WELCOME TO SOUTH EAST CORNWALL!

Most visitors flock to our part of the world for the wonderful sandy beaches and the quaint fishing villages but South East Cornwall has much more to offer especially for families.

Beaches

When the weather is sunny, head for the beach. There is a lovely wide sandy beach for 3 miles around Whitsand Bay and the beaches in Looe and at Seaton are very popular with families. For rockpooling, try Downderry and Talland Bay! There are plenty of shops and cafes in Looe,Fowey and Polperro. Fish and chips never taste better than when eaten at the seaside and Looe has particularly fabulous fish and chip shops.

Animal Parks

If you children are animal mad then head for the Monkey Sanctuary at Murraytown near Looe where visitors can come and see rescued woolly monkeys in their extensive territory. There are beautiful conservation gardens for visitors to explore and follow the nature trail. Children can make Amazonian facemasks in the activity room, and enjoy a bit of bouncing about of their own in the play area.

The Tamar Valley Donkey Park comes highly recommended. It is the home to 30 donkeys, over 20 goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits and more. Visitors are able to stroke and feed the friendly animals. There is also an all-weather play barn and under cover donkey rides. Entry to the cafe depends on whether you can get past the goat guarding the door though!

The Porfell Wildlife Park and Sanctuary near Liskeard is home to wallabies, marmosets, zebras, snakes, lemurs, meerkats, porcupines and of course 'Bert' the capybara as well as all your favourite farmyard animals and pets to pet and feed. There are also beautiful woodland walks, a tea room and picnic area and animal talks and demonstrations.

Castles

Restormel Castle near Lostwithiel is a circular 13th century shell-keep in remarkably good condition. My five year old grandson loves this place as there are basements and lots of stairs and a deep moat and the interior rooms can still be made out. As it sits atop a high mound there are wonderful views of the countryside. Bring a picnic!

Tintagel Castle, another 13 century castle, is on the North coast of Cornwall but is within an hours drive of Liskeard and is obviously worth a visit if your little ones are in to knights and princesses. It is not as accessible as Restormel so check with English Heritage for more details if you have very small children.

There is also a small Tudor Fort, called St Catherine's Castle, above the beach at Fowey which is worth a climb up to for the views alone!

All the above are English Heritage properties so check their websites for opening times and entrance costs (St Catherine's Castle is free to visit).

Sports and Adventure

Adrenalin Quarry near Liskeard is Cornwall's hottest new attraction for big kids (and their offspring!). Boasting Kartworld (for the over 7s), Hoverworld, where over 14s can fly twin-engine, single-seat hovercraft at their awesome arena and The Zip, Britain's longest, fastest zip wire which is the UK's biggest at
490m long , 50m high and reaching speeds of 40mph. Call in advance for prices and age restrictions...

If your family is in to surfing try the Discovery Surf School at Tregonhawke Beach, Whitsand Bay, South East Cornwall. Lessons for all ages and abilities in small groups on a lovely beach!

Cardinham Woods near Bodmin is great for families and is popular with dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders. There is a cafe, picnic area and adventure playground and really lovely walks. The Forestry Commission also hold organised events here throughout the summer so check their website for details.

For accommodation in the area:

Click here for Badham Farm Holiday Cottages Ebay Shop

 We hope to see you soon!

I hope you have found my guide to this wonderful part of Cornwall very useful. I have lived here for many years now and visitors to my cottages are always telling me about new places they've discovered. If you are considering a holiday on my farm or elsewhere in South East Cornwall then don't forget to check the local tourist association (SECTA) website for more ideas.