The Cornwall Blog

I thought this month I might focus in on one the areas of Cornwall I love. If you are  coming down here on holiday then I think people tend to head to the coast, and with good   reason, our coastline is world-class. However, I think if you head a little in land you can   get the best of both worlds. Take Camelford for example, it's ancient market town with a   real community feel. From here you are on the doorstep of the brooding Bodmin moor and  within easy reach of some of Cornwall's best beaches.  Ideal for walkers, you can ramble a plenty along the river Camel. The name having nothing to do with those desert-dwellers, 'Camelford' is believed to be derived from ‘cam’ meaning ‘crooked stream’ in Celtic, and ‘alan’ meaning ‘beautiful’ with ‘ford’. It lives up to its name, the river is beautiful cutting through the valley providing calming places to while away the day. Many believe that Camelford might be connected to legend's ...

At Steppes Farm Holiday Cottages and Livery Yard, their new 45m x 25m sand and rubber floodlit Riding Arena is ready for action, and it looks impressive! Steppes Farm is based in beautiful countryside and provide holiday cottages in Camelford. You can see from the photographs of the arena that the views are spectacular. They are based on the edge of Bodmin Moor, and get snowfalls in the Winter months. The Arena can be hired for private use and/or Dressage and Show Jumping Competitions, Training, Showing, Lecture Demos and Dog Training etc.. Lessons for children and adults can also be arranged with their Trainer. Children and adults can join the Sunday Club and come to learn about Stable Management as well as the actual riding. The perfect preparation for owning your own horse or pony! Their philosophy is to give confidence and pleasure, this applies to young and old, beginners or experienced riders. They can be contacted on 01840 212214.

My father in law is always telling me what goes on in Camelford, and, frankly, I didn’t really take much notice as it seemed to be out on a limb. But I went along and took a few photographs and was amazed by the architecture there. It really does have a lot of potential. The Tourist Information Centre supplied us with some details and history of the town and my wife put them together to make a Town Guide on the Eye on Cornwall website. If you are looking for more information on the town, drop into North Cornwall Museum, where the Tourist Information Centre is based.