Towns and Places

Wadebridge: a busy market town and gateway to the Camel Trail; popular with walkers and birdwatchers; a 17-arch bridge, built in 1460, spans the River Camel joining what were two separate parishes; the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway Line was opened here in 1834

St Breock: the village’s 13th century church has a slab connecting it to the legend of ‘evil Jan Tregeagle’, whose punishments included emptying Dozmary Pool with a limpet shell

Bodmin Moor: wild and craggy granite moorland towered over by Cornwall’s highest point, Brown Willy (1377ft); littered with Neolithic and Bronze Age relics and stone circles, and home to rare plants; also, Dozmary Pool, associated in legend with Excalibur

Boscastle: a National Trust picturesque fishing village, set between spectacular steep cliffs

Bude: popular resort with sandy beaches, rock pools and tidal swimming pool; good for shopping, restaurants and concerts

Camelford: small, thriving town with Slaughter Bridge close by, where King Arthur’s last battle in 539AD is said to have been fought

Padstow: narrow streets, medieval houses and busy waterfront with renowned restaurants

Port Isaac: a lovely little fishing village of ancient alleyways; used as the location for Poldark and Doc Martin TV series

Tintagel: dominated by the ruins of Tintagel Castle, built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Earls of Cornwall and legendary birthplace of King Arthur

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Castles and Museums

A cloak of magic, myth and history hangs over North Cornwall. Tintagel Castle is the reputed birthplace of King Arthur, and believed by some scholars to be the actual Camelot. His famous Round Table is allegedly buried at Bossiney Castle. Castles and forts dot the landscape, such as medieval Launceston Castle and Restormel, first built around 1100.

Maritime and mining museums offer glimpses of traditional Cornish life. The North Cornwall Museum & Gallery in Camelford is a good start. The small Padstow Museum seeks to capture the spirit of the ancient seaport. More grisly exhibits are on view at the Witchcraft Museum at Boscastle, while weapons, uniforms and military memorabilia are the highlight of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry Museum at Bodmin.

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Houses and Gardens

From the romance and mystery of wild woodland to manicured lawns, statuary and dazzling flowerbeds, Cornwall’s gardens offer joy untold whether on a grand or intimate scale, and many are open year-round. At Lanhydrock history and horticulture reign. Owned by the National Trust, this imposing house has 450 acres of wooded park containing rare shrubs and trees. At elegant Prideaux Place, a beautiful Elizabethan house, the 60-acre estate has a 5th century deer park.

Boconoc, inland from Fowey, boasts grand architecture, important historical links, and excellent trails. Stunning seasonal snowdrop and bluebell displays mark the calendar at Georgian Pencarrow, an historical and horticultural treasure. For small and inspirational, visit Pinsla Gardens, a one-and-a-half acre work of horticultural art. Every family member will love the Eden Project with its giant biomes – including a lush jungle and 75ft waterfall – it’s educational and entertaining, a green theme park with an exciting events programme.

Cornwall’s mild climate has created gardens of exquisite diversity, nurturing native and exotic plants: not for nothing has it been described as the ‘garden capital of the world’.

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Events

North Cornwall has long been the inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. Its cultural calendar is filled with exhibitions, festivals and fairs, live music and carnivals.

The Cornwall Folk Festival at Wadebridge, the annual Jazz Festival at Bude, brass bands on the quayside in Padstow and Port Isaac, classical concerts at St. Endellion Music Festivals, the annual Food, Arts & Crafts Festival at Boscastle, Shakespeare performances at Pencarrow. The list goes on and on. Not forgetting the Royal Cornwall Show, offering the best of the county, which happens in June.

The Blue Wing Gallery at Padstow exhibits fine art and covetable contemporary silver jewellery. Wadebridge town offers excellent arts and crafts galleries and shops. Literary landmarks include Jamaica Inn, the coaching inn immortalised by Daphne du Maurier, and the poet John Betjeman, whose work is remembered in recitals by the Camhayle Theatre Players, is buried at St. Enodoc church.

For drama on the water, Rock stages races for catamarans, shrimpers and dinghies; traditional gig racing takes place at Boscastle and the RNLI Lifeboat Day at Padstow, Port Isaac and Bude is worth watching out for.

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Family Attractions

Crealy Adventure Park at Tredinnick nr Wadebridge, with rides, slides, indoor play, friendly animals and events

Adventure Parks can also be found at Bude: Brocklands, and Liskeard: Dobwalls; both offer lots of fun for all the family

Colliford Lake Park at Liskeard is an all-weather, all-action indoor and outdoor adventure playground with ball pool, toboggan run, zip wire and lots more

The Cornish Birds of Prey Centre nr Wadebridge, with 50 birds of prey and other birds, offers regular flying displays and ‘hands on’ experiences

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