Badgers Sett Blog

Spring has landed in Cornwall ...

Spring has crash landed into Badgers with alarming speed this year! With the blink of an eye, the frozen wastes of January & February have been and gone (thank goodness) & now as I write this blog, we have some gorgeous sunshine peering through the study windows (shhh, don't say this too loudly don't want to frighten the sun away)! .. The local lanes are looking spectacular, with primroses, the last few snowdrops & deliciously scented narcissi all providing a very welcome splash of colour as I run frequent jogs through our beautiful Draynes Valley. There are so many places to visit & things to do in Cornwall, we are spoilt for choice & Spring is a fantastic time to explore our beautiful County!

Take a peek through the suggestions below & check out some of our perennial favourites:

Minack Theatre

A visit to this beautiful & unique outside theatre located above the stunning Porthcurno beach, is a definite must do during your stay in Cornwall over the coming months. There are a wide variety of productions scheduled for all ages & tastes, from Shakespeare’s The Tempest & Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance to fantastic locally produced plays & musicals. The theatre is open from March through to the end of September & prior booking is strongly advised.

Nothing beats settling into one of the carved stone seats on a sunny, clear evening & anticipating a brilliantly performed show (I highly recommend taking a plump, comfy cushion along for a soft landing during your time there!). The views alone, overlooking Porthcurno beach & beyond are superb - who knows, you may get lucky & spot the odd cheeky seal or dolphin basking in the sparkly ocean below!

The Minack gardens, located within their own microclimate on the granite cliffs surrounding the theatre cover up to 1.5 acres, they are stunning and well worth a visit as part of your theatre show booking or completely separately. These popular gardens have a well-deserved inclusion within The Great Gardens of Cornwall'.

There is an onsite cafe selling teas, coffees, juices, light take away foods & pasties - perfect for that all important snack during the show! Alongside the cafe is a gift shop selling prints, cuttings from the gardens, plus a great range of souvenirs to purchase as a memento of your visit to this atmospheric theatre.

Click on the link below for additional information on the Minack Theatre:

Plan your Visit to the Minack Theatre

Minack Theatre - Image Credit: Visit Cornwall

Porthcurno Beach

Whilst visiting the Minack Theatre it would be positive crime to miss out on the opportunity to wiggle your toes onto the soft golden sand of close by Porthcurno Beach, located just below the theatre from it's lofty position cut high into the cliffs.

Keen Poldark fans will recognize this gorgeous jewel of a beach from when it was used as a backdrop within a dream sequence between Ross & Demelza, captured during 2015.

Great for all ages to enjoy, there is a sparkling stream meandering it's bubbly way down to the sea, just perfect for hot little feet to splash around & cool down safely! The ocean is a mesmerising aquamarine blue (fantastic for those all important Insta images yet to be posted!) & generally very calm as the area is flanked by high granite clifftops acting as a natural barrier to those stronger winds.

Care needs to be taken when taking a dip in the sea though, as strong currents can occasionally be present along with large south west breakers especially during the winter months. Although great for those surfing buddies out there, the waves can prove to be overpowering to less experienced swimmers.

Stunning views can be seen from several of the lovely footpaths climbing above the shore & there is easy access to the South West Coast Path to the rear of the beach.

A large pay and display car park is near by, with direct access to the beach via sandy path & a few steps.

Click on the link below for additional infomation on Porthcurno Beach:

Plan your visit to Porthcurno Beach

Porthcurno Beach - Image Credit: Visit Cornwall

Eden Project

A visit to the Eden Project provides a fascinating & fun insight into the natural world for everyone in the family, along with a day packed full of new experiences & activities to suit all ages.

The amazing global garden has been developed from existing clay mines into a diverse & beautiful space that will intrigue & excite the senses. Many varieties of plants are grown here from medicinal to sustainable crops for food.

Immerse yourselves in the light & airy Mediterranean Biome, experience the overall sense of calm, whilst enoying in the explosion of beautiful colours & scents flowing from flowers, herbs, vines & trees generally found in warmer climates of the Mediterranean, South Africa, California & Western Australia.

Walk through the Rain Forest Biome into an ethereal world of heat & warm mist evolving into a humid, steamy atmosphere & discover the gigantic rubber trees growing high up into rain forest clouds, masses of bananas, cacao (where chocolate originates from, which disappointingly tastes nothing like chocolate!) & sugar cane. Make sure you head on over to the very wobbly Canopy Walkway & look down in wonder at the view over the treetops & plants below!

Kids of all ages will love the experience of getting up close to nature within Nature's Playground where they can let off steam whilst exploring The Tree of Life, a Babbling Brook & a Giant Water Course, making creative and good old fashioned play the order of the day!

There will be no problem in quelling those pesky hunger pangs resulting from a busy day exploring around & about the biomes. Whatever your tastes are whether it's a short coffee & cake break needed or a full on lunch! The cafes provide delicious sustainable & locally sourced food, from curries to pizza, plus of course those delectable Cornish cream teas (#Jam first of course)!

Click on the link below for additional information on The Eden Project:

Plan your visit to the Eden Project

Eden Project - Image Credit: Matt Jessop, Visit Cornwall

Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm

Head out to Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm & be prepared for a few hours of fun, discovery & exploring! There is something for everyone to enjoy at this working farm & distillery. Take a stroll round the farm & make friends with the cheeky black pigs, shire horses, naughty pygmy goats and friendly donkeys, they will all be competing for your attention so be prepared to share the love!

Amble down to the orchards where you will find 'Big Bertha' the farm's 1950's tractor, before you hop aboard & ride in style around the apple orchards, be sure to take a selfie for that all important insta or facebook post! Throughout the ride a running commentary is given on how Cornish apples are grown & produced at Healeys.

Purchase a Cydermaster Pass to get detailed behind the scenes access, take a peek at the staff working to produce the famous Rattler Cyder - where 6,500 bottles are filled every hour! Additional detail is provided as you wander round taking everything in at your own pace. You can also access the onsite museum, distillery, cellars, press house, tasting room, plus more, a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of Healeys Cyder Farm & find out what they are planning to incorporate in future.

Both the littlies & adults will enjoy sampling some of the refreshments all produced by Healeys in the Tasting Room. There are up to 60 different items to taste/smell/view, including juices, Cyder, spirits & wines, plus jams & preserves - a great way to 'try before you buy'!

Healeys onsite Old Bottlery Restaurant provides a wide variety of local, freshly produced meals & snacks, from delicious Cornish cream teas & sandwiches to Mac & Cheese & scrumptious Cornish burgers. The perfect way to relax & take a break whilst deciding which of the many exhibits to explore next during a fun filled day at Healeys Cyder Farm!

Click on the link below for additional information on a trip to Healeys Cyder Farm:

Plan your visit to Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm

Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm - Image Credit: Healeys Cyder Farm

Bodmin Jail

A visit to Cornwall's Bodmin Jail is not for the faint hearted ... However, it's an entertaining & thought provoking historical experience that gives an incredible insight into the harsh reality of life as prisoner within the jail during the 18th century for all ages. During your visit, you will have access to the inmate’s cells, execution pit, administration block, plus much more!

There are several additional impressive tours & events taking place within the Jail, from guided tours & ghost walks through to silent discos! each of which are listed on their website.

The self guided Dark Walk provides a stirring audio visual insight where you will hear & see dastardly stories of mining, smuggling and the typical hardships suffered by Cornwall's most deprived residents, incorporating recorded accounts from some of the notorious prisoners.

For kids under 16 (please note, they must be accompanied by an adult) there is a fun & educational tour titled 'Junior Jailors', which gives age appropriate accounts of selected historical events which took place within the prison walls in a captivating & exciting manner – a chance to step back into time & explore what really happened!

For those inevitable rumbling tums at the end of the tours, there is a choice of two eateries in the form of the Jolly Hangman Restaurant which offers a wide selection of fresh, locally sourced food & drinks, served within a relaxed dining area & courtyard or The Moor Cafe, where you can choose from a delicious selection of toasties, sandwiches, locally produced Cornish Pasties & Cornish cream teas, along with a variety of hot & cold drinks from fresh barista coffee to tasty fresh juices!

If you decide to treat yourself & extend the visit to the Jail, why not book a night (or two ..) within the 5 star boutique hotel – if you dare! where you will stay in one of the original cells (1 hotel room comprises a total of 3 customised cells) which have been luxuriously converted into stylish & opulent dwellings. The hotel's Chapel Restaurant & Bar, located within the actual chapel of the original jail, provides a fine dining experience not to be missed during your stay.

Click on the link below for additional infomation on a trip to Bodmin Jail:

Plan Your Visit to Bodmin Jail

Bodmin Jail - Image Credit: Visit Cornwall

Posted:15 March 2025