Cornwall is the home of beach holidays and Lantic Bay comes with sand and shingle cut into towering cliffs. Have fun on the 20-minute climb down there and enjoy the views. For wild swimming and rock pools, it’s Talland Bay, and Polkerris Beach comes with an idyllic cove and fun restaurant.
The UK’s largest aquarium is just down the road in Plymouth, with four zones of ocean life stretching all the way to the Great Barrier Reef. Get over to Carneglaze Caverns for an underground lake and three large chambers. Or take a 13-mile round trip on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, Cornwall’s only full-size-locomotive steam railway.
Hire a horse and enjoy 360-degree views of the moors and farmland with Polmartin Riding Stables. Ride go-karts and zip wires at Adrenalin Quarry. Explore the winding country lanes with Cornwall Bike Hire. Or brave the suspension bridge and other perils at Via Ferrata.
Be amused by monkeys and meerkats at Porfell Wildlife Park. Enjoy other types of entertainment on the cliff-side at The Minack Theatre. Ride England’s longest and fastest zip wire and swing into space from a 20-metre cliff swing at Hangloose Adventures. Or ride the thrilling G-force rollercoasters at Flambards theme park.
Walk Boconnoc Woods right from the door or head out to Cardinham Woods to explore stream-side paths, secret glades and stunning viewpoints. Follow the colour-coded cycle trails at Lanhydrock or take a circular walk following the horse-drawn tramways through the World Heritage site of the Luxulyan Valley.
Follow the beer journey from grain to glass on a tour of St Austell Brewery. Or add ice and a slice to the on-site Lantic Gin and head out to the terrace. Indulge in a head and scalp massage or an express facial at Fowey Hall Hotel Spa. Or visit the 13th-century spa equivalent at Restormel Castle, once a luxurious retreat.
Don’t let your fitness slide: get down to Bodmin Leisure Centre for swimming, squash, tennis and gym workouts. Blast pesky pretend pigeons out of the sky at Cornish Clay Pigeon Coaching. Or play the dramatic clifftop golf course at Carlyon Bay or top-rated St Austell, an undulating heathland course with great views.
Discover The Lost Gardens of Heligan, a landscape that disappeared under brambles after WW1, only to emerge accidentally in 1990. Get down to Fowey River Hire to row the river. Fish for shark on the Swallow II from Looe. Or walk the South West Coast Path from Looe to Polperro for tough climbs rewarded by glorious views.
