Blue Monkey 5 star holiday cottage Cawsand is within easy reach of Cornwall’s most famous parks and gardens. From ambling through an enclosed tropical rainforest at the Eden Project, to admiring beautiful plants and stunning gardens at Mount Edgcumbe and St Austell, or enjoying the peace and tranquillity of Colliford Lake Park, you can really get in touch with nature on your holiday on the Rame Peninsular.
While some of these attractions are up to an hour’s drive from the cottage, they are well worth a visit for an alternative day out. Some are very much family oriented, while there are also a few mentioned below that are dog friendly too.
Eden Project – This popular, award winning attraction for families, just a 50 minute drive from Blue Monkey, is a fantastic experience for all ages. Explore the vast domes (called Biomes), including the Mediterranean Biome and the largest enclosed tropical rainforest in the world, take a walk through the superb gardens or marvel at the world class sculptures.
If you are visiting as a family, other highlights include an educational area which has hands on exhibits, an ice rink (winter only), and a rainforest walkway where you can amble along the tree tops. While there’s entertainment and storytelling laid on throughout the year for young children, the older and more adventurous can experience the country’s longest zip-wire.
Food is superb on site, but you can also bring your own picnic. Dogs are allowed (lead only), although only in the outdoor areas.
Mount Edgcumbe – This stunning house (mentioned in our previous blog on family attractions) is not only well known for its history, but also for its gardens as it is set amidst more than 800 acres of country parkland.
The garden attracts a quarter of a million visitors a year, and this year beat off stiff competition to win the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society’s ‘Best Public Park in Britain Award’. Most of the gardens are free to visit, including the National Camilla Collections and you can also bring along your four legged friend, as dogs are permitted!
The Lost Gardens of Heligan – Take an hour’s drive from our luxury holiday cottage to St Austell and you will discover one of the country’s most visited Botanical gardens. While green fingered enthusiasts can admire the subtropical plants, budding chefs will be fascinated with the Victorian vegetable garden where the food grown is used in the café.
The Lost Gardens are probably more geared to older children, rather than younger ones, although it does have interesting child and dog friendly walks and gardens, including the woodland walk and the jungle path to explore.
Colliford Lake Park – For a calm sanctuary, head to Colliford Lake Park, a hidden jewel in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Bodmin, a 50 minute drive from the cottage.
It has nearly 60 acres of woodland, wetland and moorland to amble in and it is perfect for kids too as there are plenty of outdoor adventure rides and attractions. Among them is a drop slide, pedaloes, carts, an indoor play area and an animal kingdom, where young visitors can feed goats or take a donkey and cart ride. At Blue Monkey cottages, you’ll never be short of things to do.
Are you looking for accommodation in Cornwall. Blue Monkey is a dog friendly and family friendly luxury holiday cottage! Find out more about our luxury holiday cottage in Cornwall
