We had the most amazing family holiday in Cornwall this summer, it was fab to get the family together and share some quality time. It was a multi-generational holiday with the youngest starting at 7 and at least one other in all of the following age groups: 10s, 20s, 30s 40s and 50s and even a couple of doggies too!
We stayed at the beautiful Hillcote in Wadebridge, a perfect holiday home for a family gathering, would highly recommend the location and the house. Check out Hillcote in detail here. It had an incredible amount of space, great areas for quiet times away from the rest of the family and yet fab for socialising and playing games all together.
We had some amazing time together but we also were happy to head out and do our own thing. As we had little ones to consider, we spent most of the evenings in, however because our days were so jam packed we were quite happy to do this, play a quick board game around the table, then bed ready for a new day of adventure the next morning.
As we were a family of 10 in total, different age groups, we wanted to share our experiences with you from different angles:
HIGHLIGHTS
The couple without kids
I LOVED our little holiday to Cornwall, it was so nice to spend some time with my parents, siblings, their partners, niece and doggies. We have a lovely time together. I loved the surfing and just exploring the area. We managed to fit in so much time together, visiting some amazing places.
Favourite Day: Visiting Polzeath, it was such a fun morning out. The sea was rough as it was very windy, however, it was still really good fun. We had to wear wetsuits as it was a bit chilly in the sea, some of us had our own but you can also hire these on the beach as well as surf boards and body boards. My little niece really enjoyed having ago on the body board and playing around in the rock pools. The sun came out just as we finished so we enjoyed some lunch and a coffee before heading back for a quick shower and change. We then visited Boscastle for dinner and a little wander, oh my gosh it was so pretty! The village was really quaint and the dinner we had was stunning, we went to a fish tapas place, dog friendly with some great fish and vegan options (we have a vegan in the family, she was happy). We had a couple next to us with a baby that made it look super easy, with tapas style types of food it made it a nice experience to graze while seeing to the little one, then half way through the meal the bubba just happily slept in-between the two on the bench.
Favourite Place: Lands End, it was about an hour and half drive but it was well worth the trip. beautiful coastal view and walks, we even managed to spot a couple of seals in the sea. We saw quite a few families trekking with their little ones, so if you are a family that like a little adventure, then I would highly recommend. Dogs are not allowed on the beach during the day in high season, but they can explore the area with you. The tide came in late morning, we didn’t actually make it in time to see the beach but it was still quite spectacular. There is a cafe there too!
The couple with the teenager
Favourite Day: Surfing on Polzeath as above was a blast, so much fun and really trendy vibe there. I think it may have been our fav day, but as it has been chosen already I will go with our walk around the coast by Trevone Bay. We parked at Trevone Bay, a lovely little surfing and sandy spot, dogs weren’t allowed on the beach so we grabbled an ice cream from the cafe and headed off along the coastal path. We were actually looking to walk to Harbour Cove, but we never found it (well we did the next day but not on this little outing). The walk was stunning, we stumbled across a huge hole, yes a huge hole, known as Trevone Round Hole. It can be treacherous and is 80 feet deep. It is a natural occurrence but dangerous. If you do stumble across it, it is advised not to go down but admire from afar, when you see it you will see why and due to corrosion the sides are now unstable. There is a cave at the bottom and you can see the sea, it’s pretty remarkable. It’s a controversial topic, some want it fenced and others don’t. If you keep your distance from the edge you will still be able to see how amazing it is. keep dogs on leads and obviously kids close to you is my advice if you do visit. You can pass without viewing if you prefer and had round the coastal path, past Longcarrow Cove to Tregudda Gorge and Gunver Head where you are treated to beautiful scenery. Following the coast you will come to Stepper Point and could follow all the way round to Harbour Cove and eventually Padstow, but we turned back before then. It is a stunning walk with stunning views and cliffs, so kids and dogs need to be kept a close eye on. We saw lots of beautiful birds including Puffins!
Favourite Place: Harbour Cove. Beautiful beach along the coastline from Rock and Padstow. There is a car park here, but we walked from Padstow along the path, it took about 30 minutes. There are no facilities except for a small farm house selling a few snacks. It took me back to western Australia – the water was clear and the sand so soft. When the tide was halfway out there were plenty of spots for swimming. Our teenager ended up swimming with a shoal of fish, he wasn’t that happy at the time, but at least it was an experience he will remember, they just appeared around him. The beach and sea are both stunning and there is so much space that it was perfect for a family game of bat and ball and frisby throwing. If we had thought about taking lunch and hadn’t only put three hours in the car park in Padstow we would have stayed all day. It was a perfect day, there is also a little river for the dogs to get a drink of water, which was much needed as this day was hot.
The couple with the child
This was our first visit to Cornwall and I was super excited. The weather wasn’t looking great but I had packed Georgia’s wetsuit and DryRobe so we were ready for all eventualities.
Favourite Day: We had friends staying in Rock which wasn’t too far from our holiday rental. Rock is a lovely little town with cute coffee shops and a tidal beach. We got the ferry from Rock to Padstow which the kids loved. The Ferry didn’t seem to run on a timetable but we didn’t wait long in either direction. We arrived in Padstow and it was bustling. We walked around, in and out of the many surf shops and looking at the many hair braiding and friendship bracelet stalls. We tried clotted cream fudge and it started to drizzle. We were able to find a table in a fish and chips restaurant right on the water which was a great way to escape the rain. After lunch and when the rain passed we got an ice cream and continued walking around streets of Padstow before heading back to the Ferry. We got changed and headed to the beach, It wasn’t hot but when the sun came out from behind the clouds it was lovely. The kids played in the tidal lagoon and we relaxed on the beach while watching them just be kids. It was the perfect end to a lovely day.
Favourite Place: I had been looking forward to visiting the Lost Gardens of Heligan for a while and it didn’t dissappoint. It was a lovely hot, sunny day and Georgia was in her element. she was looking forward to the rope bridge most – she wasn’t happy with daddy bouncing on it though. The kids play area is lovely, a bounce pillow, climbing frames in the shape of castles, swings and slides. There were picnic tables and you’re allowed to bring in your own food so it was the perfect spot to refuel. We had the most amazing ice cream before heading to see the farm animals and the flower garden. On our way out we looked through the gift shop and grabbed a cheese and onion pasty for our drive home. It is a great day out and the perfect place for kids.
The grandparents
We have quite an eclectic family make up, the grandparents are also the parents of the teen so it’s interesting to think of writing this as a grand-parent view only. I love spending time with all the kids, their partners and little Georgia. Just being together is enough. We love to surf, walk, explore and play games and I must mention our day out to Heligan Gardens. I think this beautiful garden would be perfect for all ages whatever you enjoy, there really is something to do for everyone and could be the perfect multigenerational day out in Cornwall. From the kids play area to the forest, to the beautiful flower gardens and lovely cafe and so much more. Check out our review written by one of the parents for what you can expect when visiting Helicon Gardens with the family.
