Cornwall at War Museum

The Second World War left its mark all over Cornwall, and this museum in Bude does a proper job of telling that story. You're walking through restored buildings and exhibits that cover everything from the German air raids that battered the coast to the American soldiers who trained here before D-Day. It's hands-on enough to keep adults engaged without feeling like a school trip.

The displays pack a punch - uniforms, weapons, personal letters, photographs of bombed-out streets. Some of it's quite heavy going, especially if you've got family connections to the war. Allow a couple of hours minimum, longer if you want to read everything properly. Kids aged ten and up will find it interesting; younger ones might struggle with the density of it all.

It's free to get in, which is a decent bonus. The museum runs on a small budget, so opening hours can be a bit variable - worth checking the website before you drive over from your glamping site or touring park. Trewithen Farm Glamping and Pencuke Farm Holiday Cottages are both within five miles, so it's easily doable as a half-day activity.

If you're staying around Bude for a week, this fits nicely alongside the coastal walks and beaches. It adds a layer to understanding why the landscape looks the way it does - the pillboxes you spot on clifftops suddenly make more sense. Not flashy, but genuinely worth an hour or two.