Things to do in Millbrook

Cornwall’s famous coastline is the real draw for many who travel to the South West year-on-year to experience the wonderful sandy beaches, clamber among the natural landscapes and soak up those scenic views.

Millbrook on Cornwall’s southern coast combines all the best bits of the Duchy into one packed holiday: an excellent coastline, parkland and wildlife lake; beautiful countryside, nearby city for an escape; opportunities for water sports, land and sky activities; venturing around historical houses and wonderful walking and cycling routes.

Read on to discover our guide to some of the best things to do in Millbrook during your stay in Cornwall.

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About

The beaches

Activities

National Trust houses

Accommodation

Food and drink

Torpoint and Plymouth

About the village:

Right in the centre of the protected Rame Peninsula AONB is the typically Cornish village of Millbrook. Due to its unique location, this town is less than 4 miles from the coast in any direction – perfect for seaside holidays!

The town itself is perched on the edge of a fantastic lake, home to a variety of waterfowl including cormorants, little egrets, black-tailed godwits, redshank and dunlin, and the surrounding 17-acre green space welcomes nature and has open areas for picnics and a game of football out on the grass.

The beaches:

The Millbrook coast on the Rame Peninsula has a wealth of sandy beaches for visitors to explore. Head to the coast to take in breathtaking views and sink your feet in the sandy shore.

Cawsand Bay is well-known for its turquoise waters – chances are you’ve seen photos of this beautiful Cornish destination before, complete with kayaks drifting out into the shallows or yachts on the horizon. The shingle beaches of Cawsand and neighbouring Kingsand Bay are just over 2 miles from Millbrook: these adjoining villages welcome visitors with wonderful boutiques and cafes to stop by during your day at the beach.

Less than 3 miles from Millbrook you can also discover Tregantle Beach, sheltered by high rocky cliffs where you can drop by the cliff-top café or explore the fine white sand shore. Just under 4 miles takes you to Whitsand Bay, where there are 3 miles of sand for you to explore. Reached by steep paths winding through greenery, this beautiful bay is considered one of Cornwall’s hidden gems.

The activities:

We’ve already mentioned sailing and kayaking opportunities and there’s also the chance for golfing, sea swimming and cycling in the area. But the top reasons people travel to the Rame Peninsula has to be for the paragliding, diving and rare chance to catch some South Cornwall surf.

Freathy at Whitsand Bay is prime paragliding location where heights enthusiasts can jump off the cliffs and soar over the sea. Another top spot is the fantastic Rame Head, part of the Rame Peninsula Heritage Coast and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

As for scuba diving, in the waters of this protected section of the coast you’ll find the sunken remains of the HMS Scylla, an old army ship which become the first artificial reef in the UK. It was purposefully sent down into the murky depths to complement another popular reef site, James Eagan Layne, a liberty ship that was torpedoed during WWII and that has become well-known for its excellent diving prospects.

Those of you who enjoy surfing may not expect to catch a wave down on the southern Cornish shores, but you’d be surprised. Whitsand Bay is one of the rare spots on the south coast suitable for surfing with Adventure Bay Surf School offering surfing hire, surfing lessons and coasteering experiences for families and adult groups. Other beaches along Cornwall’s south coast that are suitable for surfing include Praa Sands and Porthcurno.

The National Trust houses:

For pleasant days spent wondering through manicured gardens and investigating the long history of old families in the area, stop by either Cotehele or Anthony – both beautiful National Trust-owned properties.

The old Tudor house of Cotehele has four floors filled with oddities and objects of interest. The Edgecumbe family owned it for 600 years and, in more recent years, preserved the house for its historical interest rather than as a family home, which is why the place is filled with intriguing artefacts.

By contrast, Anthony is still a family home to the Carew family who have lived here for over 600 hundred years. It provided the backdrop to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and you can still see the giant caterpillar sat on the lawn, delve through a ‘rabbit hole’ into an oversized garden, or play a game of croquet or giant chess. The interior of this historic property is filled with a remarkable collection of portraits as well as period furniture, textiles, tapestries and sculptures.

The accommodation:

Stay by the seaside or in the centre of this delightful Cornish village with one of our Millbrook cottages. We have retreats for couples in need of a chance to get away from it all and family-friendly holiday homes within walking distance of the fantastic Whitsand Bay.

The food and drink:

In Millbrook village, you’ve got the small and unassuming Bar Tusker, the fish and chip shop called Posh Nosh, the quaint Honey Room Café, and for those that enjoy Indian-style dishes, Millbrook Indian Restaurant and Takeaway is in the centre of the village.

Further afield, there’s a stylish Whitsand Bay restaurant called The Vault Restaurant and Bar, a second delightful coastal restaurant that’s perched on Whitsand’s cliffs, named The View, and a classic country pub in the village next door to Millbrook, St John’s Inn.

Torpoint and Plymouth:

Cobbled together on the banks of the River Tamar is the town of Torpoint. It’s perched opposite Plymouth, with views across the water to this Devonian city, and you can get the Torpoint Ferry across to Plymouth for a day out. The three ferries that operate are chain ferries, meaning they are pulled themselves across the river using fixed chains which lie across the riverbed – there are only a few chain ferries left in the UK making this a unique way to travel.

Once you make it across to Plymouth there is much to keep you entertained with family-friendly attractions, the Hoe, shops, pubs and bars, and green open spaces to visit. Head to the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth Pavilions, Drake Circus, Saltram House and Park, Smeaton, or even take a trip 10 miles from Plymouth across to Dartmoor Zoo.

For more on Millbrook and the beautiful Rame Peninsula, take a look at our Millbrook Holidays page. Inspired by Millbrook? Book one of our amazing cottages.

Want to discover more of the wonderful Cornish south coast? Delve into our information page on South Cornwall Holidays. 

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