Venn Down Lakes

The pretty village of Boscastle (five minutes' drive) should be on the itinerary of anyone coming to stay at Venn Down Lakes. Much of the land around the village is owned by the National Trust, who maintain a range of footpaths in the local area and much of Boscastle's historic harbour area. More heritage is on display at Tintagel (10 minutes), where the well-preserved medieval castle, beaches, caves and curiosities such as St Nectan's Glen will keep visitors entertained for many an hour. For more seaside spots, pack a picnic and head to Trebarwith beach, a long stretch of sand backed by impressive rock formations, or lace up your hiking boots for a jaunt around Pentire Point (25 minutes), a rugged headland that juts out into the North Atlantic. If you're accompanied by kids whose little legs aren't yet up to such excursions, take them to see the animals at Newquay Zoo (45 minutes) or, if they're on their very best behaviour, treat them to a trip to Hidden Valley (20 minutes), an adventure park with puzzle trails, a forbidden mansion, a mind-boggling maze and a narrow-gauge railway.