What’s more, every time you experience a National Trust day out, you help care for these special places for future generations.
Across Cornwall, National Trust places are full of warmth as the trees slowly turn to red, orange and gold, enjoy crisp walks with family and friends and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. There’s lots on offer this season, from pumpkin inspired trails to guided tours, and craft workshops to Heritage Open Days.
Here is what’s happening near you this autumn, please check property website for opening days and times:
Heritage Open Days: Visit Cotehele for free
17-21 September. 10am-5pM
Join us as we celebrate England’s biggest festival of culture and heritage by offering you the chance to visit the house and garden at Cotehele for free.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
Nature Walks
28 September & 26 October. 11am-3pm
Join in on a free monthly Nature Walk led by volunteers to learn about the ecology of the beautiful and varied Cotehele estate.
Price: Free event. Booking required.
PondLife! at Cotehele Quay
6 September, 4 October & 1 November. 10.30am-1pm
Discover weird and wonderful creatures in the pond at Cotehele Quay with monthly drop-in, pond dipping sessions.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
Printing Workshop – Autumn inspired Artbook
10 September. 10.30am-1.30pm
For this workshop you will create a 3 page dragon book, exploring some simple forms of printmaking and stamping. Using autumn as a starting point for your theme, you will use your own homemade stamps, as well as letters to build a narrative too.
Price: £45pp. Booking required.
Papercutting Art Workshop
22 October. 10.30am-1.30pm
Debs will coach you in the following steps: using a scalpel effectively and safely, creating shapes using different tools and techniques, choosing what to cut and what not to, and how to layer colours and create stencils.
Price: £45pp. Booking required.
Clare Law: Landscapes of texture and light
20-28 September. 10noon-4pm.
In collaboration with the Bull Pen Gallery, come and discover Clare Law’s wonderful paintings inspired by the landscapes of the Tamar Valley and some of its best-known gardens.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Oil Painting and Knife workshop with Clare Law
5 November. 10.30am-1.30pm
Join local artist Clare Law as she shares her skills in this special workshop, suitable for complete beginners to advanced painters.
Price: £45pp. Booking required.
Swashbuckling Scarecrows at Cotehele
25 October – 9 November. 10am-4pm
Pick up your free trail sheet from Visitor Welcome and then explore the gardens to see how many swashbuckling scarecrows you can spot this October half-term.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Christmas at Cotehele: Creating the Garland
10-20 November. 10.30am-4pm
Take a peek behind the scenes as our team of gardeners create this year’s Christmas Garland.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Heritage Open Days at Glendurgan Garden
12-21 September (excluding Monday 15). 10:30am-5pm
Step into a garden full of stories during England’s biggest celebration of history and culture. Explore Glendurgan for free; wander through lush valleys, take on the challenge of the famous maze, and discover the heritage woven into every path.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
October half term at Glendurgan Garden
25 October – 2 November. 10.30am-5pm
Follow Glendurgan’s autumn spotter sheet to discover fallen leaves from the garden’s trees, and contribute to the evolving autumn display at the willow arch. Unleash your creativity with autumn-inspired crafts in the Apple Shed, perfect for families to enjoy together.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
25 things to do at Lanhydrock in 2025
September-December. 10.30am-4pm
Grab a bookmark at the Park Cafe, Visitor Reception or Gatehouse and have a go at 25 things to do at Lanhydrock in 2025.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Lanhydrock Fun Dog Day
20 September. 11am-3pm
Bring your four-legged friend to Lanhydrock for a special day out. There will be a chance to try dog agility, learn about how best to enjoy the Lanhydrock countryside with your dog and meet some of our ranger team.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
October Half Term trail
11 October – 2 November. 10.30am-4pm
This October Half Term, have an adventure at Lanhydrock as you complete the trail around the garden.
Price: £3 per trail (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Your Trelissick: celebrating 70 years of National Trust at Trelissick
16 September – 2 November. 11am-4pm
70 years ago, in 1955, Ida Copeland generously gifted the garden and estate of Trelissick to the National Trust. The second of two exhibitions will feature artwork, prose and memories submitted to Trelissick from visitors, volunteers and staff in response to the question ‘what does Trelissick mean to you?’
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Dark Cornwall presents All Hallows’ Eve at Trelissick
25 October – 2 November, 10am-4.30pm
Working in partnership with Dark Cornwall this October half term Trelissick will host an immersive journey through Cornish folklore, magic and myths. The trail will feature installations, activities and storytelling throughout the house and garden.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Free entry to Trengwainton for Heritage Open Days
14-18 & 21 September. 10am-5pm
There’s free entry to Trengwainton to enjoy winding wooded paths, sea views and plants from around the world.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
Sensory September at Trengwainton
Sunday – Thursdays, September. 10am-5pm
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the different garden sections through touch, listening and visual prompts.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Trengwainton’s October half-term family fun
26 -30 October and 2 November. 10am-5pm
Follow the sensory trail and touch, listen and smell your way around the garden. Collect fallen leaves to make leaf bunting, play pumpkin hoopla, fish for pumpkins and guess the weight of the pumpkin.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Cornish chough talk
11 & 22 September, 9 & 23 October. 11am-12noon
The return of the ‘Cornish Chough’ is for many people the biggest event in birding in Cornwall. Listen to an informative talk that discusses the iconic bird, its return to Cornwall, and its emblematic link to Trerice.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Archaeological tour of Trerice
12 & 26 September, 10 & 24 October. 2pm-3pm
Learn about the archaeological and architectural history of Trerice on an hour-long guided tour of the gardens.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Heritage Open Day at Trerice
20 September. 10.30am-4.30pm
Spend a day exploring Trerice for free in celebration of Heritage Open Days.
Price: Free event. Booking not required.
Folk music performances at Trerice
20 September. 2-3pm
Enjoy some Cornish and Celtic folk music by local folk group Ryp an Mor (meaning ‘by the sea’).
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
Halloween half term fun at Trerice
27 October – 2 November. 10:30am-4:30pm
There’s lots of magical dragon themed fun at Trerice this October half term, with plenty of games, spot-the-dragons, decoration and storytelling.
Price: Free event (normal admissions apply). Booking not required.
