Rainy day inspiration
Inevitably you’ll find yourself on a brolly day during your holiday here in Cornwall, so here’s some personal recommendations for some great things to do and places to visit. All within easy reach from Trenannick Farm Cottages. There are a host of different venues to head to whatever the weather. Let’s take a look at some popular options to consider:
Trethorne Leisure Park
This is an amazing place with so many fun things for the family to do! This is the ultimate all weather attraction and it’s just 15 minutes away. Check out the indoor park with lots of fun activities including –
- 10 pin bowling (8 lanes)
- play barn
- climbing wall
- helter skelter
- bungee run
- dodgems
- rabbit house
It’s all beautifully accessible because it’s all on the ground floor and it’s open every day with a great café. Their carvery is legendary by the way. Alternatively, pack a picnic.
You might like to visit Party at the Park – Trethorne Leisure Park which looks like an epic event on Friday 18th August 2023 from 6.30pm.
There’s so much to do here I’m pretty sure the kids will want to go back for another visit. After all happy kids = happy parents!
The Venue in Bude
The Venue Bude – Bowling • Softplay • Food & Drink
Check out this 10 pin bowling alley and let the kids go wild on the 4-floor giant play centre. There’s also a toddler area and café. All just 15 minutes’ drive away and open every day.
Or if you fancy getting voluntarily wet then head down to Bude Leisure Centre www.better.org.uk which has a wave pool during the aqua splash sessions with a 33m flume for adults and kids! There’s a shallow beach area for the little ones too. An adult fun session costs £8, juniors £6.50, and under 3’s going in for free.
Carnglaze Caverns
One epic place to escape the heat, or the rain. Carnglaze is about 40 minutes drive away. Here you can take to the depths of Cornwall’s only underground slate mine which goes 60m below ground. Explore the 3 caverns and then enjoy the freedom of a woodland walk. A family ticket cost £26. Top tips: wear a jumper and sensible footwear and do have a look at their events calendar if you want an amazing night to remember!
Bodmin Jail Experience
Step into history and immerse yourselves in tales of the miners and smugglers – a real journey back in time. The dark walk is phenomenal and pretty thrilling stuff. The whole thing lasts about 90 minutes. This is not recommended for children under 8 (because it’s a bit scary). I visited a few months ago and my daughter locked me in the stocks! Smart café by the way. Top tip: I’d skip the gift shop.
National Maritime Museum
Based in Plymouth, this is the UK’s largest aquarium and it’s open 10-5pm every day. Journey time about 90 minutes. Nothing fishy about this place – it’s an outstanding attraction for everyone!
If historic houses are more your thing, then I’d recommend Pencarrow House, Lanhydrock, and Cotehele. Find lots of information about Lanhydrock in my earlier blog “Bored with the Beach” so you might like to head to that to avoid me repeating myself about this outstanding place https://trenannickfarmcottages.co.uk/trennanick-and-more.
The National Trust also has Cotehele House with a rich Tudor history www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cornwall/cotehele which is near Saltash and about 45 minutes away. Their busy events calendar looks really interesting but enjoying them does rather depend on the weather … If you hold a National Trust Membership and find yourselves in or near Tintagel, then do pop in to visit the Old Post Office, and maybe into Tintagel Toy Museum for a childhood nostalgic fix.
Pencarrow House is a beautiful Georgian mansion with 50 acres of gardens and woodlands and 500 years of history. The café serves wonderful Cornish produce and the play area nearby is brilliant. I found the staff to be super friendly and knowledgeable. Dogs are allowed in the grounds but not in the house. Just 19 miles away. Top tips: tickets are £1 cheaper on line and the gift and book shops are definitely worth a browse.
Staying on the vintage theme, I’ve regularly visited the Antiques Fairs at the Royal Cornwall Showground www.royalcornwalleventscentre.co.uk and the next big event is on 26th and 27th August 2023 if you fancy a good old mooch (under cover). Then, you might want to head into Wadebridge to explore the town. There are 3 antique shops and lots of independent shops and eateries there too.
The Eden Project
A must for all visitors to Cornwall. Drive time under an hour. Enough said. Top tip: can be very busy during school holidays so always book in advance.
Distillery & Brewery Experiences
Why not spend a little time learning how Cornish gin and beer is produced? Just 10 miles away you can enjoy a terrific gin tasting and tour at Treguddick Distillery www.treguddick.com where the tour takes you through botanical domes and you will taste a variety of distilled products. The bar and restaurant is truly fabulous with excellent reviews … cheers!
St Austell Brewery
Home to the famous ‘Proper Job’, ‘Tribute’, and ‘Korev’. Enjoy a brewery tour lasting around 90 minutes which costs £15 per person. This is one of Cornwall’s oldest breweries with over 170 years of history. If you prefer, and just passing through, then you can simply visit their History Centre for free. Drive time around 40 minutes. Guests frequently tell me that the restaurant is very good too.
I reckon there’s something for everyone in this selection. If you want to go further afield or explore something specific, then a good place to start is the local tourist information office. It’s always wise to pre-book attractions to best plan your days out.
Rain! What rain?
