A Family Adventure
with younger children
Through Devon & Cornwall
DAY1
DISTANCE FROM O’CONNORS CAMPERS:
55 MILES / 1 Hour 45 minutes
DESTINATION - TREVOSE HEAD
For your first night, head to the North Coast of Cornwall, staying at Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park.
STAY AT: MOTHER IVEY'S BAY
- Visit Website
- 01841 520990
- Trevose Head, Nr Padstow, PL28 8SL
This campsite is where us ‘locals’ tend to choose if we have a weekend free. It is in a wonderful location at Trevose Head: near enough to Padstow to visit, without being too close! Mother Ivey’s Bay has a private beach which is stunning – you needn’t leave the campsite to keep the kids entertained. And supper cooked in the van and eaten on the beach just can’t be beaten. Open April 1st to end of October.
Padstow can get busy even during quieter seasons. We like to visit without actually driving into the town – via a beautiful cycle route. If you jump in your camper, drive instead to Wadebridge (10 miles away). If you park in the car park behind Lidl, you can hire bikes from Bridge Cycle Hire www.bridgebikehire.co.uk just next door and cycle straight onto the Camel Trail. Completely traffic free; this flat scenic route follows the Exe Estuary and you can often find refreshment stands along the route, offering hot & cold drinks, ice creams and snacks.
You can reach Padstow within 5 miles and lunch at Rick Steins’ for some delicious fish & chips or nosh a pasty on the harbour wall (beware the seagulls, though!) During the spring and summer it is always best to book your bikes in advance as this route can be quite busy at times. Bridge Cycle Hire offer a range of bikes, tandems, tag-alongs etc, so something to suit everyone!
DAY2
DISTANCE FROM WADEBRIDGE:
27 MILES / 1 HOUR
DESTINATION - SOUTH COAST OF CORNWALL
For your second night you might like to head to the South Coast of Cornwall. Treveague Farm at Gorran, St Austell comes highly recommended by previous customers.
STAY AT: TREVEAGUE FARM
- Visit Website
- 01726 842295
- Gorran, St Austell, PL26 6NY
A very friendly site with immaculate facilities and beautiful views of the sea. Within walking distance of three lovely beaches. The owners have clearly put some thought into summer entertainment, with a story teller visiting during peak season and a wonderful organic alfresco café. I can’t wait to visit again myself! Open April to September.
The Eden Project is a great family attraction: with plenty to see and do, both indoors and outdoors and a good selection of eateries. Our children have always enjoyed visiting. Just 15 miles from Treveague Farm campsite: about 45 mins in the campervan. www.edenproject.com Make sure you check out their website to see what will be going on when you visit.
DAY3
DISTANCE FROM THE EDEN PROJECT:
46 MILES / 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
DESTINATION - TAVISTOCK
For your third night it would be worth driving a little closer to Okehampton so you don’t need to make a lengthy journey on your final morning. Harford Bridge Holiday Park at Tavistock is a firm favourite with younger families.
STAY AT: HARFORD BRIDGE HOLIDAY PARK
- Visit Website
- 01822 810349
- Peter Tavy, Tavistock, PL19 9LS
This multi-award winning, beautiful, family-run holiday park is set in Dartmoor National Park with fabulous views of Cox Tor. The River Tavy forms a boundary offering riverside camping and other level spacious pitches. Previous customers have recommended the bottom field for camping which is right next to the pretty river. Open mid-March – Mid November. 10% off all Bookings here when you trundle up in an O’Connors Campervan!
The nearby 16th century Elephant’s Nest at Horndon boasts great food and gorgeous garden, not suprising it has been listed every year in The Good Pub Guide since it began publication 25 years ago! The Peter Tavy Inn is also a great Dartmoor inn, serving good local food & ale, only about 20 minutes walk from the campsite, don’t forget to take a torch!
Time to return your campervan in time for 10am, on your final morning. It is a 14 mile journey from Harford Bridge Holiday Park to Okehampton, taking you just under half an hour to reach O’Connors Campers. Don’t want to go home yet? The Original Miniature Pony Centre can be found just beyond Moretonhampstead on the road towards Princetown TQ13 8RG · 01647 432400 www.miniatureponycentre.com (Open Easter – October) Our children loved this park when they were younger and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, wonderful restaurant and rolling countryside setting.
Alternatively Simmon’s Park in Okehampton has a great children’s play area and is beautifully landscaped – perfect for a final picnic!