How to do pricey Cornwall on a budget thanks to Hols from £9.50 – with world’s best beach & fish and chips under £5
CORNWALL has a bad reputation for being at the pricier end when it comes to staycations – but we couldn’t disagree more.
There are so many cheap and FREE activities that families can get stuck into in this part of the South West and that’s without mentioning the pitch and putt, fishing lake and tennis courts at Park Holidays’ Hengar Manor.
This Bodmin-based resort, set in a beautiful country estate, has a fully refurbished indoor heated pool and clubhouse, plus kids’ club and family entertainment.
But if you prefer more rural Cornwall, to the west of Hengar Manor is Parkdean Resorts’ Lizard Point Holiday Park.
There’s a campsite, caravans and bungalows as well as virtual-reality experiences and an on-site ice cream parlour for summer days.
Even if the sun doesn’t rear its head, these activities below will ensure the kids are gushing about their Cornish holiday months later.
FUN FOR UNDER A FIVER
THE aquarium in the port town of Fowey will give you an insight as to some of the animals that swim in the waters in these parts.
Kids will love the touch pool where prawns will tickle their fingers and they can pick up crabs. Plus they’ll get to ogle lobsters and conga eels, all of which have been caught by local fishermen.
Entry is £4.60pp for a five-person family ticket (foweyaquarium.co.uk).
Family tickets to Tintagel Castle work out at just over a fiver per person, but it’s still worth a visit even if just for the dramatic views of the cliff edge and crashing waves (see english-heritage.org.uk).
CHEAP EATS & DRINKS
IT’S never hard to find a good fish joint in these parts.
If you’re taking advantage of the beaches and breathtaking scenery near Lizard Point, then Poldhu Beach Cafe is an excellent spot.
It is takeaway only, but there are plenty of picnic benches scattered across the windswept sandy beach so you can tuck into loaded fish baps with the best view.
Grab a portion of fish goujons with chips and tartare sauce for a tenner and follow it up with one of their fancy hot choccies that come drenched in whipped cream, topped with chocolate bars.
For those near Wadebridge, Jon’s Fish & Chips does a small cod, chips and curry sauce or peas for £4.30.
For a pint in a traditional pub, the 600-year-old Witchball, in the Lizard village, is a great spot with live music and Cornish ales (see witchball.co.uk).
BARGAIN BEACH DAYS
THE small and well-known fishing port of Padstow is well worth a visit if you haven’t been before. The main town can get very busy in summer but far fewer people make the walk from there to St George’s Cove.
Be warned, the climb down to this sandy beach is steep.
Kynance Cove, often noted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, is a National Trust location with plenty of walking routes bordering the shore.
Round the corner is a natural sea pool, hidden below the rugged cliffs, known as the Mermaid Pool.
AFFORDABLE ATTRACTIONS
IF you have never visited the Eden Project then it’s well worth going.
Its impressive domes or “biomes” are home to indoor rainforests and Mediterranean gardens with ancient olive trees and spiky cacti.
If you’re visiting in February half-term, kids 16 and under go free. Normal ticket prices are from £33 per adult and £11 per child (see edenproject.com).
FREE FOR ALL
CORNWALL’S famous Camel Trail offers 18 miles of wildlife-filled scenery from Padstow to Wenfordbridge along a disused railway line that borders the Camel Estuary.
You can walk, cycle or even horse ride along the path and make a full day of it by stopping at key spots along the way such as Bodmin Jail and the Camel vineyard.
There are plenty of places to pause for a picnic and to admire the swans floating down the estuary or the cows that border the trail.
An excellent museum won’t cost you a penny either. The Museum of Cornish Life, which is not far from Porthleven and a 15-minute drive from Lizard Point Holiday Park, delves into the history of Cornwall with artefacts from Cornish trades and occupations.
It hosts free events for little ones where kids can hear stories and rhymes, plus there’s Denzil’s Den, the family play area (see museum ofcornishlife.co.uk).
How do I book Hols From £9.50?
There are THREE ways to book our Holidays from £9.50:
- Book online: Collect FIVE codewords printed in The Sun daily from Saturday, January 6 to Thursday, January 25. Then enter them at thesun.co.uk/holidays to unlock booking.
- Book with Sun Savers: Download the Sun Savers app or register at sunsavers.co.uk. Then go to the ‘Offers’ section of Sun Savers and click ‘Start Collecting’ on the ‘Hols From £9.50’ page. Collect FIVE Sun Savers codes from those printed at the bottom of the Sun Savers page in the newspaper from Saturday, January 6 to Thursday, January 25. Then enter or scan the code on Sun Savers to unlock booking.
- Book by post: You can also collect FIVE of the tokens printed in The Sun each day. Cut the token out and send it back with the booking form – found in paper on Saturday, January 6 – or online at thesun.co.uk/holidays.
Terms and Conditions: Price per person based on four sharing. Multiple token/code collect. Subject to availability. Price guarantee based on four people sharing, excluding extras/upgrades . Date restrictions apply. See full Terms & Conditions here.