The Camel Trail in Nort Cornwall has nothing to do with its four legged namesake. Even though it would sure be fun to ride the 17 miles from Padstow to Wenford Bridge on the back of one…

No. The Camel Trail used to be a railway line connecting Bodmin’s china clay mines with Padstow’s ships and harbour. When the mines died off however, the railway lost most of its traffic and was finally shut down in 1983.

It was then resurfaced and opened to the public. Today it is one of the most popular recreational routes in the country, leading along the picturesque Camel Estuary and the wooded inland of Cornwall’s north.

The best way to explore the trail is to hire a bike (or as we say in Germany, a “wire-donkey”). Best to get one from one of the cycle hires in Padstow and then go as far as you like from there.

When returning to Padstow it’s good practice to treat yourself in one of the many extraordinary restaurants in town – doesn’t necessarily have to be Rick Stein, who hails from Padstow, but the man’s a legend for a reason…