Mini Guide to Cornwall

Where to stay

Cornish Tipi Holidays

This is heavenly for children and really quite wonderful for grown ups. Hidden in the middle of the Cornish countryside (about 15 minutes inland from Port Isaac)- the site isn't even signposted - in an old quarry you find yourself in this magical tipi world. The tipis are clean and beautifully arranged with rugs covering the floor and lanterns hanging from the poles.

Fridge boxes, gas cookers, cutlery, crockery and sleeping mats are all supplied which makes travelling much lighter than for a usual camping holiday. Wood for the fire is delivered daily, your bins are collected daily and the shower and toilet facilities work well and are very clean. Quite spoilt really. There is a 'village' where tipis are arranged on the edge of a large enclosure or alternatively (like us) you can request your own private enclosure hidden by trees. We had 3 tipis set up around an open fire. There is a large lake within the grounds which we all enjoyed for swimming, fishing (wonderful trout) and boating. There were 9 children in our party aged from 7 months to 12 years. Every single one of the children had a fabulous week. Playing in the surrounding woods, gathering wood for the fire and generally running free in a totally safe and large haven (apart from the 7 month olds who were perfectly content sitting outside watching the world go by). We saw our 6 year old about twice a day - she was off exploring most of the time. Half of the party are booking again for next year. The children refuse to even discuss an alternative holiday option.

Accommodation: Medium (sleeps 4) and larger tipis (6 people) constructed along authentic North American lines out from unbleached canvas on a framework of wooden lodge poles. Guests should bring their own towels (inc. tea towels etc) sleeping bags (1) and pillows, with all other basic equipment provided. This includes bed rolls, all cooking and eating utensils, camp stove (although many guests prefer to cook on an open fire) and cool box, washing equipment, groundsheets and rugs inside the tipi, and other miscellaneous items.

Facilities: Include chemical lavatories, standpipes and water containers, lanterns, and fuel for cooking and lighting in the form of firewood and gas bottles

To see and do nearby: Some of Cornwall's most spectacular coastline is just 5-minutes drive away. For children there's the St Kew Donkey Sanctuary less than 2 miles away. The picturesque fishing village of Port Isaac is 10 minutes away with the sandy surfing beaches of Polzeath and Daymer approximately 7 miles away. 15 minutes up the coast are the ancient villages of Boscastle and Tintagel, and the same distance inland offers the rugged solitude of Bodmin Moor. There are various shops, pubs and restaurants in the area, with fishing trips, riding, cycling, sailing and wind surfing easily accessible

Price guide: Medium tipi (sleeps 4) £250 per week: large tipi (sleeps 6) £300 per week. Children pay £10 per week; under-2s go free.

For more information and to book: contact babygoes2.com

Fowey Hall

Fowey Hall is set on the hill above the beautiful village of Fowey with breath taking views out to sea and across the estuary to the harbour village of Polruan. The hotel is grand and beautifully furnished with an array of antique pieces, comfortable chairs and sofas and a selection of rooms in which to sit and relax.

We arrived midday at the end of May in basking heat and were warmly welcomed and shown to our beautiful and vast suite. There were six of us, 2 adults and our four children aged 7 years, 4 years and 16 month old twins. We didn't feel squashed in at all. The living area (also equipped with huge cushions for children to jump on and lounge in) served perfectly as living space and sleeping quarters for the four children. My husband and I had our own room and the bathroom housed all six of us easily. Every room including the bathroom had mesmerising views.

The grounds are rambling but safe and well-enclosed with beautiful flora, high trees, a hidden play area for the children, croquet lawn and terrace overlooking the river. The swimming pool is located in a glass house behind a secure door. The code for the keypad is only divulged to adults, so there's no danger of the kids diving in unattended. There are two changing tents, a generous supply of fresh towels, loungers and underground heating.

Everything you need to make your stay with babies and children comfortable and stress-free was there: Sterilisers, bottle warmers and changing mats in the rooms, beakers and plastic cutlery in the breakfast room, bowls of fresh fruit, a video library, a dedicated playstation room, the hotel dog Millie to walk. I wanted to find something missing and thought I had when it came to bath time and there was no slip mat to be seen. I picked up the bath mat to lay on the floor and sure enough perfectly folded underneath was a slip mat.

The OFSTED-registered crèche, (The Fours Bears Den) which caters for all ages, is housed just behind the main hotel in an old stable block. Children can be left there between 10.00 - 11.45 and 12.30 - 16.45. The Den may also be used outside of these times by parents and children. The key is held at reception. The main room houses toys, art supplies, a TV video, train sets, soft toys etc and opposite this is a games room with table tennis, table football and playstation for older children. When we went to have a look around our kids were so enthralled by the toys we had to bribe them to come to the beach with us (Readymoney Cove is just a 10 minute walk away) with the reward of a play in the crèche when we got back. The staff was friendly and perfect with the children. They stayed for just an hour and loved it - even the twins didn't bat an eyelid when we left them there. We meanwhile sat on the terrace with tea and homemade biscuits and concentrated on the view!

Children's evening meals are available at either 5pm, 5.30pm or 6.15pm. The two early sittings are supervised by the crèche staff and served in the Billiard Room, the 6.15 sitting is in the hotel tea room and served by the hotel staff. During the children's tea the bedrooms would magically be made ready for their bedtime. After an exhausting day of running through the gardens, walking the dog, swimming and being on the beach the children would collapse into bed perfectly happy. With the baby listener switched on (each room is monitored by staff at reception) we were ready for our dinner. The restaurant food was absolutely fantastic. A good choice of vegetarian, meat and locally caught fish dishes and a daily changing fixed menu choice.

All the Fowey staff were friendly and fantastic with the children but in a discreet and understated way. Always on hand immediately if service was required but otherwise quite invisible.

We all had a truly wonderful time and felt suitably spoiled. For a short break to recharge adults' batteries Fowey Hall is ideal - there's more than enough to keep the children occupied, yet the ambience of the place is so calm and cool, and the staff so discrete and efficient, you can't help but relax.

My 4 year old son's words still ring in my ears. As he ran down the swooping staircase out into the gardens he called 'This place is so way cool. We love it here'. We all did.

Price Guide: From £200 for 2 adults sharing a standard double room including breakfast and dinner. Children always stay for free when sharing their parents room and pay for meals when taken.

For more information and to book: contact babygoes2.com

Bedruthan Steps Hotel

The Bedruthan Steps Hotel on the North West coast of Cornwall is a child's paradise. Everything here is geared towards children with pockets of adult only areas. From the car park this hotel looks quite holiday campish. Inside and to the rear is a different story. The hotel is well furnished and excellently laid out. It overlooks Mawgan Porth beach which is just a short walk away so most areas enjoy wonderful views and of course beautiful sunsets. The hotel is laid out in terraces, the roof of each section is laid to lawn which enhances the outlook and provides more space for play areas and outside relaxing areas.

For children there are four play areas (3 outside one of which is an adventure playground perfect for 5 years plus and a large indoor soft room with sides, ball pit, climbing walls etc), 2 outdoor pools and one indoor pool, little tikes cars and soft play toys all day in the main hall area, crèche facilities for newborns - teenagers, and a restaurant for children only with dinner being served until 6.15pm. The food was perfect for our children. A choice of pizza, chips, fresh vegetable, fresh fish, a selection of fruit, fairy cakes, and hot chocolate cake with hot sauce!!! And to cap it all a complimentary mug of tea for parents supervising their children's meals. Every evening between 6pm - 7 pm there is some form of children's entertainment in the main hall. We watched a highly amusing magician / balloon sculpture enthral the children with his talent. Our children left the show having been assistants and with their arms full of balloon flowers, animals and pirates swords!

Bedruthan also boasts an outstanding OFSTED registered all year round childcare programme catering for Tadpoles (birth to 18 months), Minnows (19 months - 3 years) and Dolphins (age 3 - 6 years). During each school holiday period childcare can be arranged for children up to 16 years of age. The crèche facilities were well laid out with excellent indoor activities but with an emphasis on outdoor play time (at least twice a day).

We (2 adults and children aged 7, 4 and 16 moth old twins) stayed in a Sea View Villa. This was surprisingly spacious with an open plan double bedded room (with direct views across the sea) / sitting area with a room divider incorporating a door between the two areas. The large rear facing en suite bedroom had two bunk beds and a cot (well two cots in our case!). Plenty of space for us all to 'live' and the fantastic bonus of large patio doors opening out onto one of the play areas. With its own pirate ship, see saws, mini golf, swings etc. It was lovely for us to be able to sit on our patio watching the children running free in such a large play space. In the early evening there were also rabbits running free which amused our children enormously.

Once we had settled our by now exhausted children into bed, we dressed for dinner (there is no strict dress code - but t-shirts and jeans are not recommended), turned the baby monitor on and headed for the dining area. We enjoyed good wine, excellent service and a delicious meal. Coffees and liqueurs were served in the bar afterwards.

At breakfast we chatted with other guests. One family with three children were back for their third stay, saying that for them it was the ideal family holiday location. Plenty of things for children to do on site and in the surrounding area (Padstow is about 10 minutes away, the fantastic Eden Project just 30 minutes away and beautiful beaches all around), the option of some daytime childcare and the knowledge that evenings are just for parents with time to relax and enjoy good quality food in a delightful setting.

My husband indulged in a massage at the Ocean Spa. A wide range of treatments are offered including Indian Head Massages. He came out so relaxed he remained positively calm throughout the 6 hour drive home with a 16 month old screaming with car boredom!!!

When it was time to leave our 4 year old asked hopefully 'Will we ever come back here? I think we probably will. It really is the prefect family holiday spot.

Price Guide: From £262.50 for 2 adults and 2 children (under 6) includes dinner, bed and breakfast.

For more information and to book: contact babygoes2.com

Sands Resort

Uniquely situated to overlook both pastoral Cornish countryside and the nearby sandy beaches of sleepy Porth, Sands Resort offers something for every family. From complimentary indoor and outdoor sports and games facilities and age-banded children's clubs to an award-winning health and beauty centre and flexible dining options, a Sands holiday can be tailored for all ages, tastes, and weather.

We began each day at Sands with coffee and croissants in the dining room, and then strolled down the hill to collect shells and chase waves on Porth Beach with the kids. Lunch was hot baguettes and fresh fruit at the charming Nesscafe just across the street, and afternoons were spent sightseeing up and down the coast. One day we explored the cobbled streets of St. Ives.

The next we scaled the heart-stopping steps to the cliff-top castle ruins at Tintagel. Back at the hotel in the evenings, my husband and I sipped wine while the children watched a magic show or clambered around the playground. After a relaxing dinner (at which our offspring were too tired and hungry to cause much trouble!), we all collapsed happily into bed each night eager to start all over again the next day.

Accommodation: Family suites (ensuite bathroom, tea making facilities, chill box, TV, baby listening, and separate children's sleeping area), Superior suites (as above plus wide screen TV, Sony Playstation, DVD player in children's room, king sized bed, microwave), Apartment suites (as above plus lounge, second bathroom).

Facilities and services: Heated indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzi, tennis, squash, racketball, croquet, basketball, mini golf, football, golf, gym, games room, playgrounds, playroom, hedge maze, climbing wall, skittle alley, boules, archery, babysitting by arrangement, cots and highchairs, laundry, baby gear hire.

Entertainment: Pre-dinner summer entertainment for under 7's (magic shows, party games, fancy dress parties, talent shows), weekly animal visits from the Newquay Zoo and Blue Reef Aquarium, quiz nights and live music for adults.

Things to do: Water sports, cycling, fishing, horse riding, Minack Theatre, Tate Gallery, The Maritime Museum, The Eden Project, Heligan's Lost Gardens, St Michael's Mount.

Price Guide: £75 per adult per night with excellent discounts for children. This includes breakfast, dinner or children's' teas.

For more information and to book: contact babygoes2.com

Petra Cottage, Whitesand Bay, Sennen

Set in an unspoilt 8 acre valley, these delightful self catering cottages provide a high standard of comfort, each enjoying its own personal garden. Their quiet and magical settings are only accessible on foot down the sandy beach path from Sunny Corner Lane.

The local inn and the attractive little fishing harbour of Sennen Cove are only 10 minutes' walk across the vast expanse of the sandy Blue Flag beach, If you're lucky, you may see dolphins, spot the odd seal or basking shark. Rock climbing is popular on the cliffs and headlands, and this is superb walking country. Dogs are permitted on the sand dunes and neighbouring Gwenver beach, with restricted access during summer at Whitesands Bay beach. Land's End is only about a mile further along the glorious coastal footpath, while in the opposite direction the path leads to the dramatic scenery of Cape Cornwall. All around this coast are countless pretty and secluded coves to explore. Inland, this wild and unspoilt corner of Cornwall, is dotted with prehistoric relics.

The little fishing village of Newlyn and picturesque Mousehole harbour, both popular subjects for artists, are 8 miles away. At Porthcurno (4 miles), is the open-air Minack theatre, in a spectacular setting on the cliff top with the sea and setting sun as its backdrop. A short drive away is St Ives, long popular as an artists' colony, with its pretty stone cottages and narrow cobbled lanes in which to wander. There are many galleries, including St Ive's Tate Gallery. The town of Penzance (8 miles) has a wealth of amenities for visitors, including museums, cinema, golf, tennis and riding, as well as many good shops and restaurants. In the summer months, day trips by ferry or helicopter are available to the romantic Isles of Scilly.

Fact box: This former fisherman's cottage has its own walled garden with a bridge over the stream. Attractively furnished in `Victorian' country style, this comfortable cottage has a spacious beamed living/dining-room with granite walls, slate floor with rugs and `Victorian' coal-burning stove in inglenook fireplace. Separate galley kitchen with wonderful sea views. First floor: Double bedroom with ornate antique iron bed. Two small bedrooms, each with single bed and built-in bed (one with 2ft 6in beds). Bathroom/W.C. with shower attachment. All rooms have rugs on stripped pine floor. The kitchen has everything you would need. There are lovely snugly duvets on the bed and your towels are also provided. You can pre book high chairs and cots and even get you luggage transported to the cottage by tractor - small fee to the driver.

Price guide: From £600 per week sleeps up to 6.

For more information and to book: contact babygoes2.com

Other great family hotels:
Langstone Cliff Hotel
Crantock Bay Hotel
Watergate Bay hotel

Great beaches

Some of our favourites:

Porthcurno
Just below the Minack theatre which is hewn from the cliff face lies Porthcurno beach. You can drive to it and park 100m or so from the beach, which is glorious. A wide cove of firm golden sand backed by magnificent cliffs. There are plenty of large rocks dotted about, with rock pools. The Atlantic rolls in - sometimes calm, sometimes thunderously rough but always magnificent. It's a really beautiful beach - plenty of room for games, walking, paddling, (supervised) climbing, messing about in rock pools, building sandcastles, and just relaxing.

Watergate Bay
About a mile from Newquay, this Cornish beach - which boasts what seems like miles (it's actually two-miles long) of golden sands - has something for everyone. For toddlers there are rock pools and caves to explore and excellent opportunities to splash around (especially at low tide). While the toddlers fish in rock pools, adrenaline junkies can try their hand at some of the x-treme sports (while the children look on) which also take place on the beach - including kite surfing - the latest craze from Hawaii. Not much shade so worth taking UV tent, parasol for babies. Two car parks, means access is easy, along with two sets of toilets and café and restaurant open in high season. Close to beautiful Padstow (home to Rick Stein) with its excellent restaurants and cafes.

Porthminster Beach St Ives
The Cornish town of St Ives has so much to recommend it - from the Tate Gallery and its superb art collection (as well as the panoramic views from its café), Barbara Hepworth's beautiful sculpture garden, as well as its great beaches. Porthminster is great for families: the long expanse of golden sand is the perfect setting for play, play, playing, while the sea is generally calm and, best of all, when the tide is out, you can all toddle off for what seems like miles, into the deep blue yonder. Good facilities including shops selling beach toys and toilets. There's also an excellent cafe/restaurant overlooking the beach called the Porthminster Beach Cafe, which does everything from seafood laksa to baby food (lunch £8, dinner £25).

St Mawes
A number of establishments, including the chic Hotel Tresanton, overlook this beautiful beach which means it's possible to nip down for a quick paddle and splash, before retreating back to the comforts of your hotel. There are lots of boat trips to take, sailing boats to watch and rock pools to fish in.

LOOK OUT FOR NEXT MONTH'S MINI GUIDE - WE'RE OFF TO THE COTSWOLDS!

Where to next?