I found a week’s stay in a lodge in Gunnislake in Cornwall for a recent family staycation. It is in the countryside but is an excellent base for exploring North Cornwall and South Devon. Mum and dad, who were coming with us, were unsure. However, after showing them this list, they were excited about the things to do near Gunnislake.
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I love visiting the South West England. Somerset, Devon and Cornwall are so easy to get to from my home in South Wales. As with many places in Cornwall, mining took place here for tin, wolfram and arsenic, and copper. The narrow streets of miner’s cottages still exist today, as do the numerous ruins of mines. The picturesque towns are nestled in the countryside or close to the seaside. Making miles of attractions to explore, when looking for things to do near Gunnislake.
Things to do in Gunnislake
You will be surprised by how many things to do near Gunnislake, both indoor and out. A lot of them are free of charge too. All of my reviews are a 45-minute or less drive from Gunnislake. All the times are the estimated travelling time by car.
Tamar Valley Donkey Park
4-minutes
With a tagline of Cornwall’s happiest donkeys, how could you not visit Tamar Valley Donkey Park? Fun for all the family. Get up close and meet the donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits and guinea pigs. There are also six indoor play zones, including miniature tractor rides, soft play and toddler play.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Entry is £8.95 per person. It is £8.50 for children and seniors. Parking is free.
Dupath Well
10-minutes
The drive up is a bit odd, as Dupath Well is on a working farm. There is designated parking when you arrive. Follow the uneven, narrow footpath to the charming well-house and spring. Local legend says drinking the waters cures whooping cough. The waters may have been used for baptisms. The small chapel-like building was built around 1510 out of Cornish granite slabs.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking.
Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
10-minutes
Tamar Valley AONB straddles Cornwall and Devon. The Tamar Valley is rich in beauty and history, and you will see some of the finest scenery in the West Country. Within the valley are four ancient towns; Launceston, Tavistock, Callington and Saltash. All of the villages have their own things to do, guides and walking trails.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking.
Tavistock
10-minutes
What a picturesque market town. I was blown away by its beauty. It is a World Heritage Site, sitting alongside wonders such as Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal, and China’s Great Wall. There is plenty of history to soak up as the town was founded in 974 AD. Sir Francis Drake was even born here.
If you are staying in self-catering accommodation, check out the fresh produce in The Pannier Market, or pick up an unusual gift. When I visited, the museum hadn’t reopened after lockdown. The exhibits give an insight into Tavistock life across the centuries. The riverside canal walk was a highlight, only our dog Ivan loved it more. There’s also a blue plaque walk with 28 of them to find. There are so many things to do in Tavistock.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Pay and display parking.
Eat and drink in Tavistock
Whether you want to eat in or takeaway, with a Tastecard you can save money on staycation and get 2 for 1 on meals or 50% off food. Try it free of charge for 60 days:
Take a Picnic
Devon Hampers, send the best of the South West to your front door. The cream tea and afternoon tea hampers include scones, clotted cream and jam. There are also cheese hampers, chocolate, cider and BBQ hampers.
Devon Hampers Promo Code
Get 5% off hampers or create your own. Order anything from a clotted cream tea for two or a large hamper full of goodies. There is no minimum order amount. Use DEVON5 at the checkout.
Cotehele
11-minutes
The white-knuckle drive through the narrow country lanes was completely worth it when I arrived at Cotehele. (I’m a city girl, give me a break!) The Tudor house and expansive estate include a mill and quay. It’s easy to see why it is one of the most popular properties in the National Trust’s collection. Comfortable shoes are recommended if you want to see all of the estate.
🐾 Dogs are welcome everywhere apart from the house
Entry is £13 per person. It is £6.50 for children and from £19.50 for families. Parking is £1 for an hour or £3 for up to 3. National Trust members are free, including the car parking.
The Garden House
17-minutes
The Garden House is described as one of the finest gardens in Britain. It was originally a family home and is now run by the Fortescue Garden Trust. It has 10 acres to explore. Seasoned gardeners will be in awe, whilst people like me who have no clue will just enjoy the beauty and tranquillity. There’s even a charming café to enjoy a Devon cream tea in.
🐾 Not dog friendly
Entry is £11.50 per person, and children aged over 5 are £5 each. Members have free admission, and every Friday, RHS members have free entry.
Buckland Abbey
17-minutes
Walk in over 700 years of history at Buckland Abbey. Buckland was founded in 1278 and was one of the last Cistercian (Catholic religious order) monasteries built in medieval England and Wales. The Abbey is part house and part museum, filled with treasures. Both Sir Roger Grenville, captain of the Mary Rose, and Sir Francis Drake lived here after it was converted into a home.
Walking in the meadows, orchards, and woodlands is a treat. The three trails are marked and are full of colour and wildlife. The fantastic extensive views of the Tavy Valley will make you feel like you’re miles from civilisation.
🐾 Dogs on a lead are welcome on the estate walks and inside the cafe. They can not go into the Abbey or garden.
Entry is £12 per person or £6 for children. Under 5’s are free. Family tickets start from £18. National Trust members are free. Parking is free.
Merrivale Prehistoric Settlement
17-minutes
At Merrivale Prehistoric Settlement are the remains of a Bronze Age ritual site. It includes three stone rows, a circle stone, standing stones and several cairns. The closest to the road is a large cluster of roundhouses. There is a substantial round stone here, often mistaken for a tomb. But it is in fact an apple crusher stone used in cider making. It is believed that the ritual monuments are from several different periods, indicating that the site was of great spiritual importance.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking.
Lydford Castle
20-minutes
The village of Lydford is on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. It was an important medieval town, and by the 10th Century, it even had its own mint. The Vikings tried to take the town but were repelled. Soon after the siege, William the Conqueror started the build of Lydford Castle.
The Castle Tower was built in the 12th Century and has been used as a goal over the years. The most well known was Richard Strode, an MP for Plymouth. He described his stay as “one of the most annoious, contagious and detestable places wythin this realme”. By 1650 the castle was in decay, and even though repairs have been made, it is now in ruin.
Lydford Church
Next door to the castle is Lydford Church, which has been there since 639AD. It is dedicated to St Petroc, a Welsh monk preaching in the West Country in the 6th Century. It is believed the Viking raiders burnt it down in 997, but it was rebuilt and enlarged in the 13th and 15th Centuries. Make sure you go inside, the pews are highly decorated with carvings and the ceiling and other artwork is fascinating.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead, and not inside the church
Free entry and parking.
Launceston Castle
24-minutes
Dominating the surrounding landscape, you’ll find Launceston Castle at the top of a large mound. It was built during the Norman conquest. The keep has breathtaking views of the town and countryside. The castle was the seat of the Earl of Cornwall from the 13th Century. It has a colourful history from being a prison and the base for the Royalists during the Civil War. I’d recommend taking a picnic and also strolling around the town of Launceston.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Entry is £5.90 per person or £5.30 for seniors and students. Under 5’s are free and other children are £3.50. Family tickets start from £9.40. English Heritage members are free.
Even though I live in Cardiff, Wales, I love our English Heritage Membership. It gives us access to over 400 historic places. Plus, free parking. I’ve even taken advantage of some of the member’s rewards, such as discounted accommodation and money off meals. Our joint membership costs £10 a month. Family memberships start from £5.75 a month and allow up to 6 children in with an adult.
English Heritage Offer
English Heritage Deals: Get 15% off gift and annual memberships by using the promo code EHAFF25 at the checkout. It is valid until 30 January 2025. Making a single membership £54 per year and a couple’s membership £94.50. Get yours here.
Trethevy Quoit
26-minutes
Trethevy Quoit is a Neolithic burial chamber standing 2.7 metres high (9 feet). There are five standing stones with a huge capstone on top. It’s at an impressive angle. I did wonder how it wasn’t sliding off. Apparently, it weighs about 20 tonnes and manoeuvring it into position would have been a considerable feat.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking in a small parking area.
Upper Plym Valley
26-minutes
The Upper Plym Valley is a treeless landscape. 3,500 years ago, it would have been dotted with settlements and fields growing crops. Now it has an extraordinary concentration of stone remains across the 6 square mile area, making it one of the richest archaeological landscapes in Dartmoor. It has over 300 sites, including standing stones, stone rows and Drizzle Combe Giant’s Basin. Most of the remains are Bronze Age and Middle Ages.
🐾 Dogs are welcome
Free entry and parking.
Hurlers Stone Circles
27-minutes
Three fine early Bronze Age stone circles are arranged in a unique grouping – three rectangular circles. Hurlers Stone Circles are probably the best examples of ceremonial circles in the South West. 15 stones are visible in the northern circle, and an excavation in the 1930s revealed another 10 marker stones. They believe it would have been 30 altogether. The central circle has all the original 14 stones and markers. All the stones were hammered smooth, and the chippings were deposited nearby. The southern circle has not been excavated. It has 9 original stones, 7 of which have fallen.
According to local legend, The Hurlers were men who turned to stone for playing hurling on a Sunday. Two isolated stones of the Pipers are said to be the figures of two men who played tunes on a Sunday and suffered the same fate.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking a quarter of a mile walk away.
King Doniert’s Stone
28-minutes
The two carved stones are the only surviving examples of 9th Century crosses in Cornwall. The inscription on King Doniert’s Stone is one of the few signs of Roman influence in the region. It is believed that the inscription commemorates the King of Cornwall, Dungarth, who died around 875.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking in a small layby next to the site.
Morwellham Quay
29-minutes
The open-air museum of Morwellham Quay is a restored village, where visitors are transported back to 1860. There are docks, a quay, a ship, a farm and a nature trail to keep you busy. You can even tour the copper mine on a small train. The costumed staff make you feel like you’ve left the 21st Century.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead but cannot enter the History of Chocolate or the Bakery.
Entry is £11.95 per person or £10.95 for seniors. Children are £9.95 with under 2’s free of charge. Dogs are £1 each. There is an additional charge for the Mine Experience; £4.80 per person, £4.50 for seniors and £3.95 for children.
Tip ~ book online to get 10% off tickets
Okehampton Castle
35-minutes
See the remains of the largest castle in Devon. Okehampton Castle was built soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte, bailey and stone keep. In the 14th Century, it was converted into a sumptuous residence by the Earl of Devon. In 1539, the owner displeased King Henry VIII, and the castle began its decline into ruin.
Bring a picnic and spend more time here exploring the woodland walks and taking in the wildflowers which adorn the meadow.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Entry is £5.90 per person or £5.30 for seniors and students. Under 5’s are free and other children are £3.50. Family tickets start from £9.40. English Heritage members are free.
Grimspound
35-minutes
Like most of the settlements on Dartmoor, Grimspound dates from the Bronze Age. Here you can see the remains of 24 stone roundhouses within a massive boundary wall. The site was excavated at the end of the 19th Century. They found paved floors, hearths, raised benches, cooking holes, porches, pottery and flint. Climb up and look down on the site, to take it in, in all its glory.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and parking in a small layby on the right-hand side.
Looe
36-minutes
Do you like to be beside the seaside? Looe is a working fishing port, so expect quality fish – I highly recommend the crab sandwiches. You can even buy a bucket and string and go crabbing. Hours of endless fun for children and big kids. Take a stroll along the beach, visit the Old Guildhall Museum and Gaol, or meet the animals at the nearby monkey sanctuary.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Pay and display parking.
Polperro
Undoubtedly, Polperro is one of Cornwall’s prettiest places. I hate going to the same places over and over again – especially when there is so much to discover. But I love Polperro! Once a smugglers haunt, you can’t even drive into the fishing village, as the cobbled streets are too narrow. There is a car park, or you could even get the bus from Looe. Ancient cottages are perched on steep hilltops overlooking a picturesque harbour.
On rainy days, my boyfriend and I like to do a pub crawl through the town, as there are so many to choose from. Each offers incredible homemade food and local brews. There’s plenty of independent shops and galleries to peruse, cliff top walks or go on a fishing trip to bring back a bucket of fish you caught yourself. There’s also the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling and Fishing and a model village where you can learn Cornish myths and legends surrounding the village.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Pay and display parking.
Fowey
The next village along from Polperro is Fowey. I was told by a local that I was mispronouncing it. It is “Foy” not “Fow-ee”. Make sure you have comfortable shoes on, as there are some steep hills to be climbed here. There’s the quay and beach, and you can even get out on the water with kayak trips or stand-up paddleboards. Visit the Fowey Maritime Centre, Fowey Museum or the Fowey Aquarium. On my next trip, I intend to have a spa day at Fowey Hall Hotel. The Twilight Treat has my name all over it!
St Catherine’s Castle in Fowey
The highlight of Fowey is Cornwall’s smallest castle. St Catherine’s Castle was built by Henry VIII (my first cousin, 16 times removed) in the 1530s to defend Fowey Harbour. Following his break from the Catholic church, he needed to build coastal defences. It was manned during the Civil War, but by 1684 it was in ruin. During the Crimean War and in World War II, it was modified when it became home to anti-aircraft gun and ammunition stores.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Free entry and pay and display parking.
Portwinkle Beach and Finnygook Beach
36-minutes
The little fishing village of Portwrinkle is tucked away. Once a thriving pilchard industry, now the old fish cellars are holiday cottages and the quaint little harbour is a place of calm. The sandy beach is perfect for families to set up for the day and enjoy the views and dips in the sea. Finnygook is the most popular of the two beaches, especially with surfers. As it has a stretch of fine golden sand and is backed by cliffs.
🐾 Dogs have a seasonal ban, from Easter to 1st October.
Pay and display parking.
Antony
39-minutes
The 18th Century house is in a magnificent landscape garden. Antony is believed to be one of the finest surviving Queen Anne buildings in the West Country. The Carew Pole family have lived on here for over six hundred years. It holds a collection of portraits, including a famous painting of Charles I during his trial.
In the formal gardens, you can enjoy the sweeping views out to the River Lynher. You can explore the Summer Garden, where you’ll find blooms in pink, purple and white. The Topiary Knot Garden is laid out in a square with intricate shapes. The gardens are also flanked with Yew Hedges, which are strikingly tall. There is even a Yew Cone with a bench inside, where a member of the Carew Pole family wanted somewhere to sit and watch tennis in the shade. Do you recognise it? It was featured in the Alice in Wonderland film.
🐾 Not dog friendly
Entry is £10 per person, and children are £5. Under 5’s are free, and family tickets start from £15. National Trust members are free. Parking is free.
Gunnislake to Plymouth
41-minutes
I work in Plymouth occasionally, and there is so much to do there. In fact, you could spend days there. The walking trails around Plymouth Hoe, The Barbican, Sutton Harbour and Royal William Yard will get you outside and walking past the tourist attractions. These include the Mayflower Steps, where the pilgrims left for America 400 years ago. Not forgetting the Elizabethan Gardens, Jacka Bakery – the oldest in the UK, and Plymouth Gin that has been there since the 1400s.
Eat and drink in Plymouth
Whether you want to eat in or takeaway, with a Tastecard you can save money on staycation. Get 2 for 1 on meals or 50% off food. Try it free of charge for 60 days:
Restormel Castle
42-minutes
Standing in ruins in the beautiful Cornish countryside is Restormel Castle. The circular structure was built in the late 13th Century. It was used as a luxury retreat and was visited by Edward, the Black Prince. You can see hints of the past grandeur in the large fireplaces, high windows and fantastic views across the valley.
🐾 Dogs are welcome on a lead
Entry is £5.90 per person or £5.30 for seniors and students. Under 5’s are free and other children are £3.50. Family tickets start from £9.40. English Heritage members are free.
Saltram
45-minutes
At Saltram, you’ll find a house full of treasures and a secret garden to lose yourself in. Overlooking the River Plym, there is lots of green space with 500 acres of parkland to explore. The magnificent Georgian mansion was home to the Parker family since they bought the estate in 1582. The house has an excellent collection of furniture, fine art and china. The upstairs bedrooms also feature some beautifully preserved Chinese wallpaper depicting scenes from everyday life in China.
🐾 Dogs welcome in the parkland, but not the house or garden.
Entry is £8 per person and £4 per child. Parking is £3 per car. National Trust members are free, along with car parking.
Where to Stay in Gunnislake
If you know when you’d like to travel, try to book as soon as possible. Prices rise the closer you get to the travel date and are usually displayed per room rather than per person. However, there is a vast array to accommodate all budgets.
National Trust Cottages
There are camping and glamping sites, caravan parks, guest houses, inns, homestays and bed and breakfasts around Gunnislake. National Trust Holiday cottages sleep 2-15 guests; they have everything you could possibly need, including gardens to relax in during warmer evenings.
National Trust Holiday Promo Code
Get 15% off selected cottages for bookings made and taken by 31 May 2024. Use discount code NTAF.
Are you ready to visit Gunnislake?
Hopefully, you have found things to do near Gunnislake if you are visiting. There are endless things to do near Gunnislake. And, there’s even more than I mentioned. For example, Gunnislake to Newquay is only an hour’s drive. There are Gunnislake walks for you to take mile by mile, Gunnislake events throughout the year and even day trips and tours from Gunnislake train station.
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