08 Apr Enjoy the Perfect Family Day Out in Bodmin: Discover the Wild Windswept Moors, Follow the Trail of King Arthur, Escape from Jail, Ride A Historic Steam Train & Indulge in Cornish Cream Tea
Bodmin: 15 miles from Atlantic Reach, 30 minute drive time
One of the best things about Atlantic Reach is its amazing location, close to many of Cornwall’s greatest attractions and beaches. By making Atlantic Reach the base for your holiday, you’ll have a wide range of ocean and inland adventures at your fingertips. The North and South coasts are both within striking distance, and there are endless options for days-out. It’s the perfect location for families who love Cornwall.
This is a local’s guide to the best day out near Bodmin
There is more to Cornwall than the beach and coastline, the windswept moors and remains of our rich mining heritage are signature Cornish landscapes! Just 15 miles from Atlantic Reach, Bodmin is in the heart of Cornwall and offers a whole host of inland adventures – it is well worth a visit. Read on to discover more…
The following is an insider’s guide to the best things to do in and around Bodmin. We’ve done all of these amazing activities ourselves, that’s why we feel confident recommending them to you, our lovely Atlantic Reach guests. There is way more packed into this itinerary than you’d be able to enjoy in one day, but think of it as a wish list, crammed full of tried and tested activities that can help you create your own dream days out in Bodmin.
Go wild with a windswept walk on Bodmin Moor
It’s possible that not every day of your holiday will be a beach day, Cornwall is famous for its mizzle, so if you love Kernow, then getting outdoors whatever the weather is all part of the appeal. The weather doesn’t have to be great to explore the wild and craggy moors, in fact your experience will actually be enhanced if it’s gloomy. Bodmin Moor offers miles of wind swept walks, prehistoric granite sculptures and lays claim to be the final resting place for Excalibur, King Arthur’s legendary sword. The great news is that when you stay at Atlantic Reach, the untamed landscapes and adventurous spirit of Bodmin are close by.
Bodmin is well known for its fast changing weather, and in the exposed areas we often joke that you can experience all four seasons in one day. So it’s good practice to plan ahead and pack a few extra layers, as well as the Cornish uniform, a beanie hat. The moorland is also dotted with grazing animals, so please be responsible and keep your dogs on a lead or under close control.
Follow in the footsteps of King Arthur
If you’re on a quest to discover the legend of King Arthur, then visit the atmospheric Dozmary Pool, set high on Bodmin Moor just south of Bolventor (near the famous Jamaica Inn). According to folk tale, after King Arthur was mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlan, it was at Dozmary Pool that Sir Bedivere carried out King Arthur’s dying wish, and threw Excalibur into the water. As the sword neared the surface of the lake, an arm rose from the watery depths, catching the sword and vanishing beneath the lake with it! The Lady of the Lake perhaps? Bodmin is just 20 miles from Tintagel, so Bodmin Moor does have many Arthurian links. Legend also claims that Dozmary Pool is bottomless, so don’t be misled by its relatively small surface area; this infamous lake has hidden depths.
Hurlers Stones, Stowes Hill and the Cheesewring
If you’re walking with young children, then perhaps start with a short route; we recommend the walk to Hurlers Stones in South East Bodmin, where there is a free car park at PL14 5LE. This is perhaps our favourite start to a walk ever, as it begins in the village of Minions, and yes the village has embraced their association with the film and changed the village sign accordingly. Legend has it that Cornish men who partook in Hurling (the sport) on the Sabbath were punished by being turned to stone, thus forming the three stone circles. The reality is that like a small-scale Stonehenge, these Bronze Age monuments were used for monitoring solar and stellar patterns and for ceremonial purposes. It is a short walk to Hurlers Stones, but perfect for independent children with little legs; they can wile away time exploring the stones, and on a fair weather day it makes the perfect picnic spot. If you’d like to cover a bit more ground, then from Hurlers Stones you can continue on to Stowe’s Hill for panoramic moorland views, and the Cheesewring for an impressive granite tor.
Discover Waterfalls at Golitha Falls National Nature Reserve
If you are enjoying being outside in the fresh air, then just a few minutes drive from Hurlers Stones is a wonderful walk around Golitha Falls National Nature Reserve, there is a large free car park and toilets you can use at PL14 6RU. This walk meanders through ancient woodland and along the River Fowey, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A series of stunning falls, rapids and cascades dot the river’s path through the gorge, and if there has been rainfall then the river flow can be dramatic. At first, the walk along the river is accessible for prams and disabled visitors, however as you progress closer to the falls the path becomes far more challenging, and we recommend trail shoes and perhaps a baby carrier if you have little ones.
Escape from Bodmin Jail
Built in 1779, Bodmin Jail is a historical landmark with a dark and troubling history. The Bodmin Jail Attraction reveals its murky past, and gives guests a life and death experience, with ghostly voices, highway robbers, smugglers & infamous former inmates. It’s family fun with a spooky edge, and will be sure to keep your children well behaved for the rest of the holiday.
Experience the glorious era of steam railways
This is no average train journey; it’s an immersive experience, and a journey back in time that the whole family will remember for years to come. Cornwall’s premier steam railway, the Bodmin Railway, takes you on a leisurely 13 mile (2 hour) round trip. Revisit the glorious heyday of railway travel, and be blown away by the attention to detail the organisers have included at the station and during the train ride, that will make you feel like a character straight out of Edith Nesbit’s story, The Railway Children.
This experience will appeal to all age groups. Tiny tots will be mesmerised by getting close to the life size Thomas The Tank Engine, the slightly older kids will delight in taking a trip on the Hogwarts Express, and us adults can embrace our inner child and have a proper geek-out moment. Everyones a winner.
Bodmin Railway steam trains go from Bodmin General Station, close to the centre of Bodmin. The railway offers free parking for steam train users. Please allow 30 minutes to park and collect your tickets before your train departs. Bodmin General Station has a ticket office, coffee shop, gift shop, exhibition coach, toilet facilities, and a fully equipped locomotive workshop. Several locomotives can usually be admired on display or receiving tuneups in the workshop.
Accessibility on the railway – Due to the historic structure of the steam trains and their notoriously narrow doors, pushchairs are welcome onto the train, but do need to be left in the guard’s compartment – a member of staff will assist you. Facilities for wheelchair users are available on most of the trains, with ramps deployed to bridge the height difference between the train and the platform. Each train can accommodate up to two wheelchairs on each trip, so please book ahead to reserve your wheelchair space. Wheelchair storage is also available at the station for those who can alight on foot. The trains do have toilets, although again due to the traditional narrow doors these toilets are not wheelchair accessible.
Check out the family friendly Lanhydrock House and Estate
The National Trust Lanhydrock Estate offers colourful gardens, riverside walks, woodland rambles and family friendly cycle trails. There are miles of paths to explore, perfect for dogs and children of all ages. The Natural Trust have done a great job making the house itself family friendly and offer secure buggy parking and use of Hippychick carriers which clip around your middle, providing a ledge for your baby to rest on. Children are given a clipboard and crayon so that they can attend to the serious business of following the pictorial trail.
Up near the cafe there is a newly-refurbished, secure play area for the children to enjoy. It’s sandy underfoot and has open spaces perfect for kids on scooters and trikes. The kids will love blowing off some steam here, and the handy location next to the cafe makes it a perfect pitstop for hot chocolates afterwards.
If you’re holidaying with grandparents, or anyone with limited mobility, then Lanhydrock offers all-terrain mobility scooter hire for use around the gardens and estate, as part of the Countryside Mobility scheme. These are affordable to rent for a few hours or half a day, and a total game changer; family walks are all the more special if all generations can walk together. Enquire online for availability, and we recommend reserving your tramper in advance.
Cardinham Woods and the Gruffalo Trail
Forestry England’s Cardinham Woods offers the ultimate family wilderness experience, but with all the benefits of great signage, clean toilets, dog shower and a wonderful cafe. The ground is firm underfoot throughout the year, the tracks are dog and bike friendly, and the river that runs along the valley floor has lots of great paddling spots and opportunities for poo sticks.
The colour coded walking and cycling routes make navigating the paths through the woods a doddle; these paths are of varying difficulties so there are routes to suit all families. Six sculptures from The Gruffalo, the best-selling picture book, are also dotted around the forest for you to discover. Start your adventure by following the Lady Vale Walk, and see if you and your family can find them all?
Mountain bike trails and tramper hire
Cardinham has an excellent network of off-road mountain bike trails of varying gradients. The trails snake through the trees, up and down the valley sides and are guaranteed to keep older kids and teens entertained. We recommend helmets and protective clothing as these trails are the real-deal off-road experience.
Just like at Lanhydrock, Cardinham also offers all-terrain mobility scooter hire through the Countryside Mobility scheme, a wonderful (and affordable) initiative that makes the woods accessible for all members of your extended family. If you’re on a multi-generational holiday, then you may find some beaches to be problematic in terms of accessibility, and the coast path has steep gradients and stiles in places. That’s not to say that the beaches and coast path are off limits, but the ease of renting a Tramper at Cardinham and the joy it will give your family to go on an adventure together, should not be underestimated. You visit Cornwall to experience the great outdoors and spend time in the fresh air together; at Cardinham no one needs to be left behind.
Woods Cafe is the perfect pit stop
A trip to Cardinham Woods is not complete without a visit to the incredible Woods Cafe. Set in a period cottage next to a gurgling stream, the Woods Cafe offers amazing coffee, cakes, Cornish cream tea (jam first!), sandwiches, soup and hot food specials. Sit inside by the fire or outside on the numerous picnic benches, and let the kids run free on the convenient play area situated right outside.
Eden Project and Hangloose Zipline
When in Bodmin, you’re just a short hop from the Eden Project with its amazing bio-domes, outdoor gardens and Hangloose Adventure Zipline – England’s longest zipline! It’s an attraction that needs no introduction, hours of entertainment await here, so you may prefer it as a stand-alone day out.
After a wild and wonderful day in Bodmin…
After an action-packed day in Bodmin, on the moors and in the woodland, returning the short distance to Atlantic Reach will feel like coming home. Everything you could possibly want is here, so relax, there’s no reason to leave again this evening. After the day’s activities, it’s hard to believe that the kids will have any gas left in the tank, but if they do, then how about a dip in either the indoor or outdoor pool – there is always time for one more swim right?
Whether you choose to rustle up your own grub, or to let the team at The Manor Arms pub and restaurant do the cooking instead, an evening spent relaxing with the family is on the cards – these are the precious holiday moments you wait all year for. Happy chatter and laughter will bubble around the dinner table as you recount the legend of King Arthur, the wonder of the waterfalls, the discoveries of the Gruffalo Trail, and the relief of escaping from jail!
After an incredible day in Bodmin, morale will be high, and your scrap book will be full of new memories. The great news is that Cornwall has lots of other destinations waiting in the wings. So what shall tomorrow’s adventure be?
If you’d like to try out this amazing Bodmin itinerary for yourself, then book your holiday at Atlantic Reach this year. You can find out more about our self catering cottages and camping options, and check availability online.