Best Group Activities in Cornwall

Cornwall’s range of adventures in the great outdoors takes some beating. The coast is Cornwall’s biggest draw, with hundreds of sandy and unspoilt beaches sporting Blue Flag status, and seaside towns famous for their water sports. If you’re after a more sedate day out, Cornwall has plenty of those too. For foodies, there are foraging trips, cooking classes and wine tastings. Not to mention some superb restaurants and cosy traditional pubs to try. If you’re a crafty bunch, you’ll love the workshops that turn Cornwall’s glut of natural resources into everything from candles to perfume. And if it’s unique and alternative attractions that float your boat, there is everything from quirky one-off museums to spooky overnighters in historical buildings. While you’re on one of our luxury villa holidays you’ll have lots of group activities in Cornwall to keep you entertained.

1. Taste award-winning Cornish wine at Trevibban Mill Vineyard

If you’ve never tried English wine, this is the place to do it. Get yourself to the Trevibban Mill Vineyard to taste the award-winning wine produced in a typically picturesque Cornish setting. Whistle-stop afternoon tours take around 90 minutes and cover the vineyard, winery and a tasting session with half a dozen wines. Sign up for the grand tour and you’ll take a leisurely, guided stroll through the vineyard and orchard, as well as a tour around the lake. All the walking is rewarded with a tasting of seven wines and a platter of lunch treats.

2. Learn to paddleboard with WeSup

If you’ve ever fancied SUP, you won’t find many places better for giving it a try than the bay of Gylly Beach. As one of the UK’s safest and cleanest, not to mention prettiest, stretches of sea, the turquoise waters of the bay are the ideal backdrop for water sports and home to paddle-boarding experts WeSup. One-to-one lessons and group introductory classes are both available, covering everything from the basics of staying on your feet right through to navigating bumpy waters. The team say most people can paddle around the bay after just one lesson. If you’re already a pro paddleboarder, WeSup rents out top-rate equipment and even offer paddleboard yoga classes.

3. Stay overnight at Bodmin Jail

With a history dating back to 1779, the walls of Bodmin Jail have some dark and fascinating stories to tell. As well as being a historical place of imprisonment and execution, the jail held state papers in wartime and has even kept the Crown Jewels safe. Take a tour of the cells and look out through the barred windows that caged prisoners in-between their stints of hard labour. If you’ve got nerves of steel, you can explore the jail after dark.  The experience includes a three-course meal and a unique exploration of the past that ends with your release at 5 am.

4. Clock dolphins, whales and grey seals with Marine Discovery Penzance

Few places can rival the diversity of the marine wildlife on Cornwall’s west coast, and boat trips with the team at Marine Discovery Penzance are the ultimate way to discover them. No more than 12 people are aboard this sailing catamaran for any trip, which makes for a spacious journey with loads of room to move around for 360-degree views. Dolphins, whales and grey seals all live in these waters, so it’s not just bird-spotting you’ll be doing. And you can do it all with a clear conscience. The team behind the trips have won awards for being environmentally responsible. 

5. Forage and feast with Fat Hen Cookery School

Named one of the best UK foraging courses by Countryfile, the Fat Hen has some pretty impressive endorsements. If you want to find out for yourself how it scored a place in the BBC show’s top 10, sign up for its forage, cook and feast experience. You’ll head out into the beautiful Cornish countryside where you’ll be taught how to find edible treasures safely and within the law. You’ll then head back to Fat Hen HQ to find out how to turn your finds into lunch. During the session, you’ll make the likes of seaweed poached mackerel, leek gnocchi or shellfish and samphire risotto. And also be introduced to skills relating to the preparation of fish or game, such as butchering a rabbit.

6. Learn to make perfume at Green Cart Farm

Stepping into the old-world apothecary at Green Cart Farm is like taking a trip back in time. Glass globes and bottles dressed in vintage labels are stacked to the ceiling, each filled with the homegrown ingredients used in the farm’s all-natural, organic candles and cosmetics. From lavender to plant wax, everything used in these products is grown and made on the farm itself. And the people behind it are itching to show you how. Sign up for one of their workshops and learn first-hand how to make perfume, soap and candles, and take home your creation. If you’re really serious, take the two-day perfumery course. The course covers all sorts, from steam distillation and alcohol distraction to scent blending and bottling.

7. Discover Poldark country with Koru Kayaking

From picturesque coastlines to scenic inland waterways, Cornwall’s landscape is prime kayaking territory. Guided kayaking tours are the best way to take in the natural beauty of the area, as they open up some of the more remote corners for exploring. Join the team at Koru Kayaking for a two-hour adventure to see some of the best vistas from the water. Choose from a tour of Trevaunance Cove, nicknamed ‘Poldark country’ for inspiring the TV drama, or Frenchman’s Creek, near Falmouth. Ideal for groups, the kayaking trips can take as many as eight people on four tandem kayaks.

Ready to book a group break in Cornwall? Discover the best of England’s southwestern tip in our guide to Cornwall and check out our full collection of luxury Cornish villas. Our awesome concierge team are on standby to help you with anything and everything!