What to see and do in Mid Cornwall

Mawgan Porth has fine sand and is popular for surfing. Facilities:-Toilets, cafe/shop, lifeguards during summer, dogs allowed all year

Watergate Bay This fantastic mile-long sandy beach is popular with surfers and great for families. Facilities:- Toilets, beachshop,cafe, lifeguards during summer, 2 car parks, dogs allowed all year.

 
Newquay has 11 sandy beaches, stretching over 7 miles of golden sand, including: Porth beach, a wide, flat and sandy beach that is ideal for families. Lifeguard; Fistral is the ever-popular surfing beach. Facilities:- Parking, toilets, shop, cafe, restaurants, amusements, dogs allowed during certain periods only.

Crantock A huge expanse of sand at low tide and extensive dunes. Facilities:- Toilets, dogs allowed all year, not suitable for swimming.

Perranporth Beach, together with Perran Sands and Penhale Sands, forms a 3-mile stretch of golden sands with sand dunes. Good for surfing and water sports. Facilities:- 3 Car Parks, toilets nearby, shop, restaurant, pub, lifeguards, dogs allowed all year.

 
Readymoney Cove is a small, sandy beach in Fowey. Sit and watch the local boats and visiting yachts going in and out of the harbour. Facilities:-Parking nearby, toilets, shop, cafe, restaurants in Fowey, no dogs allowed from Easter to October.

 
Polkerris is a small, sandy beach. Ideal for fishing at high tide. Facilities:- Parking nearby, toilets, pub, beach shop, no dogs allowed from Easter to October.

Par is a wide, level beach with soft sand and very safe for young children to play and swim. Facilities:- Parking, toilets, pub, cafe, shop, picnic area, dogs allowed all year.

Charlestown beach has rock pools to discover, small caves in the cliffs and pebbles of geological interest. Facilities:- Parking, toilets, pub, shipwreck & heritage museum, no dogs allowed.

Carne and Pendower are both wide and sandy beaches. At low tide it is possible to walk from one beach to the other. Facilities:- parking, toilets, dogs allowed all year.

 
Porthluney is a privately owned, secluded beach with a large expanse of golden sand, and has Caerhayes Castle and gardens as a backdrop.Facilities:- Parking, toilets, shop, dogs allowed all year.

Porthcurnick near Portscatho A beautiful sandy cove. National Trust owned with many rock pools. Ideal for children and water activities. Facilities:-Parking nearby, toilets and shop only in summer, dogs allowed all year.

Towan A long strip of sand that is excellent for exploring rock pools at low tide. Facilities:- Parking, toilets, dogs allowed all year.

Gyllyngvase is a wide sandy beach in Falmouth. Good for families and water sports. Facilities:-Parking, toilets, beach shop, cafe, gardens, no dogs allowed Easter to October.

Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway is Cornwall's only standard-gauge railway that is still operated by steam locomotives. It offers a nostalgic journey on what was a typical branch line in the 1950s. Trains run through some delightful Cornish scenery on the 13-mile round trip.

Lanhydrock House 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, the house and gardens overlook the valley of the river Fowey. Lanhydrock has 49 rooms on show that illustrate Victorian life – from the nursery, kitchens and sculleries to the grandeur of the state rooms. It also has formal gardens and beautiful herbaceous borders. Near Bodmin.

Lostwithiellies at the end of the Fowey valley and was Cornwall's capital town in the 13th century. Today it is renowned for its variety of antique shops, old buildings, Tudor bridge and ‘slow food'. Browse for paintings, ceramics, lace and jewellery at one of the regular auctions or antiques fairs.

Restormel Castle The circular 12th-century castle was built in the typical motte and bailey style – on a hill with a surrounding moat (although no longer water-filled). It's a fascinating and educational visit for all the family, and the grounds are ideal for picnics, with splendid views across wooded valleys. Near Lostwithiel.

The Port of Fowey has unspoilt narrow streets with quality shops and galleries. It has a natural harbour and is a haven for sailing. You will find pubs and restaurants to suit all tastes, river trips daily, and a ferry link to Polruan and Bodinnick. Come down for the Daphne du Maurier Festival of Arts and Literature in May, or the popular Fowey Regatta and Carnival week in August.

Dairyland Farm World Children will love this all-weather attraction providing a full day's entertainment with an adventure playground, nature trail, milking parlour, farm park and pony rides. Visit the Cornish heritage and alternative-energy centre. Come and experience the sights, sounds and smells of a real working farm. Near Newquay.

Lappa Valley Steam Railway Walk or cycle to this 15-inch-gauge steam train at Benny Halt and take a 2-mile return journey through the countryside to East Wheal Rose. The railway runs on one of the oldest railway trackbeds in Cornwall and was opened in 1849 as a mineral line. Enjoy the attractions at Wheal Rose – nature trails, canoes, paddleboats, crazy golf, play area and brick path maze – before returning. Near St Newlyn East.

Eden Project This global garden contains huge biomes that recreate the different climates around the world, including the Mediterranean and a rainforest. An excellent family day of fun and learning. Near St Austell.

Heligan A fascinating garden that was lost in time for 75 years. Contains restored glasshouses with exotic fruit, a jungle valley, ponds, woodland and Italian garden. St Austell.

Charlestown has an attractive Georgian harbour used for the export of china clay. The village is the home of several magnificent square-rigged sailing ships, often seen in the harbour. This atmospheric location has been used in many films worldwide. Visit the Shipwreck and Heritage Centre for a fascinating insight into local history and shipwrecks.

Mevagissey is an attractive 15th-century fishing village with its own small working harbour. It has pretty, tiny streets with gift shops and many restaurants serving local fish dishes. The ferry to Fowey takes about 45 minutes (weather permitting).

Healey's Cornish Cyder Farm not only produces Cornish Cyder but is also Cornwall's only distillery, making Cyder brandy and fruit spirits. The farm also produces jams, chutneys and fruit wines. Visit the farm shop and go on a tour of the press house, bottlery and jam kitchen. The children will enjoy meeting the farm animals and taking the guided tour of the farm, which includes a tractor and trailer ride through the orchards in the valley below. Penhallow.

Truro is a bustling Cathedral city with Georgian cobbled streets, and is excellent for shopping and eating out. The Hall for Cornwall is based here, with a full programme of plays, dance and shows throughout the year. The Royal Cornwall Museum contains displays of natural history, ethnology and the fine and industrial arts relating to Cornwall, and its adjoining art gallery has a regularly changing programme.

The Roseland Peninsula is known for its unspoilt rural and picturesque coastal scenery with plenty of walks for all ages and good swimming beaches. You can also browse the shops, sail, windsurf, waterski, dive, snorkel, fish and birdwatch. Visit St Anthony Head with its lighthouse, the famous church at St Just-in-Roseland, or the harbour villages of Porthscatho and St Mawes. Take the ferry across to Falmouth, or enjoy a boat or fishing trip.

The National Maritime Museum has a wonderful waterside location in one of the world's finest harbours. It holds a large collection of boats, both full size and models. There are also displays, such as Under the Sea, which illustrates diving through the centuries and includes a replica of the very first submarine, designed in 1620. A definite must for boat enthusiasts – but there's something for the whole family. Falmouth.

Pendennis Castle was built by King Henry VIII to defend against possible attack by Spain and France. It was also strengthened during the Civil War and used during both the World Wars. You can see the underground tunnels and magazines, and the restored First World War Guardhouse. Lots of interactive activities and loads to see. Medieval re-enactments also take place occasionally during the year. Falmouth.