our site - a world apart - Cornish Tipi Holidays

our site - a world apart

The site is unique. A woodland valley folded around a clear, spring-fed lake created from the old Tregildrans Quarry. Our tipis and tent pitches are dotted about this secret 20 acres clothed in ferns and bluebells, oak and meadowsweet.  Left in peace for many years there's been no modern chemicals & poisons on the land, meaning we've got bluebells & dormice, Red Admirals & shy woodland Jays for you to spot.

It’s a place a world apart from the rush and clutter of the modern holiday experience, with an atmosphere that makes you forget the world outside, and just lounge, ramble, or potter about in a boat.

We're committed to giving you a genuinely individual service from first contact to your time staying with us.  We established CTH in 1996. This was the first and we believe still is the best tipi holiday site in the UK. We know our area inside out and can always help with a little local knowledge or contacts if you need them.

you choose

Our tipis are arranged sympathetically around the valley so that we can offer a sense of both privacy and community to groups of all sizes. You have a choice of medium (sleeps 2-3 if one is a young child) and large (sleeps up to 6). These can be booked either in the community space of the Village Field, where you'll have neighbours, or in your own clearing with a bit more seclusion on a Private Site. We've also got one double Private Site where friends and family can book two tipis together.

Larger groups often book several tipis grouped together in a Village Field setting, or book part of the site for weddings, parties or workshops & courses (see weddings & parties).

return to real camping

We want to offer our guests a really sustainable holiday. A return to real camping means the lowest possible impact on the land and environment - our tipi poles don’t even break the surface of the earth. Your footprint while here could only be bettered by a survival expert. You don't have to fly! a major bonus, and we source all our wood, fish and canvas locally and work with local people wherever possible.

We have flushing lavatories (one with limited wheelchair access) and hot showers situated at either end of the site, with an additional showers-only block more centrally located near reception. Our mains water comes from standpipes for your cooking and washing up which you will need to heat up back at your tipi - our basins are plumbed for cold water and are intended for handwashing, brushing your teeth etc rather than washing your dishes.

fires

We know sitting by a crackling campfire with the scent of drifting woodsmoke is part of the camping experience. Few modern campsites allow any sort of fire. We positively encourage you to make a fire in your firepit (if staying in a tipi or on a private camping pitch) and enjoy a night under the stars. If you’re camping in the meadow then please bring and use your own fire bowl/fire wok or BBQ on legs to make sure that campers coming after you can enjoy the meadow grass without blackened scorch marks everywhere and of course for safety’s sake while you’re here. Tipis & private pitches come with a special trivet to make cooking easier and also a locally made table with bench seating for family meals.

the lake

Clear blue one minute and shifting greens the next, Tregildrans Quarry lake is a real Swallows & Amazons experience. You can swim and bathe in the water, fish for rainbow trout, use the boats and canoes to row and muck about, or just sit and watch the swallows and dragonflies dipping the water.

You’ll need to bring your own rods and fishing licences, but we do have life jackets if you don’t have your own. The lake is fenced off from the main path and secured by a gate with a childproof catch so no little ones should be able to wander in by themselves – but please remember that there is no lifeguard and children must be supervised at all times. If you fancy bringing your own kayak or Topper to use on the lake by all means do so.

cars

Our aim is to keep use of vehicles to the absolute minimum. We ask that you walk throughout the site, except for unloading and loading at your tipi or pitch on arrival and departure, and park your car in the parking areas provided. The main car park is beside reception and the overflow car park is in the marquee meadow, but both areas are firmly on our property and away from the road.

In a place with few rules this is the one we ask you most strongly to respect. If you cannot bear to be parted from your car this may not be the holiday for you. One vehicle is included per booking and we will need advance information of make, registration number etc. Additional cars are charged as extras when you book.

2024

22 March - 10 October

Arrive Between

4pm - 8pm. Earlier or later by arrangement

Sorry, no dogs

Or any other pets

Private Site Tipis

By yourselves

Village Field Tipis

With neighbours

Bring your bedding

And airbeds (foot pump only)

Private Camping Pitches

By yourselves (tents only)

Meadow Camping

Campervans Meadow Camping

Occasional motorhomes/caravans

Loos & Showers

3 different blocks & new composting loos

Fires

We encourage campfires

Lake - Swimming, boating, fishing

Some lifejackets provided

Modal title

Modal body text goes here.

weddings and parties - Cornish Tipi Holidays

weddings and parties

If you’re looking for an outdoor wedding in blissful surroundings then you’ve come to the right place, check out our dedicated weddings website, full of information and lovely photographs -  www.cornishtipiweddings.co.ukwww.cornishtipiweddings.co.uk

Whatever your dreams and inspiration we can help make it the day you want it to be; we’ve got tipis large and small, wild camping and of course our fabulous purpose built marquee & woodland wedding pavilion.

We know set dressers and stilt walkers, celebrants and florists, photographers and puppeteers, storytellers and nannies, festival caterers and homemade pasty makers, local breweries and organic apple juice crushers. We can get you a Cornish piper or harmonising fishermen, haunting Celtic harp or pulsing didgeridoo. Outside power can produce serious dance, rollicking ceilidh or a tiny pa might be sufficient for an elegant string quartet or gentle acoustic set.

So if you’re planning one of the most important days of your life and feel you want something more than the usual church/registry office and back to the conventional overblown hotel then we could be your answer – give us a call & book a venue visit so we can show you around.

The same applies to parties & get togethers of any type; if you’re planning a milestone birthday celebration or special party we’ve got a beautiful setting and everything you need.

Over the last 20 years we’ve also had fun with drumming workshop weekends, corporate team building, university reunions and hen parties, inner city children, yoga retreats, outward bound adventures, meditation and healing, Fathers & Sons, find your inner man, learner divers, canoers and kayakers, Brownie groups and Church outings, adventure trekkers and walking groups, surprise birthday weekends, bird spotters, artists, surfers and historians.

Clearly a pretty diverse bunch, but all appreciating the beauty and simplicity of tipi life in our hidden valley just minutes away from some of the most spectacular coastline in the UK.

If you’re attending a wedding here then you’ll have all the benefits of staying in a tipi or tent on our lovely campsite, but you’ll also have no problems with getting to the venue on time (guests nearly always arrive the day before), you won’t have to worry about parking or drinking or taxis, & you’ll be on hand for a much needed dip in the lake & have breakfast with everybody the next morning – what could be nicer?

Wedding guests also benefit from a special discount when booking into the tipis – give us a call for details.

Day guests (people not staying with us but coming to a wedding) do need to check our location & directions carefully, SatNav really doesn’t work well around here, & even Google Maps have got it wrong...

So if you don’t mind missing some of the fun & are just coming in for the day, you’ll also need to be sure you understand our (very few) rules – no dogs please, & parking must be in our day guests’ parking area, which means driving in our main entrance – absolutely not through our bottom gate as you’re likely to get in the way of the Registrars, or worse still, the bride!

Anyone will special mobility requirements we will of course make separate arrangements for, but everyone else enjoys the couple of minutes’ walk through our woodland paths on the way to the wedding ceremony, so don’t forget to bring the right shoes – heels, flip flops, wellies, sensible brogues – people often bring the lot.