The Greenhouse Spa Retreat

Although the thought of snoozing gently in the stunning gardens is very appealing, you may want to get out and explore something of Cornwall. If the beach beckons, Tregantle Beach in sweeping Whitsand Bay (20 minutes’ drive) is a sheltered beach with fine sand, while East Looe Beach (half an hour) is backed by a pretty fishing harbour and lots of waterside pubs. Polperro (35 minutes) is an equally enchanting seaside village with a quiet, pocket-sized beach. Head to Cornwall’s “ocean city” of Plymouth (20 minutes) for a wander around the National Marine Aquarium, or tour Plymouth Gin Distillery and enjoy a couple of tastings of the finished product. Other urban treats include Tavistock (25 minutes) for its Pannier Market (open Tuesday to Saturday), Lostwithiel (35 minutes) for all its antique shops, and waterside Fowey (50 minutes) for kayaking on the Tamar estuary. If you’re keen to see more amazing gardens, The Eden Project (45 minutes) makes an interesting day out for meanderings around its tropical rainforest habitats and 30 acres of plantings scattered with sculptures. At National Trust-owned Buckland Abbey (35 minutes), you can tour the former home of seafarer Sir Francis Drake, as well as the medieval abbey and formal Elizabethan gardens.