Cornwall

A magnificent, high-Victorian manor house, Lanhydrock is perhaps the finest estate in Cornwall. Offering a fascinating glimpse into the lives of its former inhabitants, the house has extensive servants’ quarters which contrast with the elegance and comfort of the family rooms, and a dramatic history to discover. Outside, the wonderful gardens offer year-round colour and beautiful herbaceous borders, and the wider estate has tranquil woodland to explore.

Once a grand 19^th century estate, the gardens here were forgotten after WWI and a tangle of weeds and brambles took over. However, following a chance rediscovery of a door in the ruins, the gardens have been lovingly restored in true secret garden style, and now form a horticultural wonder. With a network of historic pathways winding through formal lawns, twisted rhododendrons, mysterious grottos, and exuberant jungle, the Lost Gardens of Heligan are a magical and romantic delight.

With its golden bays, colourful fishing boats and sparkling harbour, St Ives is iconically Cornish. The dreamy views and white sands have long been admired, but since the 1920s St Ives has become renowned for its modern art scene, providing a muse to abstract sculptor Barbara Hepworth and British potter Bernard Leach, amongst many others. Today, St Ives is home to one of the Tate galleries – a striking beachside exhibition space – and many studios and workshops can be found amongst the shops, restaurants and cafés of this vibrant & creative town.

The thriving harbour town of Falmouth has a creative buzz, an interesting maritime heritage and is beautifully situated. Surrounded by Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s a wonderful place to take a boat trip, visit a contemporary art gallery, or sit in a café enjoying the coastal views. Falmouth’s maritime museum traces the important role this town played in global trade during centuries past, thanks to its unusually deep natural harbour.

This grand, neo-Palladian mansion is set on its own peninsula amongst gardens and lovely woodland. Overlooking the picturesque Fal estuary, the exotic plants and herbaceous borders dapple the garden with bursts of colour, and the estate’s wooded borders drop down to the water’s edge. Inside, the house is lavishly decorated, and Trelissick also has its own renowned art gallery.