PADSTOW HARBOUR - CORNWALL 50 33' N 004 56' W

Don’t let the infamous Doom Bar deter you from visiting this bustling port on the north coast of Cornwall.

- Chris Rosamond

The north coasts of Devon and Cornwall are not crowded with safe ports, which makes Padstow in the Camel Estuary a significant stopover for yachts rounding the Lizard to – or from – destinations in Wales, Scotland or the farther reaches of the Bristol Channel.

It’s not just a place ‘on the way’ to somewhere else though, as many cruisers from Welsh and Cornish ports have Padstow on their list of summer cruising options.

Padstow Harbour is a welcoming and sheltered haven with good access in most weather conditions, unless the wind becomes unruly from the west. That’s when the notorious and aptly-named Doom Bar begins to live up to its reputation – one that includes at least 500 shipwrecks recorded since the early 1800s.

The sandbar is composed of marine sediments rich in calcium, and the Camel Estuary – navigable on the tide all the way to Wadebridge if you stick to mid-channel and can take the ground on arrival – has long been dredged for agricultural and navigation purposes. More than 10 million tonnes of sand are estimated to have been brought ashore in the last century, and a seabed conveyor keeps bringing more.

The dredging industry is part of the reason that Padstow is still a working commercial port, handling bulk cargo ships of up to 2000 gross tons. It’s a busy fishing port, too, which has developed a specialism for tasty lobster and crab –which of course may be sampled ashore.

Picturesque Padstow is also a tourist honeypot thanks to its charming inner harbour and bustling town facilities, which, along with the wonderful local beaches, makes it a great destination for family visits of a few days or more.