The Canvas Meadow

Chances are you’re going to want to get out on the water. Surfers can head for Porthtowan (five minutes' drive) or Portreath (10 minutes) for consistent waves, or you can try out coasteering near Penzance (half an hour). For a gentler pursuit, try practising your swing at a nine-hole golf course (10 minutes). Arty types might like to head down the Atlantic coastline to St Ives for its cluster of contemporary galleries and spectacular art in Tate St Ives. Marazion is another pretty spot for rooting around in galleries and indie boutiques, and from there you can walk across the bay to the cliffside gardens at Mount St Michael (all 25 minutes). Cornwall has several other inspiring gardens to mooch around as well. Have a wander through the subtropical palms at Trebah Garden (half an hour) or head for the wild plantings at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, to see once-lost parkland brought back to life. And of course, the glass biomes and rare flora of The Eden Project (both 45 minutes) make a fun-filled day out for all the family.