Cornish Cycle Tours - The Cornish Tour

Starts: Wadebridge. Total distance: 177 miles (285 km). Average daily distance: 59 miles (95 km). Tour difficulty 4: Hardest Price: £300 Transfers available from: Bodmin Parkway station; Newquay Airport. Cycle hire: add £30 Arrive in Wadebridge. Check in for your first night's accommodation at the Molesworth Arms, a 16th century coaching inn in the north Cornish town of Wadebridge. In the afternoon you are free to explore the shops and cafes of Wadebridge, or you could stretch your legs by cycling the Camel Trail to Padstow. If you are hiring a cycle for the tour we will set you up and make all the necessary adjustments in the afternoon, to ensure you are ready to go in the morning. Preferred accommodation: The Molesworth Arms, Wadebridge.
Wadebridge to Falmouth - 49 miles (79 km). Leaving Wadebridge, you follow the Camel Trail along the river towards Bodmin. The route passes The Eden Project and joins up with parts of the Clay Trails. Then it's on to the historic port of Charlestown which was used as a location for filming Poldark and Jane Austin’s Persuasion. There is also a shipwreck museum here where you will see tall ships docked. Then it's on to Mevagissey, a small working fishing village with narrow streets filled with gift shops, cafés, galleries and pubs. From Mevagissey the route takes you through country lanes, past beaches and the impressive Caerhays Castle, deeper into the beautiful Roseland Peninsula towards St Mawes. Here we pause to admire St Mawes Castle, one of Henry VIII’s coastal fortresses, before coasting down the hill to the beautiful scenic village of St Mawes, where we catch the ferry to Falmouth. Falmouth is home to the world's third largest natural harbour and the National Maritime Museum. Preferred accommodation: The Gyllyngvase House Hotel, Falmouth. Option to vary route: With the last St Mawes to Falmouth ferry leaving at around 4.30pm, cyclists have the option to stay overnight in St Mawes if they would prefer a more leisurely day. Alternative accommodation is in The Victory Inn, St Mawes, and has a surcharge of £25 per person.
Falmouth to St Just - 56 miles (90 km). Leaving Falmouth you pass Trebah Gardens and the beaches of Swanpool and Maenporth, as you ride towards Helston, home of the Flora Dance festival. You will then cycle across The LIzard towards the beautiful village of Porthleven. From Porthleven the tour follows the coastal lanes to the seaside village of Marazion, which affords breathtaking views over St Michael's Mount and Mounts Bay towards Penzance. The afternoon starts gently with a ride along the coast through the fishing villages of Newlyn and Mousehole, as you head out towards Land's End. On the way you pass the Minack Theatre, a unique place where the auditorium and stage are carved into the cliff above Porthcurno. From Land's End, England’s most westerly point, it is possible to see the Isles of Scilly on a clear day. The day's ride ends at one of the most ancient mining districts in Cornwall, St Just. Preferred accommodation: The Commercial Hotel, St Just.
St Just to Wadebridge - 72 miles (116 km). Cornwall's mining heritage is clearly present around St Just. Riding north along the coast through Botallick, the spectacular cliff scenery is studded with mine engine houses and chimney stacks on the cliff edges. There is even a dedicated tin mining museum at Geevor. St Ives, with its cobbled streets and magnificent scenery, has long attracted artists for the quality of the light. The tour passes through Hayle, which is known for its three miles of golden sands and is also a good bird watching spot, on towards St Agnes with its beautiful scenic coastline, fantastic beaches and art and craft shops. Leaving St Agnes we cycle through the Blue Hills, a valley of gorse and heather, to Perranporth. The family resort is home to a three mile long beach and the Perranzabuloe folk museum. The route takes coastal lanes to the charming village of Crantock before arriving in Newquay famous for its surfing beaches and night life. The final leg of the day's ride takes you along the coast, past Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth and the stunning rock stacks at Bedruthan Steps. The ancient fishing port of Padstow is the starting point of The Camel Trail, which takes you back along the estuary to Wadebridge. Alternative Route (marked with dotted line on map): As the coastal lanes between Newquay and Padstow can be very busy in summer, cyclists can choose an alternative route which follows National Cycle Route 32 through St Columb Major. The alternative route adds 7.5 miles to the daily total, but is faster and flatter. Photos Top: Nare Head, Visit Cornwall/John Such.