Bodmin Moor Weekend December 2015

Well it's typical bank holiday weekend weather outside so I guess I'm going to have to go back to the archives. But this is an ideal opportunity to give you an insight into one of our weekend breaks. This one is from Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. The premise is we look for somewhere that has lots of nice walks nearby and book a couple of nights in a local, dog friendly B&B. The place we booked was called Mennabroom. It is a B&B but also has several holiday cottages attached. There is so much walking within a few minutes drive and even straight out of the door without driving.

Traditional decoration.

The accommodation is of the traditional type. Floral curtains, fireplaces and pictures of fox hunting. But the bathroom facilities were very modern and the shower was good. The also did a full gluten free English breakfast which was great. The hosts were very friendly and nothing was too much trouble. All their dog friendly rooms had gone but they still allowed Chuck to stay but who wouldn't want him there? Our only issue was actually finding the place. Our sat-nav sent us down several wrong turns which it assumed were roads but were actually dirt tracks. Also the postcode given takes you to a farm on the other side of a valley.

A Bodmin Bovine Menagerie.

The day we arrived we did a short walk across the countryside and walked across the edge of the moor. It was a grey moist day but this added an air of mystery to the place. It never actually rained. The fields here are of the ancient stone wall type. This land has not changed in centuries it appears. We walked onto the edge of the moor where we were met by a menagerie of different bovines. Some with shaggy hair, some with long horns. They all seemed fairly placid at least.

A misty vista.

Our second day was walking across Bodmin Moor. This really is one of the prettiest places in England. It was once a hub of mining activity. There are abandoned wheel houses all over the moor. The main tourist destination is Minions. No not the annoying yellow things that people seem mildly obsessed with, this is a village in the centre of the moor. We did check out some accommodation here when we booked but nothing really appealed. There are some spectacular views available on the moor. The more ground you can cover the better really as it is quite a varied landscape. There is plenty of free parking dotted around all over place.

Minions is at the heart of Bodmin Moor.

The third day we did a loop from straight out of the B&B. The roads are quiet around here so Chuck was fine off the lead. Just be aware there tend to be sheep hiding in some bushes so keep your dog near if they are a chaser. My original route plan was unfortunately not feasible as the ground I intended to cross was far too swampy to walk in. But a bit of adjustment was made and we went in the opposite direction. We wandered through a small village at one point which was totally abandoned. It was creepy to say the least. Especially with all the twisted trees on the Moor.

On the rocks.

Our evenings were spent in the nearby pub on the A30. It's called the Jamaica Inn. It's a borderline theme pub, with the theme being pirates I think. It was quite gimmicky. It was popular though. The car park is enormous. Inside it's a little grubby and the feeding is slightly canteen style. Still the staff were friendly and Chuck was allowed inside. It's also the only place for miles around so there's very little choice.

Into the sunset

These little getaways really are a great way of filling a long weekend. It's very cheap but still feels like you've been on a mini holiday. It's easy to do. Just find an area on the map that has lot's of walking, plan a couple of routes and book a B&B. It's sometimes an idea to look whats on offer in the way of accommodation and then plan around that. Hotel sites always seem to have some sort of offer on for last minute deals. There is something exciting about going on a very spur of the moment trip. Let us know about your weekend break experiences in the comments.