What’s Cornwall without a trip to the beach? Start at Lantic Bay, a sand-and-shingle beach cut into towering cliffs with a view-tastic 20-minute climb down from the cliffs. Try Talland Bay for rummaging in rock pools and wild swimming, or Polkerris Beach with its fun restaurant.
Enjoy 36-degree views of the moors and farmland on horseback with Polmartin Riding Stables. Get down to Adrenalin Quarry for go-karting, zip wires, a giant swing and an aqua park. Discover the landscape on two wheels with Cornwall Bike Hire. Or get an adrenalin rush like no other on the suspension bridges with Via Ferrata.
Visit the UK’s largest aquarium, the National Marine in Plymouth, to see four zones of ocean life stretching from Plymouth to the Great Barrier Reef. Discover three large chambers with a stunning underground lake at Carneglaze Caverns. Or meet parrots, owls, giant leopard tortoises, monkeys, zebra and meerkats at Porfell Wildlife Park.
Steam back in time with a 13-mile round trip on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, Cornwall’s only full-size railway still operated by steam locomotives. Catch the latest flicks at Bodmin Cinema. Or enjoy a wide-ranging programme of entertainment at The Minack, a spectacular open-air theatre perched on the Cornish cliffs.
Gym bunnies can hop on down to Bodmin Leisure Centre, with squash, swimming, fitness classes, gym and tennis courts. If blasting clay out of the sky is your thing, Cornish Clay Pigeon Coaching can help. And golfers can enjoy one of the South West’s most beautiful courses at Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Club.
Walkers can do their stuff right from the door in Boconnoc Woods, or walk Cardinham Woods for a diverse woodland full of secret glades, stream-side paths, fresh air and stunning viewpoints. Or hit the colour-coded cycle trails at Lanhydrock, from a woodland ride to a slalom race track.
Discover the Lost Gardens of Heligan, some of the finest in England. Lost among brambles since WW1, they emerged only 30 years ago. Row the river with kayak, canoe or boat rental from Fowey River Hire. Or try reef, wreck and wildlife boat trips out from Looe.
Celebrate your great catches with an on-site tipple of Lantic Gin, or book a tour at St Austell Brewery, follow the fascinating journey from grain to glass and sample some award-winning beers. Get pampered at Fowey Hall Hotel Spa. Or dive into the past with trips to Restormel Castle and Truro Cathedral.
