Hire a boat, dinghy, kayak or paddleboard and get on the water. You can rent boats from Sailaway who will deliver to the club and from Helford River Boats which is 10 minutes away by water. Koru Guided Kayak Adventures operate from Budock Vean Hotel and offer 2 hour guided kayaking trips on the Helford, including Frenchman’s Creek. Or you can get a ride on Budock Vean Hotel’s 19 foot pilot boat, Hannah Molly, for a 90 minute tour of the river.
Learn to sail with the Children’s Sailing Trust. They offer a series of 4 day sailing courses for children throughout the Summer holidays as well as much more.
Or go out on a big, fast rib with August Rock Adventures for two hours, half a day or even a full day which could include spotting dolphins and even a trip to the beautiful Scillies and back.
Explore the magical Trebah and Glendurgan gardens.
On the water you can visit the Ferry Boat Inn at Helford Passage and the Shipwrights Arms in Helford – both are great pubs.
Get the tide right and you can sail along though ancient Holm Oak forests down to Gweek where you can visit The Black Swan. There’s also the lovely Boatyard Cafe in Gweek Boatyard and take-away fish and chips from a local van on Wednesdays from 4.30 to 7.30 pm. Also at Gweek is the Seal Sanctuary which is a great visit for smaller kids.
Or why not take a twenty minute ride across the bay to St Mawes on one of the two ferries operating from Falmouth. St Mawes has a beach, shops and a range of restaurants for all budgets.
Off the water there’s the wonderful Trengilly Wartha pub just outside Constantine and the beautiful Potager Garden and Café (vegetarian) which is an oasis of tranquility.
The Budock Vean Hotel has a swimming pool open to non-residents, a nine hole golf course and tennis courts and a beauty spa offering a range of luxury treatments. It also has a restaurant. And if you like golf, why not pit yourself against the wind at Mullion Golf Course with stunning cliff top views out over the sea.
If you like a tipple don’t miss Constantine Stores in Constantine. Looks like a small village grocery shop and yet is an Aladdin’s cave for whiskey, wine and any spirit you care to mention.
Other places to eat include Harbour Lights (Falmouth) for traditional fish and chips; Hooked On The Rocks (Swanpool) or The Watch House (St Mawes) for great food: The Hotel Tresanton (St Mawes) for fine dining; Pizza PLS (Penryn) for pizzas and Bango Kitchen (Penryn) for Japanese (both do take aways).
