Family-friendly things to do at Cotehele

Girl playing with wooden horse with Christmas trees in background — Girl playing with wooden horse at Cotehele Mill, Cornwall | © National Trust / Steven Haywood

Discover all the things to do on a family day out to Cotehele. Explore the garden and orchards and head out on an adventure around the estate. Find out what family-friendly events are coming up and how best to plan your day out at Cotehele with children in mind.

Planning your family visit to Cotehele

Free entry for under 5s
Baby-changing facilities in most toilets
Buggy-friendly route around the garden, quay and towards Cotehele Mill
Play area by the Cherry Orchard and at Cotehele Quay
Children’s menu available within the Barn Cafe
Pocket money gifts and children’s books available in the shop
Please take extra care around Cotehele Quay, the pond dipping area at the quay and the ponds within the Upper Garden and Valley Garden.

Family fun at Cotehele this Christmas

A Family Christmas at Cotehele Mill

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 23 November - 22 December and then daily from 23 December - 5 January (closed 25 - 26 December), 11am - 3.30pm. Free entry.

Follow the festive lights along the stream to find Cotehele Mill tucked within the Morden Valley. The mill will be decorated in traditional Victorian style and you’ll be able to discover how families like the Langsfords, who lived at Cotehele Mill, celebrated Christmas in those times.

Head to the first floor for toys to play with, costumes to adorn yourselves in and craft activities to complete.

Night Before Christmas Family Trail

23 November - 5 January (closed 25 - 26 December). The trail is free but normal admission charges apply.

Enjoy a free family trail as you explore the garden, estate and mill at Cotehele this Christmas. Recreate the magic of the night before Christmas in the garden, help Father Christmas call out all his reindeer on the winter lights walk between Cotehele Quay and Cotehele Mill and round up all the cheeky mice who have hidden our Christmas pudding ingredients around the mill. Please note: Cotehele Mill is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 23 November - 22 December and then daily from 23 December - 5 January (closed 25 - 26 December).

Carols by the Christmas tree

30 November, 7 and 14 December, 1 - 1.45pm. Normal admission charges apply.

Wrap up warm and get into the festive spirit with sing-a-long carols by the tree with various local groups performing.

Find out more

Let's Wassail!

21 December, starts at 11am. Free event.

Come join us for our annual wassail as we attempt to scare away the evil spirits from the orchard to ensure a bumper crop for the year ahead. Dressing up and noisy instrutments encouraged.

Find out more

Walkers along the festoon lit path towards Cotehele Mill — Children playing in the autumn leaves | © Trevor Ray Hart

What to look out for 2025

Take part in an Easter trail at Cotehele

5 - 21 April 2025, 10am - 4pm. Normal admission charges apply, plus £3.50 per trail.

Join us for an Easter adventure at Cotehele. Discover our family-friendly trail with fun activities for across the ten activity stations dotted around the garden. Complete the trail and earn your chocolate reward at the end (both dairy and vegan and Free From options available).

50 things to do before you’re 11¾

Cotehele is the perfect place for ticking off some of your ’50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾.’ There are plenty of things to try at Cotehele, whatever the weather. Here are just a few:

No. 4 Build a den

Gather large sticks and create a secret hideaway. Our favourite spot for building dens is by the Cherry Orchard play area.

No. 33 Go cloud watching

With imagination you can create whole worlds from the shapes you see in the sky. Any spot at Cotehele is great for doing this, we like lying on the grass slopes by the bowling green.

No. 48 Keep a nature diary

Bring along some scrap paper and colouring pencils and keep a diary of the things you have discovered. What did you touch? What can you hear? Draw the wildlife you spotted on your adventures around Cotehele.