Lanhydrock

Lanhydrock is a National Trust estate in east Cornwall, just south of Bodmin, with a Victorian country house set in almost 1,000 acres of parkland, woodland and heath above the River Fowey. The house was largely rebuilt after a fire in 1881 and is preserved as a working snapshot of late-Victorian domestic life.

Beyond the house, the estate grounds are exceptional. The formal gardens include a large collection of magnolias and rhododendrons, at their best from March to May. The parkland stretches along the river valley and is criss-crossed with walking trails through ancient beech and oak woodland. In recent years, Lanhydrock has also become one of Cornwall’s top mountain biking destinations - the Cardinham Woods trail centre is nearby, and the estate’s own trails cater to various abilities.

The area around Lanhydrock is a good base for exploring mid-Cornwall without being on the coast. Bodmin is just up the road, the Eden Project and the south coast are within easy reach, and the Camel Trail - the popular cycling and walking route from Bodmin to Padstow - starts nearby. It’s an inland Cornwall experience that has a completely different feel to the beach towns, and is well worth seeking out.