Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The Cornwall AONB isn't a single site you tick off a list - it's the whole bloody landscape. From the moorland around Bodmin down to the coast, this protected area covers over 900 square kilometres of proper countryside that actually feels wild rather than manicured. You're looking at granite tors, deep wooded valleys, rolling farmland, and cliffs that drop straight into the sea. The thing about an AONB designation is it means development gets heavily restricted, so you're seeing Cornwall more or less as it's been for decades.

Walkers absolutely live for this. The terrain varies wildly depending where you pitch up - Bodmin Moor itself is exposed and windswept, brilliant for spotting kestrels and getting that sense of space, while the river valleys further south are sheltered and wooded. If you're dragging kids along, they'll get more out of the accessible spots like Golitha Falls or Dozmary Pool than they will standing on a ridge in the rain.

There's no gate fee because it's not a managed attraction - you're exploring designated countryside. Time depends entirely on what you fancy. A quick two-hour walk on Bodmin Moor takes an afternoon; properly exploring the valleys could eat up days.

Stay at Camp De Lank, which sits right within the AONB boundary just west of Bodmin. From there you've got instant access to moorland walks, and you're close enough to reach the coastal cliffs within half an hour's drive. It's the ideal base for actually living within the landscape rather than just driving through it.