Pony Express

The Pony Express sits just outside Little Petherick, a modest landmark that marks a proper piece of Cornish transport history. Back in the day, this was the real deal - a coaching inn that handled the mail runs and passenger routes when getting anywhere required actual horses and serious time on the road.

It's not a museum or visitor attraction with fancy displays. You're looking at a historic building that's woven into the fabric of the village rather than cordoned off behind velvet ropes. The appeal is more for those interested in how Cornwall functioned before the railways took over, or anyone keen on the gritty reality of 19th-century travel.

If you're staying at Padstow Holiday Village just down the road, it's worth a quick detour on a walk through the village - gives you something to chat about beyond the usual park amenities. The real draw around here is the Padstow area itself, with its working harbour and coastal walks, but the Pony Express adds a layer if you fancy understanding how people actually moved around these parts centuries ago.

The location means it slots neatly into exploring Little Petherick on foot. Don't expect to spend hours here, but if you're passing through or basing yourself nearby, it's the sort of detail that makes a holiday less generic. The kind of stop that older history enthusiasts appreciate more than families with restless kids.