Bodmin

Victorian granite buildings line the streets where Cornwall's old county town still carries itself with quiet authority. Bodmin might have lost its administrative crown to Truro, but this market town on the edge of the moor retains a proper sense of purpose that many Cornish towns have traded for tourism.

The real draw here isn't the town centre itself but what radiates outward. Bodmin Moor stretches endlessly to the east - wild, windswept landscape dotted with ancient stones and the occasional buzzard. Ladies Window arch offers cracking views across this untamed terrain, while the mysterious Slate Henge provides an altogether more modern take on Cornwall's stone circle tradition. Both are easily reached from town, though the moor can feel properly remote once you're out there.

Cornish Rock Gin distillery brings a contemporary edge to proceedings, their small-batch spirits capturing something of the county's botanical character in a bottle. Meanwhile, Stannon Lake provides a gentler contrast to the moor's drama - decent for a peaceful walk when the weather's being kind.

St Symphorian and the Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury anchor the town's spiritual heritage, though it's the surrounding archaeological sites like Tregeare Rounds and Labyrinth Petroglyphs that really speak to how long people have called this landscape home. The coast isn't far either - Tregardock beach offers a wild Atlantic experience when you fancy trading moorland for clifftops.

Bodmin sits at the junction of several major routes, making it dead convenient for reaching both Cornwall's north and south coasts. A holiday park base here puts you within striking distance of Padstow's foodie scene and the Eden Project, while keeping you close to some of Cornwall's most dramatic inland scenery.