A 200-acre organic farm that takes sustainability very seriously, South Penquite is home not just to a handful of yurts and a couple of glamping pods, but also a farm education centre and a wealth of hands-on ways to learn about sustainable living. From using solar energy to rainwater harvesting, they've really got things covered. And absolutely everything is recycled – check out the roomy showers that are lined with psychedelic panels made from recycled yogurt pots and plastic bottles.
The yurts themselves have everything you need, with a mixture of proper beds and futon-style furnishings, so you'll be as happy here as a couple as you will with the whole family. And the yurts also have charming names to match their sizes, Daddy Bear sleeps five, Mummy Bear four, and Baby bear is a snug little yurt just for two. There are wood-burning stoves for heating, ample utensils for cooking, while the pod and log cabin have a different wood finish but similarly functional furnishings.
Campfires set the tone of the evenings here, and there’s a whopping amount of space to run around in. You’ll also be sharing the meadows with wandering turkeys, ducks and chickens – an endless source of entertainment for children, who also have a games barn, swings and a climbing frame to keep them occupied, shared with campers who can pitch their tents in a tiny campsite in an adjacent field.
The farm education centre is a fantastic resource for learning all about organic farming and the local environment, while the bushcraft courses they run will introduce the whole family to field skills such as den building and cooking on an open fire. They're all good skills to get you ready for adventuring on Bodmin Moor. South Penquite is less than a mile from the famous moorland, so there’s no shortage of good walking opportunities, including hiking up Brown Willy, Cornwall's highest hill. Even before you reach the moor, though, there are footpaths galore, with a farm trail right from your yurt-step that brings you face-to-face with sheep, cows and horses, while taking in disused quarries, prehistoric hut circles and the banks of the De Lank River.