There are so many wonderful things to see and do in Cornwall at any time of the year, but we wanted to share our Top 10 things to do in the Spring with you. From visiting the amazing gardens, to foodie festivals or a tasting and tour of a vineyard and of course you can get the chance to bottle feed baby calves with Liz right here at Callestock.
The jungle at Heligan sits in a steep sided valley on the southern side of the gardens and has a microclimate which is at least 5 degrees warmer than the northern part of the gardens. So watch out for really exotic plants that were brought back from far flung corners of the world by the victorian explorers and also some that have been more recently added. Heligan is worth a visit at any time of the year and with our exclusive discount you can save yourselves 10% on the entry fee when you book online. Liz will email details with your booking confirmation.
Why not bring your bikes on holiday with you, we have secure storage here in our courtyard and lots of ycle route ideas for you to try. There are many miles of traffic free cycle routes here in Cornwall and the best thing about these cycle trails is that they are all reasonably flat. The most popular trail is the Camel Trail that runs from Padstow to Bodmin, but the lesser known Coast to Coast trail runs from Devoran on the south coast to Portreath on the north coast and is only 11 miles long. If you've not got bikes with you, you can hire them from the Bike Chain at Bissoe, Nick and I have recently done this one and it's much quieter. There are a couple of places to stop off and grab a snack along the way, our chosen stop is Bon Appetit at Twelveheads where they serve home-cooked lunches and delicious cakes and coffee - what's not to love!
Many of you will know that our baby calves begin arriving late March and we already have two precious little ones already. We have named the first one "Gorgeous" and we think the most popular name on our recent instagram post was "Gilly" so that's the one we've chosen for the second arrival. We expect lots more, so keep an eye on our socials for photos and see if your name has been picked. Liz bottle feeds some of these little cuties every afternoon, so if you'd like to get involved at feeding time, come and grab a bottle and give it a go, we know you'll love it.
The Cornish section of the South West Coast Path stretches for about 330 miles, so there's plenty of stunning coast to choose from. The path is a great place for the serious hiker or the casual walker with the South West Coast Path website having a distance calculator to help you plan your walk. Spring is the perfect time to don your walking boots and take to the paths, take in the pretty spring flowers and watch out for the marine wildlife along the way. There have been many views of whales and dolphons around the Cornish coastline already this year.
We're looking forward to lots of events returning to the calendar this year in Cornwall so why not be here for the first food festival of the year. If you're booked in with us on the 21st to 23 April, or planning to be here at that time, then we're sure that you will love attending the amazing Porthleven Food Festival. Nick and I have enjoyed this fantastic event on many occasions and highly recommend it for a foodies great day out. It's free to attend and for more information head over to the festivals website.
There's something magical about visiting a bluebell wood in Cornwall. These pretty blue flowers creating carpets of blue that can be seen during April and May. Our favourite place to see bluebells in Cornwall is at Enys Gardens and their Bluebell Festival runs from 29th April through until the 8th May. The gardens form a delightful backdrop to a relaxing lunch or afternoon tea in the Garden Cafe.
We're sure that you all know that china clay hides in things that we use in our everyday lives, or example toothpaste, paper, car tyres and even your cosmetics and it is produced right here in the heart of Cornwall. Wheal Martyn is a fascinating place to visit so take a trip over to just north of St Austell and learn about the original victorian clay works, hear real life tales of the industry that shaped the local landscape and the iconic 'Cornish Alps'. On Tuesdays you will be greeted by a lovely Cornish lady, who speaks the Cornish language. Do make sure that you say 'Mitten Da' to her.
With the hour changing very soon the evenings will be getting lighter and here in Cornwall we're always a few degrees warmer. So what could be nicer than returning to your cottage, sitting outside and enjoying some locally produced wine. There are many to choose from, Camel Valley probably the most famous one and best known for it's delicious sparkling wines over near Bodmin. For artisan and and the not so well known vinyards Polgoon down on the outskirts of Penzance, where you can enjoy tours and tastings.
Why not try the Looe Valley line this year. Just hop on the train at Truro and enjoy the Cornish countryside until you reach Liskeard where you will disembark. The branch line from Liskeard is a magical experience and takes you along the picuresque valley to the little harbourside town of Looe. On a spring day you can feast your eyes on the spring flowers and as you travel along the East Looe River there is always plenty of wildlife to spot, you may be lucky and catch a glimpse of little Egrets, the majestic Herons or even the elusive Kingfishers. Looe has recently been featured on the new drama series on the BBC Beyond Paradise, which we're sure you will all have been watching. Nothing beats a wander around the pretty streets of Looe on a sunny spring day followed by a Cornish pasty!
With so many lovely fish restaurants here in Cornwall it's difficult to decide which one to try, we have two favourites at the mo that have been recommended to us and we wanted to share them with you all too. Argoe is part-owned by a local fish-monger and named after an old Newlyn fishing boat, this modern wood clad little eatery is literally right next door to Newlyn Fish Market overlooking the fishing boats in the harbour. The menu offers small but tasty seafood dishes designed for sharing with a delightful choice of wines and ciders to compliment the amazing food. A meal here is a must. Our other go to is the Fish House overlooking Fistral Beach. This little bistro overlooking the stunning surf serves the freshest of classic seafood dishes and the most delicious home-made foccacia bread. There is a daily specials board which runs alongside their main menu, so plenty of choice.
If you love Cornwall and you're interested in any of the above things to do this Spring, why not consider a stay with us here at Callestock. We have 7 cottages to choose from, and they have all been described by our regular guests as being 'just like coming home', we're sure that you'll find your perfect place. Liz and Nick are on hand to help with anything that you may need or want to know about our stunning county and would love to welcome you to their special little corner of Cornwall. To make a booking, either click here to take you to our bookings page or simply give Liz a call on 01872 540445 and she'll be happy to book the stay for you.