Did you know.?
The north Cornish town of Bude was included in Alfred Lord Tennyson's 1859 epic poem, Idylls of the King. He had previously spent six weeks there with a broken leg.
Launceston Castle was first built in wood by Robert de Mortain, brother of William the Conqueror, in order to guard the northern entry into Cornwall from Devon.
The district of North Cornwall stretches from Morwenstow to Bedruthan Steps on Cornwall's north coast and across to Bodmin Moor. It is home to some of the most dramatic landscapes and beautiful beaches, as well as Cornwall's highest pub - The Cheesewring on Bodmin Moor.
Set in 66 acres of beautiful countryside Killarney Springs has water rides, toboggan run, Supakarts, bumper boats and indoor Powerhouse. There is also a boating lake, Willow Creek boat ride to meet the animals, 18-hole putting green, nature trail and outdoor playground for a whole day's fun!
Entertainment for the whole family, with an 18-hole golf course, driving range, ten pin bowling, animals to see, feed and ride on and a huge range of children's play activities for all ages. The Park is mostly undercover and also caters for private functions.
Run by the Otter Trust, Tamar Otter Sanctuary is the only organisation in the West Country breeding otters on a regular basis, and to date they have bred over 100 otters that have since been released into the wild. They also have a rehabilitation centre for orphaned otter cubs, other wildlife can be seen living in a habitat of lakes and woods and there are nature trails, picnic areas and refreshments.
The shire horse centre is fun for all the family with a birds eye view of the park on The Viking Warrior Pirate Ship, demons, skeleton and ghosts in The Haunted Castle. Adventure zones full of slides, ropes, balls and towers. You can take a walk through the Enchanted Forest and climb the rope bridges in the outdoor adventure park. All this plus Majestic Shire Horses with new born foals and other farmyard friends. Come to Cornwall's answer to Disneyland - you won't be disappointed!
One of Cornwall's grandest houses, Lanhydrock was originally built in 1651 but was rebuilt in 1881 after a fire. Set in 450 acres of parkland and woods, overlooking the valley of the river Fowey, Lanhydrock has 50 rooms on show that beautifully illustrate Victorian life - from the nursery, kitchens and sculleries to the grandeur of the state rooms.
This 18th Century Coaching Inn was a staging post on the Bodmin to Launceston road for the London mail coach. It is said that smugglers used to store their contraband at the inn, as told in the famous Daphne du Maurier novel. Today you can browse through a collection of smuggling artefacts and Daphne du Maurier memorabilia, or you can eat good food, drink real ales and wait by the fire to see the resident ghost.
The Camel Trail is a path that follows the line of a disused railway along the beautiful Camel Estuary. The trail is six miles from Padstow to Wadebridge; for the more adventurous another 8 miles on to Bodmin and further again to the western edge of Bodmin Moor. It is perfect for walking or cycling and there are bike hire shops in all three towns.
Padstow Harbour was once one of the busiest on the north coast, handling all manner of cargoes including fish, wine, slate and ores. It remains a working harbour with a busy quayside, at its most colourful during the 'Obby 'Oss festival that takes place on May Day each year to celebrate the coming of summer.
The village of Boscastle with its sheltered harbour was once busy with ships loading slate from the local mines. It remains one of the few safe havens offering refuge from the stormy seas.
The northernmost town in Cornwall, Bude was once a hive of activity for wreckers, looting the many ships that fell victim to the treacherous offshore rocks. The stretch of coast across Bude Bay also sees some spectacular sunsets.