scenic viewpoint
The Rumps
A twin-headed promontory near Polzeath ringed by Iron Age ramparts, with a fine short walk from Pentire Point.
3 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Polzeath
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Polzeath
Polzeath works well as a base: 5 minutes from Padstow, 16km from Tintagel Castle.
Polzeath is in England, United Kingdom, with about 1,400 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Padstow, about 4 km away.
Polzeath (; Cornish: Pollsygh, lit. 'dry pool') is a small seaside resort village in the civil parish of St Minver in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) north west of Wadebridge on the Atlantic coast.
Polzeath has a sandy beach and is popular with holiday-makers and surfers. TheRead more
beach is 1,500 feet (460 m) wide and extends 1,200 feet (370 m) from the seafront at low water; however, most of the sand is submerged at high water. At exceptionally high spring tides the sea floods the car park at the top of the beach.
Polzeath beach is patrolled by lifeguards during the summer and is described on the RNLI website as "a wide, flat beach with some shelter from winds, it sees good quality surf and is quite often extremely crowded".
Dolphins may sometimes be spotted in the bay and the coastline north of Polzeath is a good area for seeing many types of birds, particularly on migration but also including occasional puffins nesting on the offshore islands.
The main street runs along the seafront and has a parade of shops catering for holidaymakers and residents. There are pubs, cafés, restaurants, a caravan site and several camping sites in the immediate area. The road rises up steep hills at both ends of the seafront, towards the village of Trebetherick to the southwest and New Polzeath to the northeast.
Where to Stay in Polzeath
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Explore the Area
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Polzeath?
Within an hour or so of Polzeath: The Rumps (3 km), Padstow (4 km), Park Head (11 km), Bedruthan Steps (13 km).
Are there any good drives near Polzeath?
The nearest famous roads are Atlantic Highway (A39), A39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude) and B3306 St Ives to Land's End.
Where is Polzeath?
Polzeath is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Padstow.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,449
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 50.5696, -4.9176
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Polzeath
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Padstow
A working fishing harbour on the Camel estuary, transformed into a food destination and the terminus of the Camel Trail.
4 km · about 5 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Park Head
A National Trust headland just north of Bedruthan Steps with wide views over the stacks and the Atlantic.
11 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bedruthan Steps
Giant rock stacks marching across a wild sandy beach below towering cliffs on the rugged north Cornwall coast.
13 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Tintagel Castle
Dramatic clifftop ruins steeped in Arthurian legend, connected to the mainland by a striking modern footbridge above the Atlantic.
16 km · about 30 min drive
waterfall
St Nectan's Glen
A mystical 60-foot waterfall that bores through a holed rock in a fern-draped wooded glen near Tintagel.
17 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Brown Willy
The highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
22 km · about 25 min drive
beach
Holywell Bay
A wide dune-backed surfing beach with the Gull Rocks offshore, used as a filming location for Poldark.
25 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Polzeath
- Right hereThe RumpsA twin-headed promontory near Polzeath ringed by Iron Age ramparts, with a fine short walk from Pentire Point.
- Right herePark HeadA National Trust headland just north of Bedruthan Steps with wide views over the stacks and the Atlantic.
- Right hereBedruthan StepsGiant rock stacks marching across a wild sandy beach below towering cliffs on the rugged north Cornwall coast.
- 22 kmBrown WillyThe highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
- 36 kmSt Agnes HeadA cliff-top headland on Cornwall's north coast with ruined engine houses of the tin mining World Heritage Site along the shore.
- 40 kmAtlantic Highway (A39)Spectacular coastal road running through north Devon and Cornwall past dramatic cliffs, surfing beaches and picturesque harbour villages.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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