My day out: The Eden Project

The Eden Project is built in a once derelict China clay pit located in St Austell. The attraction focuses on connecting us with the living world, and exploring how we can work to a more sustainable future. Located in a now thriving crater are vast biomes housing the largest rainforest in captivity, stunning plants, exhibits, and a venue for exciting all-year-round events.

As it was my day off, we were discussing what activity we should do together as a family. We then realised that we hadn’t been to The Eden Project since their fabulous Eden Sessions over the summer. So we thought that it was time to re-familiarise ourselves with one of our guest club partners, where our visitors receive a 15% discount off of the gate price (if booked directly with Cornish Traditional Cottages).

We appreciated the fact that The Eden Project is so well prepared for high visitor numbers and is also very pet-friendly, the car park was very easy despite the fact that we visited during half term week and on the run-up to Halloween. Our dog Lucy was welcomed into the visitor centre and all outside areas, including the outdoor covered eating area belonging to the Eden Kitchen Cafe. Eden also provides drinking bowls for the dogs. This was perfect as it meant that we were not restricted at all by bringing Lucy with us. And could enjoy our visit just as much as those who don’t bring pets. There is also an attraction called the Land Train, which takes you from the top to the bottom of the site and vice versa, enabling you to see Eden from a different perspective. It also makes the site incredibly accessible for those who aren’t as able to walk down or up the steep hill.

The only thing that wasn’t so great was the weather. That said, The Eden Project can offer visitors many activities that are safe from the elements, so has little impact on your day there.

The Eden Project caters for all ages and differing levels of mobility; it strives to be inclusive to all; offering manual and powered wheelchairs which are bookable in advance and free of charge. Children are, of course, The Eden Project’s main focus given that they are the future. The ice skating rink was in full swing when we visited, and there were lots of spooky Halloween activities to join, including potion-making where you could work over a smoky cauldron, and also listen to spooky stories told by one of the many energetic and enthusiastically costumed staff. 

Eden also promotes ‘drop-in’ play sessions for grandparents and the under five’s. The entrance fee still applies, but once inside, there are several free activities available aimed exclusively for grandparents and their grandchildren. These themed activities provide the chance for children to socially interact, learn and connect, as well as giving grandparents a chance to relax in a supervised environment with other grandparents. 

Thanks to the diverse range of activities and events, Eden is great to visit all year round. All through Christmas, Eden is always magical and will be particularly special this year with festive musical sets, brass bands, Father Christmas himself, and a giant festive Christmas tree taking centre stage.

Make sure you visit the Eden website before you visit – www.edenproject.com. The site will provide you with a wealth of information, helping you get the most out of your visit. Don’t forget too that tickets can be purchased directly from us at Cornish Traditional Cottages, saving you 15%. If you’re a regular visit to the county, then I recommend buying the advance pass, which gives you unlimited entry into the attraction for the whole year. You can also benefit from a 10% saving if you purchase a combined Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan ticket at www.heligan.com.

About the author: Charmian is our new holiday homes specialist, and visited the Eden Project in October 2019. If you’d like to come to Cornwall and visit The Eden Project, we have a number of self-catering holiday cottages nearby in St Austell Bay. Click here to find out more.