Local Area
North Cornwall, properly explored
Royalton Farm sits in the Cornish interior between the moorland and the north coast. What follows is what we actually recommend — beaches, cycling routes, places to eat, and the towns worth knowing about.
Explore
What's around us
On Your Doorstep
Castle-An-Dinas hill fort, Goss Moor nature reserve, and the market town of St Columb Major are all minutes from the farm.
Cycling & Walking
The Camel Trail runs eleven miles from Bodmin to Padstow along the estuary. The country lanes around St Columb offer quiet road cycling away from the main routes.
Beaches & Coast
The north Cornish coast is within easy reach — dramatic, Atlantic-facing beaches including Mawgan Porth, Watergate Bay, Harlyn Bay, and Fistral within 30 minutes.
Food & Drink
The Mariners at Rock, Rick Stein's in Padstow, and the Ugly Butterfly in Newquay are among the restaurants worth seeking out from the farm.
Within Minutes
What's right outside
Royalton Farm sits between the Cornish interior and the north coast. Castle-An-Dinas — the Iron Age hill fort that gives the area its name — is a short walk from the property. Goss Moor National Nature Reserve, one of Cornwall's most significant wetland habitats, is minutes away.
Castle-An-Dinas
The Iron Age hill fort that crowns the ridge above the farm. A short walk from the property, with panoramic views across Cornwall on a clear day — you can see both coasts from the summit.
Goss Moor Nature Reserve
A national nature reserve covering over 400 hectares of lowland heath, wetland, and scrub. Home to rare birds, dragonflies, and wildflowers, and criss-crossed by gentle walking trails. Five minutes by car or a straightforward bike ride.
St Columb Major
The nearest market town, a few minutes' drive. Enough for provisions, a good bakery, and the kind of local atmosphere that reminds you you're not in a tourist zone.
Two Wheels
The Camel Trail
One of the great Cornish cycling routes, the Camel Trail runs eleven miles from Bodmin to Padstow along the Camel Estuary — flat, scenic, and open to all abilities. Padstow is around 30 minutes by car from the farm; the trail can be joined at Wadebridge or Padstow itself.
Camel Trail, Padstow to Bodmin
Eleven miles of traffic-free cycling along the River Camel and its estuary. Bike hire available in Padstow and Wadebridge. The Padstow section, running along the harbour and out along the estuary, is particularly beautiful.
Tarka Trail & surrounding lanes
The country lanes around St Columb and the Goss Moor area offer quiet road cycling away from the main routes. For more challenging off-road riding, the north Cornwall coast path and surrounding tracks provide options.
North Cornwall Coast
The beaches
The north Cornish coast is within easy reach — dramatic, Atlantic-facing, and less crowded than the tourist hotspots further south.
Mawgan Porth
A wide, sandy bay between Watergate Bay and Bedruthan Steps. Sheltered enough for families, with good surf when the swell arrives. Around 20 minutes from the farm.
Watergate Bay
A long, exposed Atlantic beach beloved by surfers. The beach itself is spectacular at any state of the tide. Home to Jamie Oliver's Watergate Bay Hotel and beach café. Around 25 minutes.
Harlyn Bay
A sheltered, south-facing beach near Padstow — unusual on the north coast and ideal for calmer water. Around 30 minutes.
Fistral, Newquay
Cornwall's most famous surf beach, less than 20 minutes away. Even if you're not surfing, it's worth the visit for the sheer scale of it at high tide.
Worth the Drive
Local recommendations
The restaurants worth seeking out are spread across north and mid Cornwall — from Padstow and Rock to Charlestown on the south coast.
The Mariners, Rock
A Paul Ainsworth pub on the banks of the Camel Estuary in Rock, looking directly across to Padstow. Real ales, excellent food, and one of the best settings for a long lunch anywhere in Cornwall. The ferry across to Padstow runs from nearby.
The Long Store, Charlestown
A seafood restaurant in the UNESCO-listed harbour of Charlestown, housed in a converted Georgian warehouse on the working quay. Local fish and shellfish, simply and well prepared, with a beautiful historic setting. Around 40 minutes from the farm.
The Ugly Butterfly, Newquay
Chef Adam Handling's Cornish outpost — an accessible, well-executed restaurant with a clear commitment to local produce and seasonality. Based in Newquay, around 20 minutes away. Booking ahead is recommended.
Rick Stein's, Padstow
The original — Rick Stein has been cooking in Padstow since 1975 and the town is shaped around his various restaurants and shops. The Seafood Restaurant remains the flagship; the fish and chip shop on the harbour is excellent and more straightforward. Around 30 minutes.
Close By
Worth exploring
Padstow
A working harbour town that has become one of Cornwall's most visited destinations. Worth it nonetheless — the estuary views, the fresh fish on the quay, and the ferry across to Rock are all genuinely good. Around 30 minutes by car.
Wadebridge
The nearest town of any size, around 15 minutes away, with a good independent high street and the Camel Trail running through it. Practical and pleasant.
Newquay
Less than 20 minutes away — surf culture, Fistral Beach, and a growing food and drink scene beyond the usual. Watergate Bay, just outside town, is worth the trip in itself.
Bodmin Moor
The edge of Bodmin Moor is within 30 minutes — a different kind of Cornwall altogether. Rough Tor and Brown Willy, the Hurlers stone circles, Jamaica Inn. Good walking country.