So, you’re planning a Cornwall camping holiday – but where should you stay, what should you pack and what is there to see and during your holiday?

Camping can be a little overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time and there’s a lot of you. By the time you’ve finished packing the car there’s probably barely enough room for you and your family to actually get in…

To help you along the way we’ve put together a mini guide to the ultimate Cornwall camping holiday!

What should you pack?

Let’s start at the beginning. If this is the first time you’ve embarked on a camping holiday then we need to cover the basics. We’ll assume that you will remember to bring your clothes, towels, shoes, food and toiletries… but the other essential item is the tent itself! It may sound silly but people do forget! Make sure it’s big enough for you and your family and is fully waterproof, if second hand.

To go with this, make sure you bring your tent pegs, a ground sheet, air beds and a pump to inflate them. Pumps that plug into your car’s cigarette lighter tend to be best, and a lot less effort than a foot pump! You’ll also need a stove, some gas (we sell small canisters in our shop, if you run out), a kettle, cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery, lights (gas powered or battery will do) and a torch, in case you need to make a late-night dash to the toilet! Matches and a cool box are also essential items!

One of the other items that people tend to forget is bedding. Sleeping bags or duvets can take up a lot of space in your car but make sure you double check you’ve packed them before you set off!

Fix.com have a handy checklist here, that will help you pack with ease!

Where should you stay for the ultimate Cornwall camping experience?

Cornwall is a small county BUT there is simply so much to see and do that you’ll never manage it all in one trip. Even if you came back every year for 20 years, you’d still end up discovering new things (and that’s why we all love Cornwall so much!).

You should make your decision based on what you want most to do during your holiday.

If you love walking, then choose somewhere with easy access to the best walking routes in Cornwall. The South West Coastal Path is truly magical and, even for a casual stroll, it’s well worth exploring a stretch of this. Bodmin Moor is an enchanting place and is fantastic for more serious walkers. Here you can climb Cornwall’s two moorland peaks (Brown Willy and Rough Tor) or head over towards Jamaica Inn and try and track down the legendary Beast of Bodmin Moor!

Arguably, Cornwall’s biggest draw is its coastline. There’s dozens of beaches on the north and south coasts that are just waiting to be explored. Great for surfing, sunbathing, swimming or sandcastle-building – you really are spoilt for choice. So, if this is your thing, then make sure you’re located close to those beaches (or choose somewhere in the middle, where you can see the best of the north and south coast, without a long drive).

Occasionally the rain does come down and it’s nice to be able to escape the weather (especially with the kids). Luckily Cornwall has lots of attractions to keep you occupied! From the world renowned Eden Project to Newquay Zoo, Blue Reef Aquarium, Camel Creek Adventure Park, Flambards Theme Park and Bodmin Jail, to name but a few. We cannot guarantee the weather but we can say with some degree of certainty that you definitely won’t get bored!

So, if attractions are your thing then it probably make sense to choose a campsite that’s within easy distance of all the places you might want to visit.

Take a look at Visit Cornwall’s pages here for more info on the county’s most popular attractions to visit or take a look at our guide to Cornwall’s attractions that are close to our site here.

What sort of camping holiday are you looking for?

If your idea of Cornwall camping heaven is a quiet, relaxing site surrounded by open countryside then Mena Farm is most definitely for you. There’s no live entertainment or clubhouse here. We’re not loud or brash – we just want you to have the ultimate relaxing camping experience.

Take a closer look at camping in Cornwall at Mena Farm here.

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