St Merryn

A little village with a lot of coastline

The pretty village of St Merryn on Cornwall’s north coast is ideally located for access to seven beautiful beaches and bays, one for every day of the week!

The village has a range of small shops, cafés, restaurants and a church, whilst also claiming five and a half miles of stunningly dramatic coastline. There’s The Farmer’s Arms pub, and just outside the village centre in Churchtown is The Cornish Arms where Rick Stein is the official landlord.

There are riding stables close by should you wish to experience a beach canter, plus a range of attractions to visit. Both St Merryn and Padstow also celebrate many festivals – worth looking out for.

St Merryn is around two and a half miles from the foodie town of Padstow, where TV chefs Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth have restaurants.

Close by:

• Trevone Bay
• Harlyn Bay
• Mother Ivey’s Bay
• Booby’s Bay
• Constantine Bay
• Treyarnon Bay
• Porthcothan Bay

Trevose Head Lighthouse is situated between Booby’s and Mother’s Ivy’s Bay. You can visit the lifeboat station there.

Seven Bays for Seven Days

Working north to south, the beaches form part of the north Cornwall section of The South West Coastal Path and if you love walking then Padstow is a great starting point and you can take in all seven north Cornwall beaches on your way. Watch out for Trevose Head Lighthouse and the Lifeboat Station on the way as well as some spectacular rock formations.

Trevone Bay

Approximately 2.8 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, the beach is sandy and served by a small rocky river inlet but can disappear at high tide! There’s a car park and cafe and surfers like the seasonal lifeguard cover. A seasonal dog ban applies here.

Harlyn Bay

Approximately 3.4 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, Harlyn is a year-round, dog-friendly beach with seasonal lifeguard cover. Sandy and family-friendly, the beach is sheltered. It’s also a great place to learn to surf as there’s a surf school close by.

Mother Ivey’s Bay

Situated approximately 3.3 miles from Bay Retreat Villas the beach is accessed via a 20-minute coastal path from Harlyn Bay. Dog-friendly, the large sweep of beach is fine and sandy and surrounded by rocks, making it popular with families.

Porthcothan Bay

Approximately 2.6 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, Porthcothan is a year-round, dog-friendly beach with seasonal lifeguard cover.

The beach is popular with sunbathers and families, as it’s surrounded by grassy dunes.

Constantine Bay

Situated approximately 3 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, Constantine offers a year-round dog-friendly beach with seasonal lifeguard cover. Surfers enjoy the rip tides, but it can be unsafe for swimmers.

A wide crescent expanse of sand with great rock pools and sand dunes. There’s a shop in the village. There are toilets but parking can be limited. However, Treyarnon Bay has plenty of parking and is about a 10-minute walk away.

Treyarnon Bay

Approximately 2.6 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, Treyarnon offers a year-round, dog-friendly beach with seasonal lifeguard cover.

Situated in a sandy cove and surrounded by cliffs, there are lots of rock pools and sand dunes.

Booby’s Bay

Situated approximately 3.8 miles from Bay Retreat Villas, this year-round dog-friendly beach has seasonal lifeguard cover. There’s no parking here, so Treyarnon may be the best place to stop and then walk.

The sandy beach is popular with surfers. At low tide, an old shipwreck can appear!

St Merryn Park

Set within St Merryn Park, Bay Retreat Villas are contemporary styled holiday accommodation arranged in an attractive square. Each villa has its own parking space and a small rear garden with patio furniture and most have decking.

Amenities within the park include an adjacent children’s playground with a good range of swings, a slide and wooden climbing frames. Next to this, there’s a handy local shop selling all the essentials and a bar and restaurant. As you enter the park you’ll see a recreation area with tennis courts and a separate dog walking area.

The park contains a mix of housing, some under development. However, Bay Retreat is complete and in its own square, separate from any ongoing works.

Distances

Bay Retreat Villas is around a mile from the village of St Merryn and around two miles from the closest beach, Porthcothan. However, there are many well-known beaches along the coast, including Watergate Bay and the dramatic Bedruthan Steps.

The south coast and places such as the Eden Project are around half an hour’s drive. We recommend travelling by car and exploring them all!