Enjoy and Easter Break at Broomhill Manor

Len Goodman and Jake Wood at Broomhill Manor

Rock-Climbing-with-Shoreline-Extreme-Sports S

If your kids are anything like ours, by the time the Easter holidays come round they are shattered and really glad of the break!

Easter is the first long holiday of the year and an ideal time to experience all that Cornwall has to offer!

The days are getting longer and warmer, all the local attractions are open and it is a great value time of year to take a family holiday. And if you are staying at Broomhill Manor on Easter Sunday, you are invited to the Annual Easter Egg Hunt!

Now in its 11th year, the Broomhill Manor Easter Egg Hunt has become somewhat of a tradition and your children will love combing the grounds of Broomhill Manor for Easter goodies – hopefully not too much chocolate to put them off Sunday lunch! (Too much chocolate?? Is there such a thing?!)

And when the chocolate is gone, there are all the on-site facilities to enjoy – everything is open (other than the outdoor pool – still a bit chilly for that, even though it is heated!) – including horse riding and the popular gymkhana.

The heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi, gym, sauna, spa treatments, bar and snooker room, provide enjoyment especially for the “grown-ups” and the Under 6’s playroom, outdoor play areas, table tennis, pool and table football are always popular with our younger visitors.

And for tennis fans, our recently resurfaced tennis court is ready and waiting for your ace serves! Not forgetting the In-Cottage Dining service to save you having to cook. It might be a self-catering cottage, but you need a holiday too!

Len Goodman visited Broomhill Manor recently for BBC One’s Holiday of My Lifetime, to help Jake Wood recreate his favourite childhood holiday!

Here’s Len’s “Se-ven” favourite things to do on holiday in Bude!

Enjoy a Cornish Pasty – as you would expect there are many opportunities to try this excellent local fayre – in fact the annual World Pasty Championships were recently held at the Eden Project on St Piran’s Day – 5^th March, with live music and entertainment from the Fisherman’s Friends, Seth Lakeman and Kernow King… and of course, lots of pasties!
Visit the Gnome Reserve – for a charming, if not slightly eccentric day out, visit the Gnome Reserve at Holsworthy just a few miles away, home to the largest collection of gnomes dotted around the 4 acre nature reserve and arranged in charming feature settings. You are even encouraged to wear a gnome hat of your own so you can really get in the mood! There’s also a picnic area where you can enjoy locally made cakes, sandwiches and ice creams from the Gnome Kitchen!
Ride out from Broomhill Manor Stables – unlike the early 80’s there is now a much greater emphasis on health and safety – not always a welcome addition in all areas, but certainly a good idea if you have never been on a horse before! At Broomhill Manor Stables, Helen caters for all ages and levels of experience and makes sure she matches the rider to the right horse. Beach rides are available – but only for the experienced rider!
Rent a Beach Hut – the Beach Huts at Summerleaze and Crooklets beaches are as much a part of Bude as is the fabulous coastline! The Beach Huts were even featured on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway last Saturday as one of their secret sofa locations! And this year you will be in for an even bigger treat, as they are all rebuilt for the 2016 season – many are already available providing a great base from which to enjoy your beach holiday and Bude’s famous Sea Pool. Book a Beach Hut via Visit Bude – for the inside track on local tourist information!
Go rock climbing – the rock formations and geology of Bude are fascinating and there are several local specialists that offer abseiling and rock climbing in Bude, including Shoreline Extreme Sports. Or if like Len, you prefer to appreciate the cliff face with your feet firmly on the ground, Dr Roger Higgs is an expert on Bude’s rock formations and runs regular guided tours starting at Bude’s Tourist Information Centre!
Hire a Horse and Carriage – if you are unfamiliar with Bude or want to see the town from a different perspective, how about a ride around the town in a traditional carriage. The tour starts at Bude Castle, travels sedately past a local coaching inn and features the Canal with its lovely waterside and coastal views before dropping you back at the Castle’s Limelight Café!
Taste the mystique of Cornwall – located high up on the wild Bodmin Moor, is Jamaica Inn. Built in 1750 as a Coaching Inn, it soon became known as a smugglers retreat for locally plundered contraband and was the inspiration for Daphne du Maurier’s famous tale of smugglers, rogues and pirates. Daphne took refuge there in 1930, having lost her way in a thick mist that came down as she was out riding on the moors. Just 30 minutes away by car, you can re-live the experience – there is also a Du Maurier museum there!

So there you have it – Len’s Seven – and that’s without even mentioning the enormous knickerbocker glory of local ice cream that Len and Jake each enjoyed as they recalled the favourite bits of their holiday in Bude!

If you are planning an Easter break in Cornwall, there is still time to see Jake Wood’s Holiday of My Lifetime on the BBC iPlayer – Episode 21, Series 2 – My Holiday of a Lifetime with Jake Wood