1 Eden project. The world-class Eden Project is just seven miles away. As well as the amazing tropical and Mediterranean biomes, there’s a winter ice skating rink with child-friendly skate sessions. Eden Christmas festivities including an after-dark light show and the chance to met Father Christmas and his elves. There’s also the Santa Steam train in Bodmin or Heligan Christmas activities. For New Year, you could stay up to see Lostwithiel’s famous Giants stride down Fore Street too for a traditional Cornish New Year’s Eve.
2 Farmers Jenny and Ashlyn taking you and your children on animal feeding every morning except Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and changeover. There’s goats, hens, alpacas, ponies, guinea pigs and pigs to feed. We’ll see you in the animal barn at 9am sharp!
3 Wet weather options: there’s our toasty indoor pool, our play-barn (with a giant sandpit, table-tennis, pool and table football) and soft play (with bean-to-cup coffee and hot chocolates) well as daily newspapers and magazines.
4 Pigs – big and small – and if you’ve never run piglets into an apple orchard, well, you’ve never lived. This Christmas our cottage welcome tray includes sumptuous homemade chocolate brownies and we’re contemplating a ‘mini-boars and brownies’ morning crib in the courtyard!
5 Ways we harvest and use sustainable energy. We grow 7 acres of energy crop to heat our swimming pool (always 30C) and cottages; use photo-voltaic panels on barn roofs to convert sunshine into hot water, harness wind power through our two small wind turbines and provide beautifully fresh, clean borehole water in all our cottages.
6 Ponies plus farm cats. Ok we’re cheating slightly here, but it’s true – there are three gentle ponies to groom and ride (Beau, Joe and Ladybird) as well as three child-friendly farm cats (Atticus, Esme and Pip). If you like cats, you’re welcome to invite them in to your cottage for a cuddle. We’ve even seen Atticus chased around the courtyard by mini farmers carrying a plate of prawns!
Oh, and there’s also six centuries – that’s how far Tredethick’s history as a farm stretches back. Walk the fields where Royalists fought Roundheads and the Victorian Scantlebury family ploughed fields with Shire horses.
7 Friendly, curious pygmy goats. Children can hand feed them in the morning and they welcome visitors into their field for a play
8 Stylish, cosy cottages. Homemade brownies and Cornish apple juice on arrival, real decorated Christmas trees, log burners to burn our homegrown logs and plenty of child-friendly touches. Our stone cottages provide a luxurious, peaceful home for your week (or weekend) away, with plenty of child-friendly extras.
9 Fun fresh air activities. Little people (and big ones) need fresh air whatever the temperature. It makes those homemade chocolate brownies even more enjoyable! There are at least nine outdoor activities at Tredethick: a scavenger hunt through our 70 acres of private fields and woodland, walking to see the wind turbines close-up, animal feeding, pony rides, a football pitch, bike track, play park, going to see the goats and our stylish hot tub garden (it’s outside folks, it counts).
10 Amazing Cornish beaches within 20 mins drive: Polkerris, Menabilly, Lantic, Talland, Lantivet, Palace, Smugglers, Par, Porthpean. Who’s for a Christmas Day dip? No wetsuits allowed!
11 Mini-tractors, scooters and balance bikes on our farm-themed balance bike track. Safe and fun for developing early bike-handling skills.
12 Hens-a-laying. Children love to hand feed our flock of pure-breed chickens in the orchard, as well as taking home a freshly laid egg from the henhouse everyday. On Christmas Eve the chickens produce individual Christmas presents for every child. Those clever hens!
0. That’s not in the carol is it? But that’s number of additional costs here. Everything – activities, logs, cots, hot drinks etc – are included in the initial accommodation cost at Tredethick. All facilities are exclusively for our guests so it’s never too busy, it’s just a tranquil, beautiful, child-friendly backdrop for good quality family time.
