Things to do in Devon & Cornwall?

Question

We're planning a family holiday in South Devon (Dartmouth for a week) and North Cornwall (near Bodmin for a second week). I'm interested to hear what suggestions people might have for things to do!

Our kids are 6 and 9 so we'll definitely visit the Eden Project while in Cornwall and possibly the Minack Theatre in Penzance. What are the other things that we shouldn't miss while we're in the area? Boat trips? Historic buildings? Water parks?

Thanks for any suggestions you can come up with!

Tim

Answer 1

I don't know a great deal about Dartmouth, but I can give you a lot of information on North Cornwall - where I live.



The Minack theatre is a great day out, however it is a very long trip from Bodmin especially with children who may get restless. The Eden project is a great idea & it's not too far from Bodmin. Bodmin town hasn't got a great deal on offer. No beaches, theme parks, land marks or anything. The only decent thing about Bodmin is Asda & Morrisons which we don't have in Wadebridge where I live.



Suggestions:



-Between Bodmin & Padstow and wadebridge in between you have the Camel Trail. Where you can walk or take bikes and cycle from each town. You can hire bikes so you don't have to take your own. It is a lovely scenic walk or cycle & both trails are nice but the wadebridge-bodmin one is more sheltered, quieter & more historic scenerys such as old train platforms. The trail also leads to other destinations. The Padstow one has a lovely view of the river camel, but it is a lot busier & doesn't have any turn offs to other places.



-Bodmin moor is a huge area of countryside in the villages surrounding Bodmin (Blisland & St Breward). There are several places where you can stop and children can play in the stream, where it is quiet and much safer than the beach.



-Near Wadebridge there is Crealy Adventure park, a large theme park with indoor play areas, slides, a log fume, water slides, walks & rides etc, a great day out for kids. From Bodmin this will take roughly 25 minutes.



-Ferry from Rock to Padstow or vice versa. There is a small passenger ferry between Rock & Padstow. Both areas are lovely with great beaches & shops so you can park at one place & catch the ferry to the other and back again. It is a lovely little day out. You also get a lot of famous people around the Rock area so look out for them!



-There is a castle at Lostwithiel which is only about a 5/10 minute drive from Bodmin. I think it is called Restormal castle.



-There are no outdoor water parks in the area. However there is a large swimming people with some slides at Hendra Oasis near Newquay.



-World in minature near St Agnes. It displays minature landmarks from around the world, which is very interesting. It also has a few play areas & rides.



-Springfields pony & fun park near Bodmin is a small, friendly & relaxed theme park. It has pony rides, trampolines, go karts, rowing boats, animals, a play area, parks, walks & lots more.



There is lots more in the area! Just pick up some leaflets from a tourise information centre or from a supermarket.



Have fun on holiday :)

Answer 2

Agatha Christie's old residence, Greenway, near Dartmouth, has been turned into a museum about her by the National Trust. You have to pre-book a parking space, or travel by ferry from Dartmouth. It has only just opened, so I haven't been there, but it looks interesting. Also see Dartmouth Castle (English Heritage). There are boat trips up the River Dart to Totnes. If you can get to Torbay, Paignton Zoo, the Model Village at Babbacombe, and Kent's Cavern (prehistoric caves)

In Cornwall, the kids would love Tintagel Castle (English Heritage). It's a magical place. You could combine a trip there with a visit to Boscastle, now restored after the awful floods. Truro has the youngest Anglican Cathedral in England and good shopping. Cathedral has a refectory with delicious food if you want to eat there. You can do boat trips from Padstow, but Padstow/Rock area very expensive. How about a day trip by ferry or helicopter to the Isles of Scilly if funds permit? Mevagissey is an interesting fishing village, and you might get a boat trip there. The Lost Gardens of Heligan are nearby, a sister site to the Eden Project. Nearby Pentewan has a silted-up harbour, many ducks, and sometimes swans, plus a safe beach.

Don't forget either Dartmoor (the prison, and remains of stone hut circles) or Bodmin Moor (Jamaica Inn, Dozmary Pool).

I could go on all day, but I think you'll have enough there! Enjoy Devon and Cornwall.

Answer 3

Do the Camel Valley bike trail. It's an old rail line from Bodmin to Padstow which is lovely and flat and has beautiful views over the estuary. You can hire bikes at both ends of the trail or get an kids bike attachment if you're youngest gets tired cycling. Have Rick Steins fish and chips on the harbor in Padstow for lunch. Lovely!



Plus surf lessons for the kids is always good fun if it rains. Watergate bay is beautiful and has loads of surf / watersports schools.

Answer 4

Dartmouth: Boat trip on the River Dart from Dartmouth to Totnes -

incredibly beautiful; preserved steam railway from Kingswear (ferry from Dartmouth) to Paignton. Dartmoor National Park

Answer 5

flambards in helston , gweek seal sacntuary, bodmin gaol, goonhilly, falmouth maritime museum all in cornwall dont forget the lovely beaches ( st ives has been awarded for its beach )



and in dartmouth there isnt much for kids, boat rides maybe, but your nearby to torquay and paignton, aagin good beaches, quaywest is in goodrington ( 2 miles out of paignton ) this is a waterpark, there is the zoo and living coasts in torquay ( you can get a joint entry ticket cheaper than seperate for both attractions ) , theres the steam railway in paignton aswell.



a lovely part of devon to stay, i live 15 miles from exeter and i often go to torquay and paignton with my son who is 5

Answer 6

Fish & chips in Rick Steins chippy in Padstow

Loads of good gardens near michaels mount

You should probably do lizards point too

Answer 7

when you're at the Minack Theatre, don't miss the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, it's fascinating http://www.porthcurno.org.uk/