Brims Park

The moorland around Bodmin opens up properly when you venture into Brims Park, where the landscape feels genuinely wild despite being just a short drive from town. This is working nature reserve land rather than a manicured visitor attraction - heathland stretches out with gorse and bracken, and if you're lucky you'll spot adders or catch sight of a buzzard working the thermals overhead.

Walkers will find this place rewarding. The terrain isn't demanding, but it rewards a bit of exploration. You're looking at anything from a gentle hour's amble to a proper half-day if you want to cover decent ground and actually pay attention to what's around you. Bird watchers especially should make the trip - the reserve supports a decent range of moorland species, and early morning or dusk tends to be when things are most active.

Families with older kids will get on with it better than those with toddlers. There's no formal infrastructure, which is exactly the point, but it also means you need to be reasonably comfortable with uneven terrain and weather that can turn quickly on moorland.

If you're staying at Camp De Lank just a few miles south, Brims Park makes a natural half-day extension to your holiday. It's the sort of place that reminds you why people bother with Cornwall in the first place - proper landscape, no crowds, and the space to actually breathe. Access details can be sketchy online, so a quick check locally before heading out saves frustration.