If you fancy a stroll in the woods to escape from the Cornish coast for an afternoon, then Tehidy Woods is a must! It’s the largest area of woodland in Cornwall, and located on the north coast between Gwithian and Portreath. This once privately-owned manor estate belonged to the Basset family who had one of the most rich tin mining and mineral rights in the county.
Tehidy is easily accessible from the North or South, with several free car parks. If you enter from the South side you will be close to the lake where you can feed the ducks and swans, so don’t forget to pack some bread! There is a visitor centre and café to grab a coffee and cake, so after a circular trail you may find this very beneficial to re-fuel! In the summer season it’s open daily from 10am – 5pm and in the colder months open every day from 10am – 4pm (except Mondays).
There are many circular trails (over 9 miles!) to follow, some coloured in pink and purple for the more pushchair and wheelchair friendly, and others in blue, red, orange and green for the more adventurous explorers! The blue trail is also bike and horse friendly so be wary of those (slightly larger!) beings using these trails.
If you have small ones in tow then pack the bikes and let them explore along the level footpaths, have a picnic on one of the benches and play spot the squirrels, or try to feed them if you’re patient enough! If you want to make a day of it then you can hire a BBQ or plan an orienteering activity if there’s a group of you.
For the keen golfers amongst you then Tehidy Park Golf Club is a must if you want to experience 18 holes set in this picturesque countryside. If you’re staying in one of our pet friendly properties, these peaceful woods are also an ideal location to take the dogs – but the area around the lake is not dog-friendly so please bear this in mind and use the North car park instead.
Whichever season you are visiting in, Tehidy offers an extreme of contrasts – experience the bluebells and ducklings of spring or the autumnal colours of later in the year, or maybe even the occasional beauty of a frosty morning.
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