Things to see & do

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What's on

Orchard Officer Chris Groves teaches two grafting enthusiasts how to graft an apple tree at our Graft, Sow and Grow event on Cotehele Quay, Cotehele, Cornwall © TVCotehele

Whether you're looking for something fun to do with the family or just a quiet day out, we have a variety of events, workshops and activities all season long in our house, gardens and down by the river on the quay.

For groups

Historian Stephen Docksey leads a group around the exterior of Cotehele House, Cornwall © TVCotehele

Visiting us as a group is easy and fun. Please take a look at our groups leaflet for some basic information and get in touch to arrange the perfect day out for you and your party.

Don't miss

  • Our 'Life in the Past Lane' exhibition in the house
  • CSI Fridays in school holidays
  • Shamrock, our 1899 Tamar sailing barge on the quay
  • Verdant woods and vast countryside
  • The oldest domestic clock still in its original position
  • Our 16th-century dovecote

50 things to do before you're 11 3/4

Swing, climb and run

Girl swinging up to the sky © NTPL/NTPL/Ian Shaw
  • Swing on a rope swing
  • Climb a tree
  • Balance on a fallen tree
  • Find your way with a map and compass
  • Find a geocache
  • Run around in the rain

 

Hunt and forage

Dipping in the pond Cotehele, Cornwall © Lee Searle
  • Discover what’s in a pond
  • Dam a stream
  • Skim a stone
  • Find some frogspawn
  • Eat an apple straight from a tree
  • Eat blackberries growing in the wild

 

Camp, build and fly

Family camping weekend, Cornwall © NTPL/National Trust Images/John Millar
  • Camp out in the wild - download more details
  • Build a den
  • Hunt for bugs
  • Light a fire without matches
  • Cook on a campfire
  • Fly a kite