The nerve centre

This next section of the route is awash with standout places to eat and stay. Just seven miles down the coast is contemporary‑meets‑deco 10 St Moritz Hotel where, on summer days, visitors can dip and dine alfresco in the outdoor pool and its casual Seaside restaurant (there's a decent indoor restaurant too). A little further on are the delights of Rock, where the smart surrounds of 11 The St Enodoc Hotel are complemented by the cooking of its talented exec chef Guy Owen.

The Atlantic Highway itself offers some pit stops worthy of proper attention. Speciality coffee, decent cafe food and leafy houseplants for sale make 12 St Kew Farmshop & Cafe worth a pause, while the 15th‑century 13 St Kew Inn is a great lunch destination where Great British Menu chef Andrew Tuck turns out quality dishes which can be scoffed fireside or in the country garden.

Another roadside gem awaits just beyond Wadebridge: Hawksfield is a posh pull‑over where Swedish‑inspired fika is the order of the day at 14 Strong Adolfos. If you're grabbing a flattie to‑go, with a plan to explore its neighbouring upscale stores, pair it with the best cinnamon bun you'll ever encounter (made by Da Bara Bakery) from 15 The Arc deli and try not to leave crumbs on the wetsuits in Finisterre.

The best places to stay nearby are 16 Bedruthan and its sister hotel 17 Scarlet. Both are exceptional finds for high‑quality cheffery and contemporary inside/outside natural spa experiences. Bedruthan is more of a family destination than its grown‑ups‑only sibling, but out of school holidays is unlikely to be packed out with kids.

Nearby charging: Bedruthan 6 x chargers (Tesla 22kW Type 2 | Universal 22kW Type 2 | Universal 7kW Type 1 and 2). Scarlet: 4 x chargers (Telsa 22kW Type 2 | Universal 22kW Type 2 | Universal 7kW Type 1 and 2).

A mile or two down the coast is

18 Watergate Bay Hotel. When it launched 15 years ago, the eponymous hotel was a pioneer of Cornwall's contemporary reincarnation and has maintained its rep for watersport adventures in design‑led surroundings. Its headline restaurant Zacry's is effortlessly casual but culinarily on‑point, and bolstered by the recent addition of a group of Indian chefs. The scheme was cooked up by exec chef Neil Haydock and colleagues as a solution to the recruitment crisis, and has injected the modern Cornish menu with a dash of Indian flair.

19 Emily Scott Food joined the Watergate crew when the restaurant moved into the building below the hotel (previously Fifteen Cornwall), providing another quality dining opportunity on the beach.

Those heading out of Watergate Bay after breakfast and looking for their second caffeine hit of the day should swing by 20 Island in Newquay, another speciality coffee shop from the Strong Adolfos team.

Cornwall's surfing capital might be all boards and beach bars but it's also home to some classy hotels. 21 The Headland is a grand old place that's been given a modern makeover inside and out. A recent £10 million investment in its aquatic facilities has seen it ranked in The Week's top ten hotel swimming pools in the world.

Nearby

Heading in the direction of St Ives it's worth making a detour back to the coast to visit 22 Driftwood Spars. The 17th‑century inn on the beach enjoys a great reputation for its beers (many brewed on‑site), pub food and four‑star guestrooms, and is named after the shipwreck beams (spars) used to make the building. If the weather's good, snack alfresco at its shipping container cafe The Crib Shack.