in the surf going 'woohoo' just isn't going to cut it.
Nor is body boarding. Although the body boarders - or 'speed bumps' as the surfers call them because they slow them down when they go over the top of them - may seem to be having a lot more fun than their surfing counterparts, washing up on the beach face down on a piece of foam just doesn't have the same kudos.

7. Be able to surf
This is not essential but it helps. Steve reckons he can get 85 per cent of people standing up on a board in their first lesson. 'You get loads of these guys coming down here for the weekend with their beach blonde hair and surfboards stapled to the roof of their VW camper van, and they don't even go in the water,' he says.

If you've ever tried pulling on a cold, damp, sandy wet suit on a windy beach and then wading across sharp pebbles into a steely grey sea while seagulls wheel mournfully overhead to do battle with smashing waves with a long plank under your arm, you'll know why.

If, however, you can get past the first two hours of humiliation, exhaustion and frustration and just when your feet have turned blue and your legs have turned to jelly and you have swallowed six litres of salt water and are silently wailing to yourself, 'Mummy I don't want to do it any more,' but you can't stop because you don't want to lose face in front of the 25 surnburnt stags who are sharing your class (yes, them again) you will, miraculously, stand up. Just for four wobbly seconds, but it will feel like an eternity to you.

You won't win any prizes for style but you are, for one brief and glorious moment, riding a wave, and you might, just might, finally understand what all the fuss is about.

Factfile
A half-day's surf tuition at Winter Brothers Surf School (01637 879696) on Fistral Beach costs �20, a full day �30 and a weekend �55.

The Extreme Academy at Watergate Bay (01637 860840) offers tuition in surfing, kite surfing, land yachting and mountain boarding. From �20 for a half-day mountain boarding taster course.

Joanne O'Connor stayed at the St Andrew's Hotel, Newquay (01637 873556). En suite rooms with sea view start at �23 per person per night.

Blue Chip Vacations offer stunning holiday cottages in Newquay (01803 855 282) or visit their Holiday Cottages in Newquay webpage. http://www.bluechipvacations.com

First Great Western has regular train services to Cornwall. (08457 000125). When a direct service to Newquay is not available, you can save time by taking a fast train to Truro and book Great Western's new + Bus chauffeur service (07786 310 695) from the station to your hotel in Newquay for �13 per person

Cornwall Hotels in Falmouth Hotel and Spa

Relax, unwind and indulge . . .a visit to St Michael?s Spa is a chance to leave the world behind and make time for you. I recently spent the weekend at Cornwall Hotels in Falmouth Hotel & Spa

St Michael?s Spa in Cornwall features a large heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room, sun deck, well equipped fitness suite and the very best spa treatments using world renowned Espa products. Coast magazine selected St Michael?s Spa as one of the UK?s top six coastal spas in July 2007.

I loved my stay at this hotel and would recommend it to anyone wish to stay in a hotel in Falmouth Cornwall. Everything from the food, spa and beach location to the friendly staff and service made my stay a memorable one.

Swimming
Bubble, steam and swim your way to relaxation . . .

St Michaels Spa in Cornwall has a large, heated swimming pool overlooks our sub-tropical gardens with views out to sea across Falmouth Bay. The large pool sun deck is the perfect sun trap all year round. Other facilities include a Finnish sauna, steam room, experience shower and a large Jacuzzi with sea views.

Fitness Suite
?The greatest wealth is health?

St Michael's Hotel Fitness suite provides a comprehensive range of facilities with the cardio area featuring Cybex and Life fitness equipment. They also have an extensive range of resistance machines and free weights.

Spa treatments
?A visit to St Michael?s Spa is like taking a deep cleansing breath of refreshing Cornish air . . . ? (Vitality Matters magazine)

Their inspiration comes from the sea with treatment rooms luxuriously equipped in coastal style whilst the Relaxation room overlooks beautiful sub-tropical gardens. They relax, revive and restore you to face the world again!

Read more about the benefits of a spa


Restaurant
"With its proximity to the Blue Flag Gyllyngvase Beach, great sea views and relaxing atmosphere, as well as all the extra temptations a spa hotel can offer, the Flying Fish is one of a new breed of relaxed, Contemporary hotel restaurants." Inside Cornwall magazine

AA Rosette, award winning restaurant in Falmouth with stunning views of the ocean, Falmouth Bay & the Cornish coastline. The Flying Fish Falmouth restaurant is a stylish, contemporary and friendly restaurant for the discerning diner.. Our roof terrace offers a great opportunity for "sun downers" and al fresco dining in warmer months.

I absolutely loved everything this restaurant offered with its amazing views, fantastic menu and great tasting food and superb service, I would recommend it to anyone.

Stay in Devon for Holiday Heaven!

It?s no coincidence that Devon rhymes with heaven; the locals know this, as does anyone who?s ever taken a holiday there. Whether you want a romantic getaway for a long weekend or are taking a few weeks holiday with the kids, Devon offers an abundance of accommodation choices, gorgeous scenery and, no end of things to do.

Just follow the M5 south as far as you can go and you hit the county with something for everyone. It?s an easy destination without a car too, there are frequent flights to Exeter airport and some of the most beautiful train journeys you can imagine once you are there. Looking for accommodation in Devon opens up a wealth of choices; you could relax in style amidst the grandeur of seafront hotels, or indulge a fantasy of living in a cottage with roses round the door and explore the vast choice of Devon self-catering possibilities. For the more adventurous, try camping in Devon, an easy option in a county with an endless choice of beauty spots to choose from.

Devon?s rugged North coast boasts some of the best beaches, not to mention the best surf, in the UK. Within a few hours of leaving your desk and in-tray in the city you could be out in a wetsuit and, quite literally, surfing into the sunset. If you?re looking for tranquillity, explore the rolling hills and discover villages that define the word picturesque, looking as though they have been cut out from chocolate boxes. It doesn?t stop there. The wilderness beauty of Dartmoor National Park is breathtaking for those who feel more adventurous (or need a brisk walk after a cream tea!).

The great thing about taking a holiday in Devon is that whether you want the indulgence of a hotel or prefer to cook beans from the porch of a tent, once you?ve found the right accommodation, it?s easy to explore the county and fill a holiday with all this and more. Wherever you chose to base yourself, beaches, wild walks or fine wining and dining are all within easy reach.

Staying in Devon hotels you?ll soon discover why the county is known as the English Riviera. For those who want a cosmopolitan holiday experience it?s also the perfect place to indulge in retail therapy or sip cocktails whilst watching the boats come and go.

Holidaying in Devon with kids is easy too, teens or tots will be hard pushed to say they are bored. They could try pony-trekking on Dartmoor, learn to sail or surf or, simply perfect the art of making sand castles on the beach. In Devon, self-catering holidays are the perfect option for families who want home comforts and a cosy base to explore from. It?s also worth remembering how much fun it is under canvas, camping in Devon is easy as most campsites are fully geared up for families.

Who needs the hassle of long haul flights and complicated travel arrangements, when a holiday in Devon, offers so much?

Rick Stein - Accommodation in Padstow, Cornwall

When thinking of a hotel in Cornwall, let alone accommodation in Padstow, actually staying overnight at a Rick Stein establishment might not sound a likely choice. The famous chef just cooks fish, right? In fact Rick Stein?s contribution to the Padstow Hotel scene is as broad and appealing as his culinary delights.

We?re just another couple from London, the over-worked, over-stressed type that seek out a hotel in Cornwall as a means of recharging, relaxing and ? well, re-everything before throwing ourselves back into the big smoke. Now let?s not be too contrite here, Rick Stein?s is expensive, we couldn?t afford to do this often, but given the therapeutic qualities of his accommodation in Cornwall, not to mention the atmosphere of the place, we will definitely do it again!

Padstow, a working fishing port and well heeled tourist magnet, is massively enjoyable out of season. You get everything you would at the busy times, with dark mizzley nights as a kind of payment, or depending on the way you look at it, authentic Cornish weather. There is a certain ambience that comes from not having to side step the summertime hordes of sightseers. This soulful, dreamy atmosphere kind of soothes you, and when you get in from your early evening stroll and take your place at the table of what must be one of the best fish restaurants in the world, you really feel like this could be the only thing in the world.

Although it would never have occurred to us that you could actually stay at a Rick Stein hotel in Padstow, it does seem quite an obvious business model for the Stein formula of using the best of ingredients for outstanding results.

Situated behind the Seafood Restaurant is one of Padstow?s most impressively elegant guest houses ? St Edmund?s ? one of six hotels and holiday cottages in Padstow owned by Rick Stein. With oak flooring and great views across the beautiful Camel estuary, St Edmunds boasts the latest in chic modern features combined with a classic, colonial decor.

Even The Seafood Restaurant has 15 rooms above the restaurant, mostly overlooking the estuary and harbour. We chose to stay there, and it being the most famous of Rick Stein?s establishments, we chose to eat there too. The food lived up to the acclaimed chef?s reputation, and the rooms? Not just another hotel in Cornwall, Rick Stein?s accommodation in Padstow is a careful and considerate combination of comfort and style. A hotel in Cornwall of the Rick Stein variety is as worthwhile and enjoyable as a trip to one of his eateries.

Whether it?s a private holiday cottage, or a full board hotel in Padstow, Rick Stein?s little empire retains its blend of individualism and opulence throughout, lending his formula of local inspiration for a global audience to the definition of a hotel in Cornwall. The food?s not bad either.

Rick Stein's - Luxury Accommodation in Padstow, Cornwall

When thinking of a hotel in Cornwall, let alone accommodation in Padstow, actually staying overnight at a Rick Stein establishment might not sound a likely choice. The famous chef just cooks fish, right? In fact Rick Stein?s contribution to the Padstow Hotel scene is as broad and appealing as his culinary delights.

We?re just another couple from London, the over-worked, over-stressed type that seek out a hotel in Cornwall as a means of recharging, relaxing and ? well, re-everything before throwing ourselves back into the big smoke. Now let?s not be too contrite here, Rick Stein?s is expensive, we couldn?t afford to do this often, but given the therapeutic qualities of his accommodation in Cornwall, not to mention the atmosphere of the place, we will definitely do it again!

Padstow, a working fishing port and well heeled tourist magnet, is massively enjoyable out of season. You get everything you would at the busy times, with dark mizzley nights as a kind of payment, or depending on the way you look at it, authentic Cornish weather. There is a certain ambience that comes from not having to side step the summertime hordes of sightseers. This soulful, dreamy atmosphere kind of soothes you, and when you get in from your early evening stroll and take your place at the table of what must be one of the best fish restaurants in the world, you really feel like this could be the only thing in the world.

Although it would never have occurred to us that you could actually stay at a Rick Stein hotel in Padstow, it does seem quite an obvious business model for the Stein formula of using the best of ingredients for outstanding results.

Situated behind the Seafood Restaurant is one of Padstow?s most impressively elegant guest houses ? St Edmund?s ? one of six hotels and holiday cottages in Padstow owned by Rick Stein. With oak flooring and great views across the beautiful Camel estuary, St Edmunds boasts the latest in chic modern features combined with a classic, colonial decor.

Even The Seafood Restaurant has 15 rooms above the restaurant, mostly overlooking the estuary and harbour. We chose to stay there, and it being the most famous of Rick Stein?s establishments, we chose to eat there too. The food lived up to the acclaimed chef?s reputation, and the rooms? Not just another hotel in Cornwall, Rick Stein?s accommodation in Padstow is a careful and considerate combination of comfort and style. A hotel in Cornwall of the Rick Stein variety is as worthwhile and enjoyable as a trip to one of his eateries.

Whether it?s a private holiday cottage, or a full board hotel in Padstow, Rick Stein?s little empire retains its blend of individualism and opulence throughout, lending his formula of local inspiration for a global audience to the definition of a hotel in Cornwall. The food?s not bad either.