In the Footsteps of The Saints

The origin of ‘The Saints Way’ is the subject of much debate. What is clear is that there is an interesting and intriguing collection of shrines, chapels and standing stones strung across 35 miles of the Cornish Peninsula from Padstow on the north coast down to Fowey on the south coast.

We extend the walk by starting further up the coast at Tintagel and explore the rugged north Cornish coast as we make our way west to Padstow to start the ‘official’ walk. En route we stop at Port Isaac (of ‘Doc Martin’ fame) and have dinner at Rick Steins in Padstow.

Once in Padstow we head south to begin our traverse of the Cornish Peninsula following the ancient Saints Way which was used by missionaries and traders from Ireland and Wales who wanted to avoid the dangerous waters around Lands End.

Once we reach Fowey we continue for two more days exploring the delights of the south coast where the landscape is markedly different from the North Coast. Whilst it is still rugged it has a gentleness and charm which contrast with the ‘in your face’ splendour of the North Coast.

The last two days are different to our normal walking days where one of the objectives is to reach a certain destination. For these two days we explore two of the most interesting and intriguing locations in the UK:

•    The Lost Gardens of Heligan www.heligan.com 
•    The Eden Project www.edenproject.com

To say that both these attractions are gardens is to greatly understate the case. Heligan is the garden restoration of the last 100 years and is the winner of many awards, both judged by experts and by the public. It has been voted The Nations Favourite Garden by the BBC Gardening World viewers. As a visitor wrote in the visitors book “It not a restored garden, it’s a garden which restores the heart and soul.”

The Eden Project is a paradox – it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK but it is not like any other place you have ever visited. The futuristic and optimistic wonders of the Eden Project restore ones faith in human ingenuity and act as a trigger to our own imagination about the environment and our role in it.

That evening we return to our base for our final dinner before making our way the next morning to St Austell station for the trains up to Paddington, Bristol and beyond.

This wonderful holiday is extremely limited as only 5 couples/twin shares and 2 singles can be accommodated. As many of you will know Cornwall in summer is very popular and accommodation is very tightly held with many of the choice establishments booked out over twelve months in advance.  So, if you want to be one of the lucky ones to enjoy this wonderful walking experience don’t delay. Register your interest or send us your deposit straight away. Places will be allocated on a strictly first come first served basis.