The Lost Gardens Of Heligan is a popular tourist attraction when visiting Cornwall. With around 200 acres of garden and a spectacular history, it’s no wonder it’s a popular place to visit. The Lost Gardens Of Heligan is also completely dog friendly, so it’s perfect for when looking for dog friendly attractions in Cornwall. Through the year Heligan hosts a variety of events, and even includes a Christmas light trail.
Getting To The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
The address for The Lost Gardens Of Heligan is Pentewan, St. Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6EN.
There are brown signs directing you towards the gardens if you’re driving towards Mevagissey. Our sat nav wanted to take us down a road to the side of the entrance that didn’t exist, so I would suggest keeping your eye out for the brown signs too.
If you’re visiting The Lost Gardens Of Heligan via public transport, then the nearest train station is around 5 miles away at St. Austell. A bus service also runs between St. Austell bus station and the Gardens.
Arriving At The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
Once you enter the grounds, you will soon discover the large car park. Take note of whether you’re parked on the gravel or grass as this will help when leaving the gardens.
We chose to pay for our tickets on arrival as there was no difference in price. The website suggests that it can be advisable to pre book tickets in advance on busier times, but it wasn’t a necessity.
History of The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
There are plenty of information boards telling the history of The Lost Gardens during your visit. The gardens were lost to brambles since WW1, and it wasn’t until 1990 when they were rediscovered that the regeneration began.
Many of the workforce went off to fight in World War 1 and sadly never returned. When a tiny room was discovered in the 1990’s, it sparked a desire to bring the gardens back to what they once were.
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan Gardens
There are a variety of gardens to explore including the Sundial Garden, Italian Garden, Northern Summerhouse and the Jungle.
The Jungle is the UK’s only outdoor jungle and well worth the walk to discover it. There are plenty of exotic views and stunning views. Some of the paths can be steep but sign posts direct you along the best path for your own accessibility.
Around 13 acres of the gardens are accessible on even paths, and there is even the option to borrow manual wheelchairs from the visitor reception.
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan Woodland
If you’re visiting The Lost Gardens Of Heligan to spot the famous sculptures, you’ll find these along the woodland walk.
You can spot The Giant’s Head, Mud Maid and the Grey Lady along your walk. Even in the distance you’ll spot where they are due to the crowds of people waiting for their chance to get closer.
Aside from the sculptures, the woodland has plenty of trails to discover wildflowers and bluebells in the Spring months.
If you have the time there are 60 acres of woodland paths to discover. Perhaps a return visit is on the cards.
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan Farm
On the small farm, you can spot rare breed livestock including poultry in the poultry orchard.
There are Tamworth pigs, sheep, horses, goats, chickens and turkeys to spot along your farm walk.
Food & Drink At The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
There are a couple of different options for refreshments if you’re planning on enjoying a meal during your visit. The Heligan Kitchen is open for breakfast and lunch and is situated at the front of the gardens near the entrance.
You can also visit the Steward’s House for breakfast and lunch as well deeper within the gardens.
Our Experience At The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
Our visit to The Lost Gardens Of Heligan happened to be on a fair weather day which made it all the more enjoyable. We began our visit along the Woodland trail to see the sculptures, and then decided to carry on towards the Jungle.
There are handy signposts along your journey which also tell you whether the route you’re taking is steep or not.
We really enjoyed the Jungle as it’s something very different to what we have experienced before in UK gardens.
Needing a pit stop after quite a long walk around the woodland, we stopped back at the entrance for a drink and rest before visiting the gardens. There are quite a few different gardens to explore, with some very pretty scenery.
We had taken our dog with us during our visit, and was pleased to find there were water bowls and water available to use. There was no where she wasn’t able to go aside from the restaurant.
We spent around three hours on our visit to The Lost Gardens Of Heligan. It’s worth noting if you’re visiting Cornwall for a week, you can stop at the Visitor Centre and ask for your ticket to be validated for a return visit in the same week.
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