Saint Columb

Two distinct villages share this name - Saint Columb Major and Minor - sitting just a few miles apart in mid-Cornwall's rolling countryside. Major is the proper market town, complete with a lovely old church and traditional Cornish stone buildings clustered around its central square. The weekly market still draws locals from surrounding farms.

Minor feels more like a large village, quieter and less developed. Both places have that authentic Cornish character you won't find in the coastal tourist traps - proper local pubs where farmers actually drink, shops that serve the community rather than visitors.

Trewan Hall Gardens offers a peaceful wander through well-maintained grounds, though it's hardly Cornwall's most spectacular attraction. The real appeal here is the countryside itself. Gentle hills roll toward both coasts, with footpaths leading through ancient field systems and past stone farmhouses that have barely changed in centuries.

Location-wise, you're brilliantly placed. Newquay's beaches lie just ten miles north, while the dramatic north Cornwall coast stretches in both directions. Yet you're far enough inland to escape the summer crowds and inflated prices.

Getting here requires a car - there's no railway station, and bus services are patchy. The A39 runs nearby, connecting you to the rest of Cornwall, while smaller lanes snake through the countryside in all directions.

Staying at one of the holiday parks around Saint Columb makes perfect sense for exploring both coast and countryside. You get the peace of rural Cornwall with easy access to beaches, coastal walks, and attractions like Newquay's surf scene or the Eden Project, roughly half an hour's drive southeast.