Cycling · Camel Trail · Family
If you do one family day out on your North Cornwall holiday, make it the Camel Trail. Flat, traffic-free and following the bed of a long-closed railway beside a tidal estuary, it’s the rare big day out that works for toddlers on trailer seats and grandparents on hybrids alike.
The Camel Trail runs along the route of the old Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway, which means it is gloriously level — the gentle gradients that suited Victorian steam trains suit wobbly young cyclists just as well. The most popular and scenic stretch follows the Camel Estuary from Padstow to Wadebridge, roughly five and a half miles each way, with water, woodland and wading birds for company the whole way.
Where to start and hiring bikes
Most families begin in Padstow, where several cycle-hire shops cluster near the harbour and the start of the trail. They keep a full range — adult hybrids, children’s bikes, tag-alongs, child seats, trailers and the occasional electric bike for anyone who wants a little help — and the staff are used to kitting out groups quickly. It’s worth arriving earlier in the day during the school holidays, as the most popular sizes can go fast.
Because the trail is entirely separated from traffic, it’s a wonderfully low-stress place to let children find their confidence. Keep an eye out for walkers and the occasional fellow cyclist, but otherwise the only decisions are how far to go and where to stop for cake.
The ride to Wadebridge
Heading out of Padstow, the trail hugs the southern shore of the estuary. At low tide you look out over rippled sandbanks where curlews and oystercatchers probe for food; at high water the whole expanse fills with blue. It’s a genuinely beautiful stretch, and flat enough that the miles slip by almost unnoticed.
Around the halfway point you’ll pass refreshment stops where you can pause for a drink, an ice cream or a proper lunch — a useful turning point if younger legs are starting to tire. Wadebridge itself, at the far end, is a friendly town with cafés and shops, and makes a natural place to rest before the gentle ride back.
Going further
For keener cyclists, the Camel Trail continues beyond Wadebridge towards Bodmin and on to the edge of Bodmin Moor at Wenfordbridge, threading through quiet woodland along the River Camel. This upper section is leafier and even quieter, and a good option on a warm day when the estuary path is busy. You can mix and match: most people are perfectly happy with an out-and-back Padstow run, but the option is there if you catch the bug.
Tips for an easy day
A few small things make the day run smoothly. Check tide times if you want the estuary at its prettiest — high water looks spectacular. Pack water and a few snacks even though there are cafés en route, and bring a light layer, as the estuary can be breezy even on a warm day. Helmets come as standard with hire bikes, and the level surface is kind to bikes towing trailers or tag-alongs.
Atlantic Bays sits a short drive from Padstow, so you can be parked up and pedalling within minutes of leaving the park. It’s the sort of outing children remember for years — wide skies, glittering water and the small triumph of cycling further than they thought they could.