Travelling from Bristol to Bodmin! Ideas for stopovers and good pub lunches

[michaelad]

We'll be going on our first proper summer holiday in a few weeks to Higher Lank farm in Cornwall. Bit of a drive from Essex so any ideas for nice stop overs for stretching little legs..and good pubs/restaurants for breakfast and lunch would be very welcome!

no idea really but just wanted to say enjoy cornwall!im in north cornwall

oh just looked on website your staying right near here!looks really nice!have good holiday!

thank you! Any recommendations of things we must go and see? Dc's are 4 and 2

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We usually stop off near stongehenge as it is quite nice to look at, but otherwise we never stop eroute really so no real help, keeping it bumped for you

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what kind of things are they into?theres lovely scenery round here,your right by delphy bridge which is just area of moorland with river to paddle in,very pretty.and theres roughtor to climb etc or for more adventure park type things theres crealy,flambards,threthorne.then obviously all the beaches!

Well, it's going to be all about the kids (boys aged 4 and 2)..so beaches and adventure parks are probably my best bet!

Good pubs - see the Good Pub Guide. The print version shows pubs near motorway junctions, the online just goes by county.
Are you going M4/M5? Are you only looking for places to stop after Bristol or for the whole journey from Essex?

Just out of curiousity why will you be near Bristol if travelling Essex to Cornwall??

If you want to stop for a few hours to break journey this place is good for young children

www.animal-farm.co.uk/

Nice place - tho' food not great. Between Exeter and Bristol on M5

Quickest way from Essex - Cornwall is M25 - M4 - M5 - A30

We went to st austell last week (from nr cambridge - but stopped at inlaws in surrey on the way to leave the dog).
We came back via bristol cos we stopped off to see my cousin and new baby in Weston, and also went to Wookey Hole for the day - don't do that!
We went to Flambards when we were down there and ds1 (4.5) loved it, ds2 (16mo) had a good time aswell.
I converted a load of tesco clubcard vouchers into deals and took them - Flambards, Goonhilly Satellite Station (went last year), Seal Saunctuary at Gweek, National Marine Aquarium at Plymouth (and Wookey Hole - lol) all take them, as does the Blue Reef Aquarium at Newquay I think. Worthwhile doing if you have any - order online and they come within a day or two.
We always go to a garden and ds1 loves it, favourite so far has been Trebah down past Falmouth. Went to Glendurgan this year, good, but not as good as Trebah. Ditto Heligan. Eden interesting, again can use clubcard deals - but need specific Eden ones.
Haven't answered your original question at all have I!

see holiday makers know whats in cornwall than people who live there!

Mrs Bond - isn't the A303 quicker straight down to Exeter??

Living in Somerset with friends in Brighton we regularly travel across country and have tried various different journeys but the A303 is favourite so far (Also the journey given on AA Routefinder)

we would usually do the A303 aswell, although the year we went direct from Cambs, rather than via Surrey, we went across to B'ham on the A14, then M4, M5 - horrific!

Depends on traffic and time of year etc... etc... also your own preference to Motorway vs scenic. Purely on speed we find Motorway route generally quicker.

I live in cornwall and have family in Essex - so we always seem to be doing that drive... arrhhh

Thanks for your ideas so far everyone.
Chipstick, don't ask me about the route. Dh is driving so I leave it all to him!
lily since we're planning on leaving at about 4 am we hopefully won't need to stop until after Bristol.

Chasingsquirrels, Flambards looks like fun but are my dc's not a bit too young for it? (4 and2)

For a quick stop M5 Jct 22 (Burnham on Sea) Turn right at roundabout, travel 2 mins and you'll come to garden world (Garden Centre).

Great outdoor play area with pirate ship, zip slide, swings.

Has a great restaurant as well.

Hope you have a fab holiday!!

some of whats at flambards they will be too young for,like the rides but theres a farm,a rabbit village and lots of other things.my favorites for younger children are crealy,threthorne and colliford lake.do they like trains?if so dobwalls(or dogballs as my ds calls it,bless his por speech!) is fantastic!but bit further away.

Crealy looks fab..and according to Google map only 20 mins from the farm. Excellent!! Thanks!
chipstick that playground sounds good too. Thanks a million!

And dobwalls appears to be closed this season. Pity!

mine are 4.5 and 16mo and the 4.5yo LOVED flambards, just did not want to leave, there is a small kids rides bit and he went on everything in that (and when the 16mo went on them he cried when he had to get off - well SCREAMED, I went back to the front of the queue, got straight back on and he immediately stopped screaming and smiled). ds1 also went on the big carolsel (sp!!), rocking pirate ship, log flume and monorail thing all of which he loved (and the ballons which he DIDN'T). There is also a farm and a short animal show.

Shame Dobwalls is shut (?? friend went at easter and it was open then), we didn;t go this year but have been for the last two. Another good train day out is Lappa Valley (Near Newquay), best if it is good weather though.

You might find this site helpful. You can search by area /keyword / range and specify "places to eat"

Enjoy your holiday

Any more suggestions anyone?