Holiday rentals in St Merryn

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a holiday rental in St Merryn?
• Holiday rentals in St Merryn: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring St Merryn: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in St Merryn?

• Cottages near seven bays: Self-catering cottages, lodges and coastal houses sleeping two to twelve, most within a short drive of Constantine Bay, Harlyn and Porthcothan.
• Bays for every mood: Base yourself near Harlyn Bay for surf lessons, Treyarnon for the tidal pool, or Padstow for harbourside dining and the Camel Trail.
• Top-rated stays: Guests rate properties such as Seaspell Beach House and Porthcothan Mill Cottage at 10.0+, praising gardens, parking and beach access.
• Summer sun, quiet autumn: July and August bring warm surf and busy sands; September and October offer softer light, calmer beaches and lower prices.
• Coast path and Trevose Head: Walk the South West Coast Path past Trevose Head, swim in the Treyarnon rock pool, or take a day trip to St Ives.

St Merryn is cottage country. Most stays here are self-catering: whitewashed fishermen's cottages around Churchtown, roomy family houses with lawns near Harlyn, and modern lodges on the lanes towards Constantine Bay. Larger groups will find converted barns sleeping eight to twelve, while couples tend to book compact cottages in St Merryn. Most amenities here are built around sandy feet and wet wetsuits.

• Enclosed gardens and sun terraces for long summer evenings
• Off-road parking, essential on St Merryn's narrow lanes
• Outdoor showers and boot rooms for surfboards and wetsuits
• Wood burners and thick walls for autumn and winter stays
• Wi-Fi and well-equipped kitchens for self-catering weeks

Book early for August; the best-placed cottages near the bays go months ahead.

What are the best areas to stay in St Merryn?

For first-time visitors, Constantine Bay is the sweet spot, with the widest beach and easy access to the other bays. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in St Merryn write most often about location: how quickly they reach the sand, how easy parking is, and how welcome dogs and muddy boots are. Gardens, outdoor showers and generous kitchens come up again and again, as does the quiet after the day-trippers leave. Several of our best-reviewed cottages sit within a mile of a bay and hold ratings of 10.0+ from recent stays.

Here are our top-rated holiday rentals from the past year:

1. Seaspell Beach House - 10.0+: A six-person cottage in Constantine Bay, praised for its walk-to-the-beach position and bright, easy-going family living space.
2. Porthcothan Mill Cottage - 10.0+: A pet-friendly cottage for six with an enclosed garden, set inland from Porthcothan Bay among quiet Cornish lanes.
3. 3 bedroom accommodation in St Merryn, near Padstow - 10.0+: A three-bedroom base for six with a garden, minutes from Churchtown and a short drive from Padstow.

St Merryn sits on the north Cornwall coast, just west of Padstow, on the headland that gathers the Seven Bays between Trevone and Porthcothan.

✈️What is the best way to get to St Merryn?

Driving is the most practical option, as the bays and lanes are poorly served by public transport. Here are the most common ways to get to the peninsula:

• Car: Follow the M5 to Exeter, then the A30 across Bodmin Moor. Leave the A30 near Fraddon or Indian Queens and pick up the B3274, which runs north through St Columb Major and on to St Merryn and Padstow. Journeys take roughly five hours from London and about three and a half from Bristol or Cardiff. Book a cottage with off-road parking, as lane-side space is scarce in summer.
• Train: Great Western Railway runs from London Paddington to Bodmin Parkway, about forty-five minutes by car from St Merryn, or to Par and Newquay via the branch lines. Newquay station is the closest at around half an hour away. From any of these you will need a taxi or hire car, since bus links to the individual bays are limited outside the summer timetable.
• Plane: Newquay (Cornwall) Airport lies roughly twenty-five minutes south by road and takes seasonal domestic flights from London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle and several regional airports. Car hire is available in the terminal, which is the simplest way to reach Constantine Bay, Harlyn and Treyarnon once you land.

🥗Where to eat in St Merryn?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Prawn on the Lawn is the best rated restaurant in the St Merryn and Padstow area. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers recommend THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay Restaurant near St Merryn: it is a short hop from the sand, the dining room looks out over the bay, and the kitchen leans hard on Cornish produce and the day's catch.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

For beach weather, July and August are the safest bet, with the warmest sea and lifeguards on every main bay. For a quieter stay, come in late September or October, when the water is still mild, the coast path is empty and cottage prices drop sharply.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and wildflower spotters on the coast path.
• Weather: Cool and changeable, with long bright spells by May.
• Atmosphere: Quiet beaches and easy parking, apart from the Easter break.

Summer

• Best for: Families, surf lessons and long days on the sand.
• Weather: Warm and mostly dry, with sea temperatures at their highest.
• Atmosphere: Lively and busy, with full car parks by mid-morning.

Autumn

• Best for: Surfers chasing bigger swell and couples wanting calm.
• Weather: Mild into October, then wetter and windier by November.
• Atmosphere: Peaceful, with the bays largely returned to locals.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our St Merryn local expert, the host team of Porthcothan Mill Cottage, recommends coming to visit Trevose Head at the end of the day. Park at the headland, walk out past the lighthouse and follow the South West Coast Path back towards Booby's Bay, where the low sun picks out the whole run of bays. You can read more about local tips on the host team's page.

1. Walk the Seven Bays
2. Swim in Treyarnon tidal pool
3. Learn to surf at Harlyn Bay
4. Cycle the Camel Trail
5. Round Trevose Head

1. Walk the Seven Bays

   The stretch of South West Coast Path between Trevone and Porthcothan links every one of St Merryn's bays in a single day's walk. Starting from Padstow adds the Camel Estuary and Stepper Point to the route. Along the way you pass Harlyn Bay, Mother Ivey's Bay, Booby's Bay, Constantine Bay and Treyarnon, with a shipwreck visible at Booby's on the lowest tides. It is exposed in places, so pack a windproof layer even in August, and time the walk around the tide tables.

2. Swim in Treyarnon tidal pool

   As the tide retreats at Treyarnon Bay, a natural rock pool emerges on the headland at the northern end of the beach. It is roughly two metres deep in the middle, sheltered from the swell, and clear enough for snorkelling on a calm day. The adjoining cove is small, sandy and backed by low cliffs, which makes it a favourite with families who want somewhere safe for children to paddle. Check a tide table before setting out, as the pool is only accessible for a few hours either side of low water.

3. Learn to surf at Harlyn Bay

   Harlyn Bay faces north-east, which shelters it when the other bays are blown out, and its long-established surf school runs group and private lessons through the season. Boards, wetsuits and bodyboards are all available to hire on the beach, and lifeguards patrol through the summer months. Beginners tend to find their feet here before graduating to the bigger, cleaner waves at Constantine Bay or heading down the coast to the beaches around Newquay.

4. Cycle the Camel Trail

   The Camel Trail follows a disused railway line for around 27 kilometres from Padstow through Wadebridge and on towards Bodmin, running flat and traffic-free the whole way. The Padstow to Wadebridge section hugs the estuary and is the prettiest, with wading birds on the mudflats and cafés at either end. Bike hire is easy to find in both towns, including trailers and tag-alongs for young children, which makes this one of the most reliable wet-weather-proof family outings in the area.

5. Round Trevose Head

   Trevose Head is the blunt headland that shelters the Seven Bays, and the toll road out to the point ends at a car park with views along the whole north coast. From here a short circular walk takes in the working lighthouse, the lifeboat station above Mother Ivey's Bay and the round hole blowhole near Trevone. On a clear evening you can see as far as Hartland Point in Devon, and it is the best place in the area to watch the sun drop into the Atlantic.