Slades

Slades sits just outside Launceston as one of those quiet Cornish spots that most visitors miss entirely. It's a historic site that rewards a bit of digging - literally, in some cases - with genuine Bronze Age remains and evidence of settlement stretching back millennia.

The landscape itself tells the story better than any signboard could. You're looking at earthworks, field patterns, and archaeological markers that speak to how people actually lived here thousands of years ago, not some polished interpretation centre version of prehistory. It's raw and requires imagination, which some will find brilliant and others will find underwhelming depending on how much Bronze Age pottery gets you going.

Walkers will get more from this than families with young children expecting something obvious to climb on. Allow a couple of hours if you're doing the full circuit and want to properly take in the landscape context. There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of, so bring weather-appropriate kit and don't expect facilities.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby glamping sites - Ekopod, Trewithen Farm, or Camp De Lank are all within five miles - Slades works as a morning expedition before settling into the wider Launceston area. It's the kind of place that makes sense as part of a broader walk rather than a destination journey. Free admission, fortunately, though you'll need to navigate across private land respectfully or use established access routes. Check locally in Launceston before heading out.