Pre-booked appointments only please - Full directions will be given on booking. Site is located between Falmouth and Helston in Cornwall.
The emphasis here is to forget all about your phone, TV, computer and normal work-life. To relax and take note of what is around you. We want you to lose yourself, then find yourself again! There are many different types of plants, flowers and trees to discover, and with it come the plethora of wildlife that is all around us here all the time. Being in and around animals and the watercourse on site can be dangerous though, so please ensure children are supervised at all times & that they are always respectful of the nature around them and never destructive - the ferns by the river and some of the rarer plants can be very old and need to be enjoyed by looking and not touching please!
Once the sun goes down (in glorious style on a clear night!) - you might be served with one of the best night’s skies you’ll have ever seen. On a good night, you can see so many stars and planets and the Milky Way is clear as day. Keep on watching and you’ll discover satellites, the International Space Station and very often you’ll see shooting stars too. There are a few different apps you can download and point at things and they will tell you what they are - it’s lots of fun! Ask about our infra-red wildlife camera and night vision binoculars if you really want to see what's going on too!
Staying here is like being a guest in the wildlife's habitat, so please understand you are invited into their space. If you stay quiet, you can see all sorts of things here! If you get any good photos - we love you to send them to us, so we can share!
Staying Wild is all about taking the time to stop, look and listen. If you’re in the right place at the right time, it’s usually just a matter of being really quiet, patient and blending into the scenery and the creatures will soon come out or start to catch your eye. You might see one of our lovely fox families or even have an up-close encounter with a Deer - truly gorgeous creatures! The resident Rabbits hop around all over the place, especially early in the morning, but if they see or hear you, they’ll quickly hop off home, flashing their lilly white tail right back at you. You might even catch sight of a badger, but you need to be very sly for that.
Never ever leave bags of rubbish or any food remains out at night, as they will be fighting over it as soon as the sun goes down - you have been warned!
Here are just some of the other creatures you might bump into if you simply tune in to what’s going on around you at the right time!...
In the Meadow:
You might hear Grasshoppers. See if you can find one! They make that noise by rubbing their back legs together, look closely and you’ll see. You might also start to hear other insects buzzing around. If you are near some wildflowers, you should hear or see the bees. There are actually many different types of bees around the farm, see if you can spot the differences between them. In our hives on site are the native Cornish Black Bee (Apis Melliflua Melliflua) but there are lots of other types around all the time too…
More insects you might come across are the Butterflies. Again, there are so many types - do you know your Red Admirals from your Cabbage Whites or your Gatekeepers? So many to see - keep your eyes out for Peacocks, Meadow Browns and Tortoiseshells too!
You will probably also hear a lot of squeaking in the grass - this will mostly likely be the resident Field Mice - a lot harder to spot, but they’re very noisy! Other similar creatures you might hear or spot out of the corner of your eye might be voles, other types of mice, rats, stoats or weasels, shrews or of course even moles.
Another great spot that are actually all around the site, but very timid and well camouflaged are the common lizards - the usual place to spot these will be as they bask in the sun, usually on rocks or logs. We even saw a European Wall Lizard once! Even more camouflaged and even harder to spot are the wild stick insects that populate the farm - they’re out there, I promise - we’ve seen a fair few now! Take a picture if you see one!
Also there are many frogs and Toads to be found all around the farm…..
In the Sky:
Direct your eyes and ears upwards and the patient amongst you will see or hear all kinds of bird-life here. We have a beautiful resident pair of Buzzards nesting in the trees. You’ll hear their distinct Eagle-Like cry as they glide effortlessly around the fields, looking for their next prey. Often found sitting atop the telegraph poles or trees. If you’re lucky, you might even see one swoop down and go in for the kill!
Also very prominent here are Wood-Pigeons, Magpies and Crows. You’ll also see the odd Seagull, but the Crows generally keep them at bay. Distinctive birds to listen out for are Cuckoos, Barn or Tawny Owls (mainly at night - you can hear them call to each other as they hunt) and the tap-tapping of the Wood-Peckers - we’ve seen the black/White and Red Great Spotted variety here and occasionally, the Green Woodpeckers too. They have a distinctive up and down flying style.
There are many smaller birds here too. Swallows, Tits, and Finches to name but a few. The Robins are a very interesting bird to watch - and around the site you will start to see how they operate - They each have their own small area of territory that they will guard very vocally and you can actually interact with them once you get to know them. They are very chirpy and will watch you like a hawk if you come into their zone! See if you can interact with one - they’re very inquisitive!
From time to time, other interesting birds will fly over, at certain times of the year you might see Geese in formation, honking as they go, or perhaps a pair of Heron, scouring the surface look for ponds and lakes to fish in - They’re huge and look a bit like a Pterodactyl! We’ve even had reports of groups of Red Kites very close by but not seen them yet. They are a large bird of prey, easy to spot by their red-brown body and forked tail. Saved from extinction and only recently re-introduced to England, they will be a fine spot if you do see them!
By the River & in the trees:
When you head down to the River, you’ll be greeted by a whole new array of wildlife. At certain times, the midges will be out in swarms and this attracts all sorts of animals. The dragonflies will scout up and down the river and hang out in the hedgerows nearby. There are quite a few in the UK and in Cornwall in particular - we’ve seen Brown Hawkers, Emperors and my personal favourite - the Golden Ringed Dragonfly - these are magnificent and the largest Dragonfly in the UK. Not to be mistaken for the smaller, usually thinner damselflies, which you will see here too, including occasionally some quite rare ones in the mix from time to time.
In the river itself, we’ve seen brown trout a few times. Our river is the very beginning of the River Cober. It’s part of a closed river system leading out to Looe Bar (a lovely place to go explore) and is the same river that flows through Helston Park. We think perhaps fish are even breeding here in places - there are ponds, but they’re quite well hidden at the moment. Other fish in the system are Roach, Perch and Sticklebacks. Of course when you’re near water and if you look closely enough, you’ll find for sure, frogs, toads and even newts - There are lots here! A recent survey has also discovered just down the river in the village, the River Shrew, which up until then were thought to be completely extinct in the area, so please try and take a photo if you see one of those here!
As it gets near dusk, keep your eyes to the sky. If you love bats as much as we do, you’ll be in for a real treat! Especially down by the river, they swoop around and gobble up all the insects they can, to keep them going for another night. They make some interesting noises too, but are very quiet! Don’t be alarmed by them, they are no harm to us at all and even though they might swoop quite close to you at times, their in-built radar will mean they’ll never hit you - they are probably the most agile flyers here - watch as they change direction so quickly to catch those insects. Bats have big appetites, as flying uses up a lot of energy!
Other than the array of wildlife mentioned above, there are lots more things you might come across here - just because we haven’t seen it here yet, it doesn’t mean it’s not here! We’re fairly sure with all the amphibians and rodents that there ought to be snakes - most probably grass-snakes, but maybe even adders too - we’ve seen one fairly locally - such a gorgeous creature - very timid and definitely more afraid of us than we were of it, but definitely something to be respected and admired from a distance if you do see one. If you’re REALLY lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of one of the big cats rumoured to live in the area, a Panther, Puma or a Lynx - you might even earn some money from the press if you get a good picture of the Beast of Carnkie!
We love all our resident wildlife here - if you manage to take a great picture - please be sure to send it on to us at edibletrail@gmail.com - we’ll feature some from time to time on our website and social media and if it’s really good, you might even get a prize! Good luck and happy snapping!
Things to do
Shops nearby:
Stithians CostCutter - TR3 7DP
Family Run Business with most essentials, good selection of Beers, Baker Tom’s bread etc
Bailey’s Country Store -TR10 8LA
Lovely High Quality Farm shop with interesting local food, drink and supplies
Asda - Penryn - TR10 9LY
Tesco Helston - TR13 8PJ
Sainsbury’s Helston - TR13 8BN
Morrisons Redruth - TR15 3NH
Waitrose Truro - TR1 1RH
Pubs and Cafes:
Wendron CC - Not currently open. The closest Pub, Walking distance
The Halfway House - A little further walk - Not currently open
Golden Lion - Lovely sunday lunch & menu, take away options available. Next to Stithians Lake - Kids area and stunning beer garden. Best pub near here.
Wild Vibes Cafe - At Stithians lake
Slice of Cornwall - lovely rural cafe & gardens
Muddy Beach Cafe Penryn - great for breakfast - pre-book at the moment.
Falmouth has many lovely pubs, restaurants and cafes. Gylly Beach Cafe/Pub is a nice spot. Harbour Lights is the best Chippy & a couple of decent Italians/pizza places at event’s Square.
Stalls, Huts & Honesty Boxes:
Curtis Veg Hut - in our Village (Currently a Red Gazebo) - good selection of local fruit and veg. Baker Tom’s deliveries every Wednesday and Saturday - Pre-order by 11am the previous day.
In the village, Brian and Pam sell their fresh eggs - if the sign is covered - no eggs. If it’s uncovered, knock the door to be served.
There are several other honesty boxes in the village & surrounding - fresh veg, jams & all sorts!
Beaches:
Perranporth - North Coast, huge beach, good for surfing - bar on the beach!
Praa Sands - beautiful massive beach, great for kids + rockpooling. Paddle boarding, Kayaking
Church Cove - stunning location
Kynance Cove - bit of a walk down but well worth it - gorgeous location
Gylly Beach - Falmouth Town beach - clean, good for swimming, paddleboarding + cafe.
Swanpool - also in Falmouth, good for kayaking + small cafe
Maenporth - A little further along the road, lovely local beach. Park right on the beach
Godrevy (nr St Ives) & Gwithian - just beautiful!
St. Ives
Family Attractions etc:
Heartlands - The SW’s largest free adventure playground & mining heritage centre + events
Tehidy Woods - some lovely walks here & feed the tame squirrels!
Kimberly Park - Beautiful park in Falmouth. Great for kids & Adults + Table Tennis tables!
Mount Pleasant Eco Park - Check it out - all sorts
Stithians Lake - Watersports plus Cafe - kayaking, windsurfing, kids play park.
Cycle Tracks, Bissoe, mining trails
Helston Park (& Skate Park) and Boating Lake & Walk to Looe Bar (Cafe on way)
St Michael’s Mount - popular place to visit.
Falmouth Maritime Museum - something to do inside
Flambards Helston - Popular Venue for tourists, theme park & Victorian Village.
Soft Plays if you need them! - “1 to 11” Helston - “Raze the Roof Penryn”
BF Adventure & Kernow Adventure Park are just up the road from here.
Healey’s Cider Farm - Good day out for kids & adults!
Seal Sanctuary at Gweek
Pendennis Castle, Falmouth
Ships & Castles Swimming Pool Falmouth
The Tate Museum St.Ives
Gardens:
Trebah Garden
Glendurgan Garden
Lost Gardens of Heligan
Trelissick
A Little Further Afield:
Hidden Valley Discovery Park - Launceston
The Eden Project
Lands End - visitor centre, carious events & food etc.
Lappa Valley - Steam Train Theme Park
Newquay Zoo
Royal Cornwall Museum
Hendra Water Park Newquay
Toilets Showers Electric hook ups Ice block freezing Wifi Pets welcome Bus service Local taxi's Local shops Near to sports facilities Local pub
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Toilets
Showers 
Electric hook ups 
Ice block freezing 
Wifi 
Pets welcome 
Bus service 
Local taxi's 
Local shops 
Near to sports facilities 
Local pub 
Email
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