Places to go

Carnglaze Caverns is an all-weather family tourist attraction near the village of St Neot, on the southern edge of Bodmin Moor,
featuring a former slate mine where slate was both quarried and mined underground.

St Ives – self-professed dazzling jewel in Cornwall’s crown. Wander through the maze of narrow cobbled streets, independent shops and fisherman’s cottages.

Charlestown is an amazingly pristine, unspoiled example of a late Georgian working port, now often harbouring a fleet of square-riggers ships and is a popular location for film and television locations.

The foreshore is covered with attractive marbled humbug pebbles and fist-sized stones and to the left and right are unusual craggy rocks running to the sea, with sands exposed at low tide.

Padstow was already a bustling little port of fishermen and boat-builders in the time of Elizabeth 1st. Nowadays the local fisherman supply the many fish restaurants which have now become a major feature of the town.

Rough Tor is the second highest hill on the moor and has splendid views over Bodmin Moor and with many ancient settlements and field systems.

The quarry is now almost 500 feet deep and over 1.5 miles around. Once the largest man-made holes in Europe, it is an amazing sight to see.

Something of a crazy museum. Built by the passion of one man the museum documents the history of the Davidstow airfield.

Twenty-five years ago, Heligan’s historic gardens were unknown and unseen; lost under a tangle of weeds. It was only the chance discovery of a door in the ruins that led to the restoration of this once great estate. Today, The Lost Gardens have been put back where they belong: in pride of place among the finest gardens in Cornwall.

Twenty-five years ago, Heligan’s historic gardens were unknown and unseen; lost under a tangle of weeds. It was only the chance discovery of a door in the ruins that led to the restoration of this once great estate. Today, The Lost Gardens have been put back where they belong: in pride of place among the finest gardens in Cornwall.

As it is still a working harbour it is more authentic than Port Isaac and less gentrified than Padstow.

The staff are friendly and chatty and there is plenty of opportunity to stroke owls or watch the animal feeding.

Boscastle is a small village and fishing port – the harbour is a natural inlet protected by two stone harbour walls built in 1584. Heavy rainfall on 16 August 2004 caused extensive damage to the village, now fully restored.

Bodmin is one of the oldest towns in Cornwall, and the only large Cornish settlement recorded in the Domesday Book and there are interesting things to see.

Tintagel is renowned for its association with the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, particularly by the castle, reached from the mainland.

Tucked away on the edge of Bodmin Moor, this Cornish Georgian gem offers plenty to do, with a Grade II listed garden, Iron Age fort, children’s play area, café and gift shop.

Once famous as a centre for wool production, Wadebridge is now a lively town with independent shops, cafes and bars.

If ever a place in Cornwall reflected a change from industry to leisure, this is it.

Like many along the North Coast, this is a surfing beach but it is also ideal for children as the sea is very paddleable, the rock pools are plungable and the sand is damp enough for great sand castles.