Top Things to do in Cornwall

Start your holiday in proper Cornish style, with a slap-up breakfast at Boscastle Farm Shop (1) – less than a 15-minute drive from the cottages. From the loose-leaf tea to the Tregida smoked salmon, everything on the menu is locally-sourced. While you’re here, the old fishing village of Boscastle (2) – with its pretty harbour and pottery workshops – makes for a pleasant morning mooch. Next stop, Tintagel Castle (3): its Medieval ruins loom large, and kids love its playful nods to the local legends of King Arthur and Merlin – especially the eerie ‘Merlin’s Cave’. Head down to the beach, and you might even spot wild seals. The Port William Inn (4), with its sea-facing terrace and superior pub grub (think Cornish lobster and locally-brewed ales), is a fine spot for lunch. From here, Padstow (5) is within easy reach – for an afternoon of rock pooling, coastal walking, and gallery hopping (don’t miss Padstow Gallery and The Drang).

Today, set your sights on the tiny town of Bude (6), 8km up the coast. Overlooking Summerleaze sands, Life’s A Beach serves a mean breakfast – or, on Fridays, you can feast on local bites at the Farmer’s Market. Lots of watersports companies are based nearby, so sign up for a few hours of kayaking, surfing or stand-up paddleboarding: with a coastline as cracking as this, it would be rude not to. For a more leisurely dip, Bude Sea Pool – topped up naturally at high tide – offers safe (and spectacular) sea-water bathing. Weather not behaving? Head to the beachfront Bude Castle instead, or The Venue for ten-pin bowling and soft play areas. On the way home, The Weir (7) combines hearty lunches with an excellent wildlife centre, falconry displays, and segway hire – a novel way to explore the Cornish countryside. For evening entertainment close to the cottages, check out Rebel Cinema (8), a charming independently-owned movie theatre in the hamlet of Treskinnick Cross.

This morning, pack a few bacon butties and head out to nearby Crackington Haven Beach (9). With its golden sands and wildflower-strewn pathways, this is an idyllic spot for a picnic breakfast – but don’t linger too long, because The Eden Project (10) awaits. Covering an area the size of 30 football pitches, these colourful gardens and curvaceous glasshouses are home to some of the most incredible plantlife on Earth. You can spy rare orchids, discover desert oases and even skip between treetops on the Rainforest biome’s canopy walkway. Thrill seekers, take note: this is also the home of England’s longest zip line, a whopping 660-metre swoop over those iconic domes. On the way home, stretch your legs on Bodmin Moor – one of the Poldark crew’s favourite filming locations – then stop for supper at Jamaica Inn (11), the old smugglers’ den made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s novel.

Some of Cornwall’s finest countryside cycling awaits on the Camel Trail, a hill-free and (mostly) traffic-free pootle between Padstow and Bodmin. With 29km to cover, it’s a splendid way to spend a sunny afternoon – and if you haven’t got bikes, you can hire some from Snail’s Pace Café (12). Better yet, the regular bus service will whisk you back to your starting point in under an hour. For family-friendly fun, head to Dairyland Farm World (13), with its pony rides, nature trails and petting zoo. The ice cream at Clarabelle’s Kitchen Café is the real Cornish deal, and kids can even try milking the farm’s rare-breed cows. Over at Camel Creek Adventure Park (14), there are meerkats to meet and mini rollercoasters to brave. Sign your little ones up for a Junior Keeper Experience, and they can get hands-on with the resident ponies, reptiles and rabbits too. On rainy days, Trethorne Leisure Park (15) is also a hit: there’s a games arcade, bowling alley and soft play area – all just 20 minutes from the cottages. For a day at the beach, you can’t go wrong with Newquay (16). Its golden sands have something for everyone: from world-class surfing at Fistral, to a beach bar and live music at Lusty Glaze. Keep an eye on the events calendar at Bodmin & Wenford Railway (17), for afternoon teas and murder-mystery evenings aboard its spectacular steam-powered trains. On a footplate course, you can even be driver for the day – the boss of your very own 1940s locomotive.