We usually have to arrange accommodation for our trips at the last minute, just in case, Dan gets booked for a directing gig. So it’s not often we find somewhere that’s both unique and affordable. Ekopod, on the other hand, is both.

Nestled in five acres of wildflower meadows and woodland on the edge of Bodmin moor, Ekopod is a delightful collection of geodomes and boutique tents each made private by the surrounding vegetation. The domes and tents each have a kingsize bed (complete with white sheets and towels), a wood-burning stove and all the accoutrements you’d expect to find in a hotel but without the brick walls. The ethos at Ekopod is to provide a relaxing way for guests to get close to nature, enjoy starry skies and outside adventures but with more luxury and ease than a standard camping trip allows.

Back in August, we spent a couple of nights in the ‘Kensa’ bell tent (due to be replaced by a geodome next summer). The bed was super comfortable and the wood-burner was a welcome treat when the cool night air rolled in. We primarily used candles for lighting, which only made it more romantic. There’s electricity available in the communal barn along with fridge freezer, cooking supplies, toilets, shower and an honesty shop.

We hope to return early 2020, for a joint birthday break, We fell in love with the geodomes during our visit and have dreamt of staying in one ever since.

“Ekopod is perfectly located to be your base for exploring the many attractions of Cornwall and North Devon. From subtropical gardens to surfing, it is no clichéd exaggeration to say that Cornwall has something for everyone.”

Trebarwith Strand

We took an evening stroll on our first night, down to nearby Trebarwith Strand in search of food. It was high-tide and the sun had almost set. It was there that we noticed a large crowd of people gathered by the water. I joined them on a nearby rock, and watched, transfixed, as free-spirited silhouettes jumped from the clifftops, one after another, down into the waves below. I’m not sure if it was just the locals having a bit of fun or more of an orchestrated exercise for the local life-saving club but the feeling of community evident that evening was heartwarming to behold.

Colliford Lake

We visited Colliford Lake on a bit of a whim. I had done a bit of Google image search of places nearby and stumbled across a photograph of some twisted black tree stumps emerging from a calm lake. Dan, being the bolster that he is for all my artist whims, plugged the location in the sat-nav and off we went. What we found did not disappoint.

As we drove to our next destination, we found ourselves passing through Bodmin Moor (a place I used to go quite often during holidays as a kid) where we were greeted by a herd of wild ponies in all manner of colours, shapes and sizes.

St Nectan’s Glen

Saint Nectan’s Glen is considered to be a hallowed place where the river Trevillet carves through centuries-old Devonian slate to create an impressive sixty-foot waterfall. The cascading water has since formed a hole in the original kieve and now flows into a serene woodland valley. You can wade out barefoot to the base of the waterfall if you wish to get a little closer, alternatively, the staff can loan out wellies but we opted for the former to fully immerse ourselves in the experience.

“Saint Nectan’s Kieve is to some a sacred place, and numerous ribbons, crystals, photographs, inscriptions, prayers and other devotions now adorn the foliage and rock walls near the waterfall.

Many myths and legends, from King Arthur and his knights to ghostly sightings, surround this place: but one undeniable fact is that it is a place of outstanding natural beauty.”

I highly recommend this place to any fellow nature-lover but advise timing your visit to avoid the tourist season. It can get quite crowded down in the base of the waterfall especially. In that respect, we were quite unfortunate on the day we visited but we thoroughly enjoyed the scenery all the same.

Boscastle

A friend from work recommended we visit Boscastle during our stay and she was not wrong to. This picturesque fishing village is everything you could want from a coastal cornish wander with it’s cute bobbing boats, colourful cottages and well tended window boxes. We even managed to spot a couple of seals swimming about in the harbour.

“Boscastle’s blow-hole beneath Penally Point is often called the Devil’s Bellows. It can be seen thumping and snorting about an hour either side of low tide, blowing a horizontal waterspout halfway across the harbour entrance if the conditions are right.”

Tintagel Castle

Only five miles south-west of Boscastle sits the infamous remains of Tintagel Castle. Steeped in legend and mystery it is said to be the birthplace of King Arthur. We first came here together back in 2015 and it has since undergone the installation of a new footbridge to connect both parts of the medieval ruin.

The Tintagel Castle Bridge is made from steel and local slate. A feat in engineering, the structure spans a whopping sixty metres with a one hundred and ninety metre drop beneath it. Due to it’s design, there is a small gap in the middle of the bridge for thermal expansion but it also gives the brave a sneaky peek at the rocky floor below.

Polzeath Beach

After a bit of a lie-in and a leisurely check out at Ekopod, we headed back to the coast. The last day of this trip was reserved for a much anticipated surf at our favourite Cornish beach.