Category: Attractions

A scenic rail line between Lelant and St Ives is the best way to visit one of Cornwall’s most picturesque seaside villages (and you beat the traffic and parking too).

Arguably the most scenic branch line in Britain, catching the St Ives Bay Line from Lelant Saltings to St Ives is the best way to visit the picturesque town, particularly at sunset. It also wins for avoiding the queues into town and the stress of parking, which can be tricky during summer months.

Arriving at the Park and Ride, there is plenty room to park. Make sure to visit Scarlet Wines if you arrive early for the train – a cosy wineshop come deli come café and restaurant that serves delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners at reasonable prices.

Waiting for the train is a great way to take in the view of Hayle Estuary as it opens up in front of you; and RSBP nature reserve. More than 18,000 which have been seen here. During spring and autumn, it is an ideal place to see migrant wading birds, gulls and terns. In summer, if you are lucky, you may catch sight of an osprey.

Once aboard make sure you sit on the right hand side of the carriage for views across the sea. You’ll travel along Hayle Estuary before it opens up to the sea. From here you’ll have views of Godrevy Bay; four-miles of sand with the iconic Godrevy Lighthouse to the north – the same scene that provided inspiration for Virgina Woolf’s the lighthouse.

From here you’ll pass Porthkidney Sands and Hawkes Point, a spot popular with surfers when the swell is big. You’ll then pass the mellow yellow sands of Carbis Bay before arriving above Porthminster Beach, another family favourite for safe swimming in turquoise waters.

It’s a short but spectacular line, with the journey taking under 15 minutes. Once you’ve alighted, St Ives is a five-minute walk away through cobbled streets; a wonderful way to wind into town.

At the time of writing, the cost to park all day at Lelant Saltings was £2.80 per car. Train tickets are available to prebook and from the train conductor from £2 single, and £4 return with unlimited rides. Up to two dogs may be taken on trains free of charge.

Tolgus Tin Mill is a unique survivor. From the heyday of tin where nearby Redruth was one of the richest towns in England, to the lows of the 1980s industry crash, the mill has witnessed 150 years of highs and lows.

Now 150 years on, the mill has entered a new chapter, one where it is once again a hub of activity, not only a visitor attraction, but also producing and smelting tin. We thought it was about time we familiarised ourselves with our county’s most renowned heritage.

Situated on the site of Cornwall Gold, the mill is the only original tin streaming works left in Cornwall and is a testament to human ingenuity and endeavour.

We were led through the whole process of recovering tin from the simplest of materials through to the finished products.

A mix of old and new can be found side by side, with shaking tables from the 50s to the mighty Cornish stamps which are thought to be more than 200 years old.

Amid the whirling machines we learnt how using simple principles of relative weight allowed tin streamers to isolate the heavier tin, how rock from local mine waste was pulverised by huge stamping machines and how sand and river deposits were sifted, washed and sorted to isolate precious tin ore.

But it’s the stories behind the talented ‘make do and mend’ mine workers that bring the mill to life.

Time your visit to arrive on smelting day and you’ll have the opportunity to see the fascinating and almost beautiful process of heating the tin ore and turning it to shining ingots ready to be transformed into jewellery.

Tolgus Tin Mill is a time capsule of Cornish history waiting to be discovered.

Tolgus Tin Mill can be found at Tolgus Mill, Redruth Cornwall, TR16 4HN.

Free admission and parking. Open peak: Mon to Sat 9.30pm to 5.30pm, Sunday and off Peak: 10am to 4.30pm. For more information call 01209 215185.

BREAKING NEWS:  Dinosaurs have been spotted in the St. Austell area heading towards Eden Project.

Until now dinosaurs were thought extinct, but it seems the abundant plant life of Eden Project has given the prehistoric creatures new life.

The team at Eden are calling on all junior (and senior) explorers to help them track down the escaped dinosaurs and learn all about our Earth’s past.

There is no time to lose, we must find the dinosaurs!

Head to Eden Project this summer between 21 July and 2 September for a truly immersive experience, Dinosaurs Unleashed, it’s a sensory feast that you’ll never forget! Step boldly into an ancient, exotic landscape of raw earth, rocks, roots, ferns, dripping mosses and giant redwood trees, habitat of the frog, snake and giant centipede. As you walk through atmospheric morning mist, you’ll hear Pterosaurs soaring overhead and smell the subtle scent of conifers on the air.

Become an explorer – Clue up at Basecamp before striking out on your expedition. At this first base, you’ll learn all you need to complete your quest around Eden.

Explorer Field Stations – Meet explorers from the past. Find out why they went down in history as some of the greatest adventurers and what we can learn from them.

The Crater of the Tyrant King – Dare you enter the Crater? You’ll encounter the most feared predator of all, a Tyrannosaurus rex, as it devours its Triceratops prey!

The Dig Pit – Dig deep into the past to uncover a dinosaur skeleton, and see how humans discovered and pieced together this world by finding fossils. A great activity for the whole family to get stuck into! There will also be a junior version for the under-5s.

Dinosaur exhibition – In our Core building, discover why people are so fascinated by dinosaurs. Find out why scientists think they were so BIG and why they think they were wiped out 65 million years ago.

The exhibition will also feature an amazing collection of dinosaur fossils that has never been publicly exhibited before, including real dinosaur eggs, a fossilised brain, a whole skeleton and a real T-Rex tooth.

Adventure Journal – When you arrive at Eden you’ll be given a free Adventure Journal where you can record details of your adventure here.

Note for parents and carers of youngsters (of a possibly nervous disposition): the Crater of the Tyrant King is an authentic and immersive experience. It shows a very realistic (and slightly gory!) scene. Please check with our staff if you have any questions/concerns before joining the queue.

Lanhydrock is known the Victorian National Trust House and estate that once belonged to the Agar-Robartes family through the 18^th Century. Seeped in history and currounded by ancient woodlands, winding rivers and well-kept gardens, Lanhydrock is a great day out.

And it just got even better!

This spring Lanhydrock Cycle Hub was opened, Cornwall’s newest cycling attraction. The £3 million Cycle Hub at the National Trust Lanhydrock estate near Bodmin includes 10km of purpose-built trails winding through the estate’s woodland – including a skills area, a cycle hire shop, the new Park Café and children’s play area, all with plenty of parking.

The trails are cycle specific and designed to be ridden in one direction; however, mums and dads can enjoy running along the green track just as much, especially if your little cyclist isn’t that proficient yet. The green route is smoother and wider and winds through relatively level woodland, so it’s perfect for families and novice riders.

There are three blue trails designed for moderate riders. These are narrower and have sharper turns, dips and jumps.

And finally the red route which has a much steeper incline and created for the more experienced mountain biker.

Take a close look at the trails here.

Bikes are available to hire from Lanhyrdock for the following costs:

Adult bike                         £12 half day     £16 full day
Child bike                         £10 half day     £14 full day
Balance bike                    £5 half day       £7 full day
Tag-along                         £7 half day       £10 full day
Tag-along + adult bike   £17 half day     £24 full day
Trailer                                £7 half day       £10 full day
Trailer + adult bike          £17 half day     £24 full day
Child seat                         £5 half day       £7 full day

Lanhydrock have a full range of bikes for all heights and abilities, child seat mounts and they offer free helmets as standard.