16 amazing things to do on Bodmin Moor in 2026
Are you wondering what are the best things to do on Bodmin Moor? It’s an underrated part of Cornwall to visit – let’s delve into them!
I’ve travelled through Bodmin Moor hundreds of times on trips to and from Cornwall. It’s between where I live (Devon) and where my family live (Redruth/ Camborne).
A few years ago, I realised that while I’m always visiting Cornwall’s beaches, I’d never properly stopped on the moor. Since, I’ve often cut my trips to the west of Cornwall up and taken in some of the Bodmin Moor attractions on the way!
Bodmin Moor is wild and at times inhospitable. Sitting at around 250 metres above sea level, the weather’s often completely different than a few miles down the road at the beach. Grey clouds collect and the wind can be strong – but that almost adds to the mythical atmosphere.
Get Bodmin Moor on a good day, and it’s a dream for hiking, picnicking, wild swimming and exploring!
Things to do on Bodmin Moor
Whether you want to hike, do watersports, learn about history or just enjoy the scenery, there are loads of things to do on Bodmin Moor. Let’s get into them!
1. Climb Brown Willy (Bronn Wennili)
While the name often elicits sniggers, it’s actually the Anglicisation of Bronn Wennili,which means “Hill of Swallows”. There have been campaigns to change the name!
Brown Willy is Cornwall’s highest peak at 420 metres, and you can summit it from a few different directions. Rough Tor Car Park is the easiest, which serves Cornwall’s second highest hill, Rough Tor. More on that below!
Most tourists climb both hills at the same time, but it will take you two hours if you just want to climb Brown Willy.
2. Climb Rough Tor
Rough Tor (“rough” is pronounced row like cow) is Cornwall’s second-highest point. Again, the easiest place to climb it from is Rough Tor Car Park.
There are a few routes to the top of the tor; when we climbed it, we enjoyed roaming around the area and gradually making our way to the summit! While it was a warm, sunny day, it was very windy at the top. It took us around 1.5 hours to climb to the top at a leisurely pace and back down.
If you want to hike Rough Tor and Brown Willy, it’ll take around three hours.
3. Walk past Golitha Falls
Sitting on the southern edge of the moor, Golitha Falls is enchanting. The River Fowey babbles through temperate rainforest, where lichen carpets the boulders and ferns wrap around tree trunks.
There are a few walks available: the Red Route is a short circular walk of around a mile, and the Yellow Route continues further to the main falls.
We stopped here on the way to Newquay once for a quick leg-stretcher. There’s also the popular Inkie’s Smokehouse, a grill and cafe, who provide free car parking. If they’re open, do pop in to buy something to say thankyou!
See my full guide to Golitha Falls here.
4. See Helman Tor
Technically Helman Tor sits just outside Bodmin Moor proper – it’s close to Lanivet – but I think it’s worth a mention!
At 209 metres, it’s lower than Rough Tor or Brown Willy, but the views are honestly some of the best in mid-Cornwall. On a clear day you can see both coastlines from the summit!
It’s managed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve, and it’s now part of the newly designated Mid Cornwall Moors National Nature Reserve, with beavers reintroduced to the wetlands nearby.
There’s a logan stone at the top too – a large flat rock that’s said to rock when pushed, though I haven’t tried it myself!
The car park is a bit rough underfoot, so watch your car’s clearance, and expect cattle roaming freely if you visit – keep dogs under close control.
5. Have a pint at Jamaica Inn
There are few places as iconic in Cornwall as Jamaica Inn. It’s the pub that inspired Daphne Du Maurier’s book, called by the same name, and it’s a historic inn that was used for hiding contraband that was smuggled in the UK.
Before the A30 travelled through the moor, it was very difficult to reach its centre, which made Jamaica Inn a prime hiding spot for illicit goods!
Nowadays, it’s a lot easier to access and a lot less illicit. There’s a pub serving great value grazers, light dishes and mains; my partner loves the fish and chips!
There’s also a smuggling museum and a Daphne Du Maurier Museum, AND you can stay in the inn if you so desire!
6. Kayak on Siblyback Lake
Run by the South West Lakes Trust, Siblyback Lake is a popular spot for watersports in the summer months, and gentle walks out of season.
You can rent a paddleboard or kayak from here, and there’s also a cafe on-site. Unfortunately when I recently visited I arrived a bit too late and everything was closed, but I enjoyed seeing the lake itself!
Siblyback Lake is also a recognised Go Stargazing site. Bodmin Moor is a dark sky reserve thanks to its lack of light pollution, and Siblyback Lake is one of the best places to stargaze here!
I spent an evening here looking up at the skies recently – granted, my astrology knowledge is limited to checking my horoscope on Nebula but I think I spotted Orion’s Belt!
7. Trek to The Hurlers
Near the village of Minions (no relation to the cartoon, although there used to be Minions on the welcome sign!), you’ll find The Hurlers.
This is a Bronze Age triple stone circle, and according to local legend they were once men playing on a Sunday, who were then petrified as it was a sin!
I parked at the free Minions Car Park when I visited and walked around 10 minutes to reach The Hurlers. Just a bit further up is The Cheesewring.
8. Spot The Cheesewring
Around a half hours walk from The Hurlers, you’ll find The Cheesewring. This is a granite rock stack balanced on a hillside.
I didn’t walk all the way up to the Cheesewring; instead, I meandered through the landscape around Minions where there are some abandoned engine houses from when mining was an active industry in the area.
Minions is also the highest village in Cornwall, although there’s not much here!
9. Swim in Goldiggins Quarry
Goldiggins Quarry is a wild swimming spot also in the Minions area.
It was a chilly early May day when I visited so I didn’t take a dip, but I walked to the edge – it’s around ten minutes from The Hurlers.
People do cliff jump here – I personally wouldn’t because I nearly got seriously injured cliff jumping once, and I’d advise not to without having thorough knowledge of the rocks and depth of the water.
Wild swimming is popular, but of course, as with anywhere it’s crucial to be aware of cold water and risks of swimming outside!
10. Birdwatch at Colliford Lake
Colliford Lake is Cornwall’s largest, and has an area of 900 acres. It sits just south of Jamaica Inn, and is a popular birdwatching spot – particularly in the winter, you’ll find species like goldeneye, wigeon, lapwing and snipe. Brown trout fishing is also available at the lake!
Colliford Lake is home to Kerdroya, a 56-metre-wide labyrinth that’s meant to represent Cornwall’s landscape. There’s a 750 metre path to the centre of the labyrinth with views of the lake.
11. Feel enlightened at Dozmary Pool
Of everywhere on this list, Dozmary Pool might be the most atmospheric. It’s a small, still lake near Bolventor, not far from Jamaica Inn, and it’s steeped in legend!
This is one of the spots said to be where Sir Bedivere returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake, after King Arthur was mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlann. It’s also connected to the ghost story of Jan Tregeagle, a much-hated 17th-century magistrate condemned to empty the “bottomless” pool using nothing but a limpet shell with a hole in it. Locals say you can still hear him howling across the moor on stormy nights.
There are a lot of cows on the road leading down, which freaked me out a bit (they didn’t seem to want to move for my car!), but I managed to weave my way through and parked at the edge of the lake. It was a calm day, with nobody else around – and I could see how the legends have taken hold here!
12. Go back in time at Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Quoit is a Neolithic portal tomb, also known as a dolmen. Dating back to around 3700–3300 BC, it consists of five upright stones and a larger stone resting on the top.
It doesn’t look that dramatic initially, but when you consider how old it is, it’s actually one of Cornwall’s best preserved ancient monuments!
Trethevy Quoit is one mile from St Cleer, not too far from Minions.
13. See the highest church in Cornwall at St Breward
St Breward is home to Cornwall’s highest church; there’s also a pub called The Old Inn which has been operating for 200 years.
Also in the village, there’s St Breward’s Well. Local legend states that if you offer pins to the well, it will cure sore eyes!
14. Be entranced at King Arthur’s Hall
King Arthur’s Hall (very different to the building and experience in Tintagel!) is another megalithic ruin on Bodmin Moor, close to St Breward’s. Little is known about the circle, but it’s thought to date from the Neolithic or early Bronze Age.
You can read more about other ruins and stone circles in Cornwall here.
15. Hike all (or part of) The Smugglers’ Way
This is a long distance hiking trail that runs between Boscastle and Looe. It’s around 38 miles and travels directly across the moorland. You could stop in Jamaica Inn and Liskeard.
It’s not officially waymarked, so I’d only recommend attempting it if you’re confident about navigation here.
16. Explore The Copper Trail
The Copper Trail is a 60 mile walk around the whole moorland, passing The Hurlers stone circles, Trethevy Quoit, Brown Willy, Rough Tor and Colliford Lake. It was created to take in the moors mining heritage and history and takes roughly 6-8 days to hike.
Bodmin town is down the road and also well worth a visit. Click here to see the best things to do in Bodmin, and here for my post on the fascinating Bodmin Jail!
