Cool Place of the Day: Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Cornwall

Every day, a new place to discover or explore from coolplaces.co.uk

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Cornwall

They describe the Penzance Literary Festival, which is full flow right now, as the "friendliest literary festival in the UK", so you may not want to leave. But sometimes the written (or even spoken) word is not enough, and you may want to get away for an afternoon to enjoy something a bit more visual – in which case the nearby Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens might just be perfect complement to Penzance’s wordy offerings.

A relatively new attraction around these parts, the gardens are in some ways a typically Cornish mix of contemporary and interactive art installations, sub-tropical plantings, fairytale woodland and lush, wide-open spaces. On arrival – where the Tremenheere Kitchen distracts you with delicious cakes and Cornish fare – it’s hard to believe that anything special awaits beyond the gates of this 20-acre plot once owned by the monks of St Michael’s Mount.

But save the cake for later and step into the hidden beauty of Tremenheere: boardwalks twist and turn through sun-dappled canopies, a stream trickles along the valley floor, and carpets of lawn climb up to mature woodland from where you can witness dramatic views of Mounts Bay and St Michael’s Mount. Throughout, art is blended seamlessly with nature – gaze at the sky through an elliptical domed chamber, see a 360-degree view of the gardens through the camera obscura, climb trees and discover exotic plants from cacti to bamboo. Dogs on leads are welcome, and the gardens and café are open for evening and music events during the summer.

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