TOURING : CLUB SITES St Agnes has four beaches, each with its own character FOR THE FAMILY Behind bars Dome draw Bodmin Jail is an interesting An incredible day out can be combination of museum, bar had at the Eden Project. and restaurant. Visit the ‘Biomes’ house exotic Execution Shed and the Naval gardens and rainforest in this Prison ruins for no cost, or pay ever-changing, evolving, to visit the main six-floor living attraction. Wheelchair exhibition centre. and buggy friendly but no T01208 76292 dogs allowed. Wbodminjail.org T01726 811911 Wedenproject.com Cool,calm SHIP SHAPE CornwallAndrew Ditton says England’s westernmost DON’T county is a tranquil treat during the off-season FORGET You can book your pitch online at caravanclub.co.uk/ searchandbook, by calling Time travel our Advance Booking Service on 01342 327490 or, for On the waterfront at AS sites, calling them Falmouth, the National Maritime Museumcovers five direct. floors and houses numerous galleries and exhibitions. T01326 313388 Wnmmc.co.uk irmly established as one of A feeling of calm gently descends, lending THIS MONTH’S FEATURED SITES the most popular holiday the county a distinctly relaxed and chilled- destinations in England, out ambience. Walkers survey the coastline LOOE Looe Club site Cornwall is a county with a and countryside from a diverse pick-and-mix See p78 of the Sites Directory & Crealy great split personality. Summer of trails and pathways. Surfers and kayakers Handbook 2011/12 Cornwall’s Crealy in Fholidays bring forth the bucket-and-spade become at one with the ocean. Style gurus Tredinnick is a brilliant MERROSE FARM little theme park that brigade, attracted by the miles of sandy soak up the latest in seaside chic. And as for See p83 of the Directory allows younger members beaches, a veritable smorgasbord of foodies… welcome to gastro heaven! to get wet and pump up attractions for less clement days and a I kicked off my out-of-season Cornish ST AGNES BEACON the adrenaline on some vibrant, buzzing atmosphere that will keep odyssey with a stay at Looe Club site. See p82 of the Directory exciting rides. There are also fluffy animals to pet. the kids on the go from morning till night. A swimming pool and snack shack during the VALLEY TRUCKLE Outside the summer holidays, a very hottest months, crazy golf and a brilliant play See p74 of the Directory T01841 540276 YOU ARE HERE different Cornwall quietly emerges. area all add up to make this site utterly >> Wcrealy.co.uk 22 www.caravanclub.co.uk August 2012 The Caravan Club Magazine 23 TOURING : CLUB SITES Falmouth is easily reached FOOD + DRINK from Merrose Farm OUTDOOR FUN KEEP ACTIVE Five star 5 Degrees West is a relaxed venue in Falmouth with an imaginative menu and friendly service. There is wheelchair access via the beer garden. Merrose Farm Club site T01326 311288 W5degreesfalmouth.co.uk FANTASTIC FALMOUTH Another absolute ‘must-do’ from Merrose Farm is a day trip to the waterside town of Falmouth. The easiest and classiest way to TASTY TREATS Growing Trailblazer do it is to park up at St Mawes and take the Accessible from any of the sites ferry direct to the town centre. Discounted passion featured, the South West Coast Local delights ferry tickets and parking advice are A huge amount of work has Path is a 630 mile-long trail. You Falmouth Farmers Market, available from the wardens. gone into restoring The Lost could use sections of it to create every Tuesday near the ferry Falmouth is an absolute delight. While Gardens of Heligan in your own circular walks around Pentewan near St Austell. peninsulas such as Roseland. pier, is a one-stop shop for the shipyard provides the lifeblood to the delicious home-made cakes There are more than 200 Wsouthwestcoastpath.com and pasties, local cheeses, town, the overall impression is that it is a acres to explore including a fresh fish, seasonal veggies cool, calm, charming and chic place. Victorian kitchen garden and and some lovely artisanal DID YOU Falmouth carries off its cosmopolitan air luxuriant ‘jungle’. deli products. KNOW? with a refreshing lack of pretentiousness. T01726 845100 The remains of Wheal T01326 376244 Five minutes’ walk along the thriving Wheligan.com Coatesfrom tin the mine, St Agnes visible Wtrurofarmersmarket.co.uk The waterside town of Beaconfrom site, the date main shopping street from the ferry pier 1870s leads you to the smart, trendy Discovery planned for 2013. Canine caravanners like Quay and the National Maritime Museum Falmouth is an absolute delight the separate doggie field provided and the (see panel on p23). During the summer “ fact that Fido is allowed on most of the local months, the St Mawes ferry takes you perfect for families on a summer holiday. from a pretty quayside and sandy beach.” beaches all year round. directly there. Rick Stein’s famous fish and Court Off-season, it’s an incredibly peaceful place A warm welcome was received at the Five miles south of the site, St Mawes is chips emporium joins the classy yet success where the majority of all-weather pitches dog-friendly Daisy’s Café, where the ginger worth a wander but, for a quieter and reasonably-priced food establishments in The Courtyard in East Looe afford superb views across the valley, some scones tasted divine. slightly more magical experience, visit the the area. You won’t go hungry here. Tre-mendous prides itself on its use of even yielding a glimpse of the sea. The church at St Just-in-Roseland. Set in Suitably replete, it might be a good idea More than four miles of fresh, local produce. It’s not recently-refurbished facility block is the POOCH PERFECT dramatic sub-tropical gardens, this gorgeous to walk off a few calories. Jostling with Stephen Julian Photo: footpaths lead through an cheap but it remains great last word in luxury and a fenced-off field Serious beach fans drive the few miles from little waterside church has an intimate, Merrose Farm for pole position as impressive collection of over value given the quality of 5,000 different plants at Trebah allows your pooch the space to play ball and the site to Seaton Beach – be sure to check friendly feel epitomised by the provision of Cornwall’s most popular site for walkers is the food. Dog-friendly. Looe views Garden near Falmouth. It have a romp off the lead. the tides first if you’re a sand lover though. free mineral water, tea and coffee. laid-back St Agnes Beacon on the north even has a private beach on Designed by the great Harry T 01503 264494 Once you’ve arrived, you don’t need to go And, unlike at Looe, your dog can come the River Helford. Vardon, Looe Golf Club’s far to get a food fix. A few yards along, you’ll with you, too. course offers fantastic views find friendly folk at the Coddy Shack, For an even more dog-friendly holiday >> T01326 252200 in all directions. Green fees Wtrebah-garden.co.uk serving what many members consider to be experience, and a beach you can walk to in are very reasonable –there’s the best fish and chips in Cornwall. 20 minutes, head to the peaceful Roseland even an £18 twilight rate after A steep 40-minute walk (or five-minute Peninsula, and another members-only site, 3pm in the summer. drive) takes you into the sweet town of Merrose Farm. Everything from a games Spied a T01503 240239 Looe’s pretty quayside good pub? Looe, which offers a melange of field to a wetsuit shower is provided, and a Wlooegolfclub.co.uk independent shops and eateries set back state-of-the-art new kids’ playground is The Cobweb Inn in Boscastle extends a warm welcome to locals and tourists alike. Expect good food (including vegetarian fare) and local real ales. T01840 250278 W cobwebinn.co.uk St Agnes Beacon Club site Daisy’s Café in Looe 24 www.caravanclub.co.uk August 2012 The Caravan Club Magazine 25 TOURING : CLUB SITES coast. You won’t find a loo block or showers here, but there is a laundry room to make life a little easier. CULTURE A stunning outlook is St Agnes Beacon’s principal draw. Many of the tiered grass Eye spires pitches enjoy an awesome view of the sea and remains of the Wheal Coates tin mine. Truro Cathedral is a superb example of neo-gothic This site is the closest of our quartet to the architecture. Entry and South West Coast Path, so it’s hugely guided tours are free, so popular with walkers. It takes about why not indulge yourself in 30 minutes to walk to the pretty village of the coffee shop and St Agnes, or a little over an hour if you go Valley Truckle Club site contribute to the upkeep of via the Coast Path. Arrive hungry, as there this magnificent building? is a variety of lunch options, from course is less than a mile from the site and T01872 276782 beachside cafés and pub to the highly- offers Club members substantial discounts Wtrurocathedral.org.uk recommended KT’s Coffee Shop in the on both green fees and food and drink village. Do try the bread pudding – yum! prices in the clubhouse. Back in time To reach the beach from the site takes A trip to the delightful, friendly fishing You get a wonderful insight about 10 minutes on foot (the uphill return village of Boscastle is a necessity. Idle away into Victorian life at journey takes 20!).