Thomas Play Park

Thomas Play Park sits just outside Summercourt, a proper working nature reserve rather than a manicured visitor attraction. You're here to walk, spot wildlife, and get a genuine sense of Cornish countryside - not for neat paths and interpretation boards.

The reserve protects woodland and open ground that's actually managed for conservation. Depending on the season you'll find different birds, insects, and plants doing their thing. It's the kind of place where you notice things - a flash of a buzzard overhead, the particular smell of damp leaf litter in autumn, how the light changes as you move between tree cover and open space. Walkers will genuinely enjoy this. Kids who are into nature get more out of it than those expecting playgrounds despite the name.

I'd allow a couple of hours to do it properly without rushing. Go early morning or late afternoon if you want better wildlife spotting chances. The reserve doesn't appear to charge admission, though facilities information is hard to come by - worth checking locally in Summercourt before you visit.

Located between several touring parks, it makes a solid half-day addition to a caravan holiday. Resparva House is barely half a mile away if you're based there. The bigger parks at Newquay - White Acres and Sunhaven - are close enough for a morning visit. It's the sort of place that appeals to couples and serious walkers more than families with younger children expecting something more structured.