Does anyone know this area very well? I’m off there with my young family in a couple of weeks and was wondering if there are any trails I could get around towing a trailer – and ideally tame enough for the wife to make it round. She’s not very experienced, so would like something that’s not going to scare her.

Do you mean Cardinham near Bodmin?

If so, then not at that site really, however about 2km away is the Lanhydrock site which has a much better set of trailer/novice friendly trails (not that Cardinham is ‘Gnarr’ though!).

Don’t know Cardinham but nearby is Lanhydrock which has some marked/graded trails. The green is deffo ok for a trailer, and from memory the two easier blues (the ones in the same area as the green) should be ok. I took nipper round last year on a weeride so wasn’t gauging the trails for a trailer.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock/features/cycle-the-trails-around-lanhydrock

llanhydrock is much more family friendly. good cafe and adventure playground too.

or the camel trail if you want a nice day out with fish&chips in padstein.

adventure playground

See how high you can flip the kids off the rubber mat 🙂

The trials at cardinham are better riding but less family friendly. But there is also a great cafe and some family friendly walks at Cardinham.

Perfect. Thanks for the info guys!! I’ll try to get out for an evening ride to Cardingham without the kids – and make a day of taking them to Llanhydrock.

The food in the Woods Cafe Cardinham is really good.

As above Lanhydrock is more friendly for family cycling and has free parking.

Out of interest – anything else you guys would recommend doing in that area to keep the kids/wife happy?

a visit to minions

Camel Trail to Padstow, take the wife and have nice fish & chips or mega pasties.

There’s a big farm thing for kids near Newquay, it’s great if the weather is rubbish and once you pay you get free entry for the week after.

The Newquay Sealife centre is pretty good too.

There’s some rather excellent beaches

Camel trail, beaches, coast path, fish and chips, ice cream, not necessarily in that order, keeps my wife and kids happy.

Thanks all!

Come down a bit further and you have some nice mineral tram ways, Coast to Coast and Great Flat Lode, ok for a burn with the family, Poldice on the Coast to Coast is ok for a bit of fun

http://www.moredirt.com/trail/United-Kingdom_South-West/Poldice-Valley-Trails/151

Cheers, Steve

Come down a bit further and you have some nice mineral tram ways, Coast to Coast and Great Flat Lode, ok for a burn with the family, Poldice on the Coast to Coast is ok for a bit of fun

That’s my plan next week (staying at Porthowan), taking the CX bike and leaving the wife and grandson on the beach.

Just up the road from me… well 2 junctions. You will be able to see my work from there, don’t believe the locals we don’t have any aliens kept there…. anymore….

Cheers, Steve

as above Lanhydrock is more friendly for family cycling and has free parking.

Just so you know its no longer free parking.
Both Cardinham and Lanhy charge.
Poldice Valley trails are great family rides including a trailer.
Just head for either Devoran or Bissoe (café) and go from there if you are further down.

Just head for either Devoran or Bissoe (café) and go from there if you are further down.

Or from Portreath, the Barn/Elm Farm doesn’t charge for parking (put some money in a charity tin) where as Bissoe charges for parking.
TBH you could join the Coast to Coast from Porthtowan.

Cheers, Steve

As said above for family friendly bike trailer riding then Lanhydrock is the place to go & yes they are now charging for parking at Lanhydrock.

For solo riding fun then I would recommend parking at Lanhydrock & riding the trails there as a warm up, then take the bridleway trail to the main road & the roundabout on the A38, across the roundabout and down to Cardinham. A quick 2 or 3 laps then back up to Lanhydrock.