Things To Do
Walks (Coastal)
1. Lantivet Coastal path: About 20 minutes from Boconnoc. This is a go-to coast walk. Park at the car park (post code PL23 1NP) and then follow the path across the road and down the shaded path to the coast. 2. St Agnes Head (coast): Great north coast location for beautiful views for miles along the coast. 40 minutes from Boconnoc. Post code TR5 0NU 3. Godrevy (coast): Beautiful headland with seals available to view! Next to Gwithian beach where Hugo and Caroline lived for a short period. About 1 hour 20 mins from Boconnoc. Post code TR27 5ED
Walks (Inland)
1. Respryn (inland): 10 minutes from Boconnoc. This is on the outskirts of the Lanhydrock Estate and is a beautiful riverside woodland walk. Post code PL30 4AH 2. Bodmin Moors (inland): 20 minutes away from Boconnoc. We recommend walking around the Cheesewring Tor - a stack of granitic rocks precariously perched on the moors. Post code: PL14 5LJ 3. Golitha Falls (inland): This is a wooded path in a forest that follows next to a stream. 15 minutes away from Boconnoc. The falls are a 20-30 minute walk from the car park but the surrounding woods are worth it on their own. Post code PL14 6RX
Beaches
1. Palace Beach: This is a popular spot that Hugo's family goes to frequently. It's a beautiful location with a sheltered cove and a great location for a picnic. At mid-high tide, the steps carved into the rock in the middle of the cove are great to jump off! Its a short walk from the Lantivet car park down to the beach. Post code PL23 1NP 2. Lantic Beach: This is a local favorite and hidden beach on the south coast about 20 minutes from Boconnoc. It is a few coves west of Palace Beach. Warning: it is steep to get down to the beach. Post code PL23 1NP 3. Holywell Beach: This is a beautiful expansive beach on the north coast. Post code TR8 5PG 4. Gwithian Beach: Hugo and Caroline lived at Gwithian for a few months and are very fond of this beach! It's across the bay from the popular St Ives but in our opinion, Gwithian Beach is extremely underrated. Post code TR27 5BT
Gardens
There are loads of country estates with fabulous gardens but a few top picks are: 1. Eden Project: Set in a repurposed china clay mine, these famous domed biomes are about 25 minutes from Boconnoc. One biome is a rainforest environment and the other is mediterranean. They even featured in a James Bond film (Die Another Day). Kid-friendly. Post code PL24 2SG 2. Lost Gardens of Heligan: This 19th century garden includes a jungle section, Italian-style gardens, and northern gardens. Post code PL26 6EN 3. Tregrehan Gardens: Owned by family friends, these gardens surround the historic home of the Carlyon Family. With heavy New Zealand and other "New World" influences, this is a very cozy non-commercial historic garden. 20 minutes from Boconnoc. Post code PL24 2SJ
Mining History
1. Botallack: Near Land's End these famous mining engine houses are perched precariously on the cliffs at the end of the country. Great location to walk through historic mining buildings. 1.5 hours from Boconnoc. Post code TR19 7QQ 2. Geevor Tin Mine Museum: Also about 1.5 hours from Boconnoc, this is a great mining museum depicting mining in Cornwall up to the mid-late 1980s. Many of the guides are the former employees of the mine when it was operational. There is an opportunity as part of the museum to go underground. Post code TR19 7EW 3. Cornwall Underground Adventures: This is an underground activity to do with people over 10 years old if you want to do some proper mine exploration! Ben Sumpter who runs the tours is a self-taught encyclopaedia on Cornish Mining - highly recommended! Post code TR19 7NS 4. A walk through the Pelyne Woods: Not as much to see with this one but there's an abandoned lead mine in the woods near Hugo's parents. 5 mins from Boconnoc. Post code PL14 4RE
Historic Homes + Theatre
1. Lanhydrock House: This is a gorgeous 17th-century home and land to explore about 15 minutes from Boconnoc. Post code PL30 4AB 2. Cotehele: This is a tudor home with the largest tapestry collection on display in the UK (seriously, it's amazing). Post code PL12 6TA 3. Tintagel Castle: This is the home of the fictitious King Arthur. Tintagel Castle remains are on a small island which is now accessible by suspension bridge. Post code PL34 0DB 4. Trelissick: This is a stately home overlooking the Fal River and just around the corner from where Hugo and Caroline live! (Caroline now volunteers at the second hand book shop here) Post code TR3 6QL 5. St Michael's Mount: This is an island, named after Mount Saint Michel in France due to its similarity, with a medieval church and castle. Accessible by pathway at low tide. Post code TR17 0EG 6. Minack Theatre: This is a unique amphitheater carved into the side of a cliff in south west Cornwall! Post code TR19 6JU
Towns/Cities
1. Lostwithiel: This is a small medieval town was formerly the capital of Cornwall. About 15 minutes from Boconnoc, it's known for its medieval bridge and many antique shops! 2. Fowey: A beautiful waterside town on the Fowey Estuary. There are several boating activities run out of here and there are a number of shops and quayside pubs worth checking out. 3. Polperro: This old smuggling haven is hidden away in one of the south coast's many inlets. It makes a great walk from Lansallos if you fancy a long one! A pint and/or lunch in the Blue Peter might necessitate a taxi back to the car but it's worth it. 4. Falmouth: Although a bit of a drive from Boconnoc, this is an arts university town on the water with wonderful artsy shops. 5. St Ives: Yes, predictable and where all the tourists go but it is for a reason - great shops here and great options for meals (we went to a Thai place, Talay Thai Kitchen, for our birthday a few years ago)
Restaurants
1. Tartan Fox: Although on the pricier side, this is a great place for a cozy pub meal. Post code TR8 5AF 2. Hidden Hut Restaurant: This is a hut on the Porthcurnick Beach which has a rotating fresh menu during the summer. We haven't been yet but it's come highly recommended. Post code: TR2 5EW 3. Pasties: A Cornish must have, Chacewater Bakery (Hugo's favorite), Gear Farm (much further west, Caroline's favorite), or Liddicott's butchers in Lostwithiel offer the best pasties in the Cornwall. Ginsters and Greggs must be avoided at all costs.