Bolitho Gardens

The gardens sit tucked behind Newlyn, a working fishing village that hasn't been ruined by tourism - yet. Bolitho Gardens is essentially a sloping woodland walk with a stream running through it, carpeted in spring bulbs and maintained with the kind of quiet dedication you find in Cornwall's best-kept local spots.

It's free to wander, which helps. The path winds downhill through native trees, and there's a genuine sense of stepping away from things even though you're minutes from the seafront. No cafe, no gift shop, no crowds. Just proper woodland with the occasional bench where you can sit and listen to water.

Families with young walkers will manage it fine - the gradient is gentle enough, though muddy patches appear after rain. History types won't find much interpretation here; it's not that kind of place. What you get instead is a functioning nature reserve that locals actually use, which feels rarer than it should.

Allow an hour maximum unless you're sitting about. The real value is the contrast - come here before or after hitting Penlee House Museum in Penzance, or use it as a cool-off walk if you've spent the morning on Porth Nanven beach. If you're based at Roselands Caravan Camping Park, it's a five-minute drive and worth a morning slot. Spring is best, frankly. Summer heat can make the woodland feel a touch claustrophobic.