St Columb Major

Market town with centuries-old Hurling tradition and good access to north coast beaches

St Columb Major is a market town 6 miles inland from Newquay with a population of around 3,800. The town is best known for Hurling the Silver Ball, a centuries-old game played through the streets on Shrove Tuesday and the following Saturday. Two teams of several hundred players compete to carry a silver ball to goals at opposite ends of the parish - the tradition dates back to at least the 1590s.

The town sits at the junction of the A39 and A3059, making it a practical base for reaching beaches on both the north and south coasts. Newquay’s beaches are 15 minutes by car, Padstow and the Camel Estuary about 20 minutes. The town centre has a 15th-century church, several pubs, and a small selection of independent shops along Fore Street.

The surrounding countryside is open farmland with footpaths connecting to neighbouring villages. The Screech Owl Sanctuary, a mile south of town, houses over 60 species of owl and runs daily flying displays between April and October. Castle an Dinas, an Iron Age hillfort 2 miles southeast, offers panoramic views from its 700-foot summit.