GET OUT THERE: WINTER 2016

January and February are notoriously grey months so we’ve found some creative and invigorating activities to inspire you to get out and about. What are you waiting for?

BANFF FILM FESTIVAL AT HALL FOR CORNWALL

Mountains are few and far between in Cornwall, but you can experience their awe-inspiring beauty with the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which returns to the Hall for Cornwall on 9 February and 22 April.

A different set of short films will be shown on each night. For full details, please visit www.banff-uk.com and to book tickets visit www.hallforcornwall.co.uk.

Tickets £15 each, with a £3 discount if you buy for both dates.

DO A 2 MINUTE BEACH CLEAN

Next time you go to a beach, take an empty bag with you and spend a couple of minutes picking up litter. Every little bit makes a difference.

When you’ve finished, take a picture of your collection and post it to Twitter or Instagram using the #2minutebeachclean hashtag.

GET CREATIVE

• Learn to quilt at one of Cowslip Workshop’s quilting workshops, with classes suitable for beginners and more experienced sewers alike.
• Learn screen printing with Kiwi Print Studio. The family workshop on Wednesday 17 February sounds gorgeous.
• Visit Kernow Chocolate‘s factory near St Eval and watch chocolate being made. You may even get to try some.
• There are various courses (pottery, screen-printing, print-making and silver jewellery making) at Bedruthan, starting in February.

ART WORKSHOPS AT TRURO ARTS COMPANY

The lovely mezzanine at Truro Arts Company plays host to several art workshops over the next couple of months, including children’s classes at half term:

• Claudia Lindeman teaches life drawing with a 1920s theme on Thursday 4 February. 6.15pm to 8.45pm, £15 per person.
• Keith Sparrow is running Manga character drawing classes from 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm on Tuesday 16 February. £15 per child, for children aged 8 and over.
• Cartoon drawing classes with Nick Brennan cost £18 and are suitable for children aged 8 and over. 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm, Thursday 18 February.
• Decopatch a birdhouse from 9.45am to 11.15am on Saturday 20 February. £10.50, suitable for children aged 7 and over.
• Tracey Hunter’s acrylic and ink workshop is from 10am to 4pm on Monday 29 February.

To book a place on any of the courses please contact Truro Arts Company.

GET A LOCALS’ PASS FOR THE EDEN PROJECT

The Eden Project’s Locals’ Pass is available to residents of Cornwall and Devon until 7 March 2016.

Prices start at £8 for children, £12 for adults, and £37.50 for a family of four, when paying by direct debit. For full details see website.

Once you’ve got your pass you can visit The Eden Project as many times as you like until 31 October 2016, with various activities over the next couple of months:

• Destination Space weekends – 23/24 and 30/31 January
• World music family weekend – 6/7 February
• Survival, featuring Stickman – half term 13-21 February
• The ice rink is open until Sunday 21 February, £6 for a forty minute session, £3 on selected dates.

GET ACTIVE

• Jump off a 50 metre high cliff at Adrenaline Quarry, which has one of the UK’s longest zip wires at 490 metres. Open February half term and then at weekends.
• Try Nordic walking with Walk Kernow‘s free taster sessions at Trelissick on various dates in January.
• Do a Park Run. Each Saturday take part in the timed 5km run around the grounds of Lanhydrock and at Penrose. Register on www.parkrun.org.uk.

SNOWDROP SUNDAYS AT PENCARROW

The beautiful gardens of Pencarrow will be open for Snowdrop Sundays from 10am to 4pm on 7 and 14 February.

The gardens are a combination of formal landscaping and woodland walks, with attractive planting for both garden specialists and casual walkers. Shorter and longer walking loops are available, as well as some wheelchair access.

After wandering around the garden, refuel at the Peacock Café, which will be open all day for hot drinks, cream teas, cakes and light lunches.

Entry by donation, and proceeds go to Bodmin Hospital and Canine Companions.

LEARN TO COOK

If you’re lacking confidence in the kitchen then book yourself on to a cookery course.

Rick Stein’s Seafood School in Padstow offers a wide range of courses and I can vouch for them being very well run, informative and enjoyable. I loved the Indian Street Food course, and the classic fish cookery classes are well regarded.

Philleigh Way Cookery School‘s courses are more homely and range from dinner party cookery to bread baking, tapas to game. See their full course timetable.

For children, try Potluck Cornwall‘s cookery workshop with Little Kitchen Magicians from 10.30am to 3pm on Friday 19 February. Email [email protected] to book a place. £16 per child. Full details here.

Lizzie is also runnning cookery classes for children at Heartlands on Saturdays, visit her website for more details.

GET CULTURED

• See something a little bit different at The Poly at Falmouth, which shows a diverse range of films as well as regular exhibitions.
• On 28 January Tate St Ives’ film of artist Linder’s ballet, The Ultimate Form, will be shown at 7pm in The Paddock Room at Hawksfield. Free entry, but to confirm a space please email [email protected] or phone 01208 816899.
• Join a choir! We’ve heard great things about In Tune Choir, who meet weekly at venues across Cornwall.
• Read a book. We love the recommendations on Hurley Books’ Facebook page and The Upstairs Downstairs Book Group always seem to be reading something good. (Plus they meet in Dolly’s.)

HIT THE SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

Did you know that the Cornish section of the South West Coast Path is 476km long?

In 2015 I spent twelve days (one a month) walking from the Cornwall/Devon border near Welcombe to Land’s End. Every section had its own character and challenges, but each one was fantastic.

If you’re heading out onto the coast path, then be prepared. Wear sensible shoes and take walking poles if you are tackling a steep section. Make arrangements for transport (I always park at the end and catch a taxi to the beginning), take a mobile phone, waterproofs, plenty of water and blister plasters. Don’t walk in very wet or windy conditions.

The South West Coat Path’s website has a good walk planner, and you can vary your route depending on fitness and how much time you have. There are also multi day options with baggage transfer between hotels and B&Bs.

WALK THE SAINTS’ WAY

Another walking challenge is The Saints’ Way, which runs across the county from Padstow to Fowey. The entire 30 mile route is well sign-posted and takes you across rolling fields, alongside rivers, through pretty villages, ancient woodland and unspoilt scenery.

This is easily achievable in two days (or three for those who prefer a more leisurely pace) with some good pit stops along the way.

Encounter Walking Holiday’s website has some useful information about the route.

GET OUT THERE

• Go geocaching, a worldwide treasure hunt.
• Climb to the top of Bodmin Moor. See previous blog about the 3.6km circular walk to Rough Tor, or be more adventurous and climb to the highest point in Cornwall, Brown Willy.
• Visit a beautiful Cornish garden – try Caerhays, Trewithen or one of the many National Trust properties in the county.
• Newquay Orchard’s scavenger hunt costs £4 per child and takes place from 10 to 11.30am on Saturday 16 January. Booking essential.

SWIM AND DINE AT ZACRY’S

If you book a table at Watergate Bay Hotel’s restaurant Zacry’s (from 8pm) you can spend some time in Swim Club beforehand. Work up an appetite swimming lengths of the 25m indoor pool, brave the cold night air as you make a dash for the outdoor hot tub, or relax with a G&T in the gorgeous Ocean Room.

Full details can be found on their website. Swim and Dine is priced at £36.50 per person for use of Swim Club and three courses in Zacry’s.

Check out our review of Zacry’s from last year.

LEARN TO SURVIVE IN THE WILD

7th Rise‘s courses range from knife making to canoeing, fire starting to shooting, and foraging to wild butchery.

A bespoke three day experience costs from £275 per person, and the three day knife making course starts at £449.

BF Adventure and Camp Kernow are also worth checking out.

LEARN HOW TO BREW YOUR OWN COFFEE

Join Hugo Hercod, sometime UK Barista champion and self-confessed coffee geek, for a coffee-fuelled morning at Relish Food and Drink in Wadebridge.

Participants will learn all about coffee in a three hour hands on course, full details online.

£60 per person, 9am to 12 noon, Sunday 24 January and Sunday 31 January.

HUNGRY NOW?

Check out our Foodie Diary, our pick of Cornwall’s best foodie events and menus each month.

MORE INSPIRATION?

Do let us know of any other interesting events by commenting below or sending an email.