Bosinver Farm, Cornwall: A Family-Friendly Review
A nostalgic farm stay that appeals to children of all ages and their parents? Yes please! Bosinver Farm ticks all the boxes, with every detail thought through by the passionate family owners, Farmer Dave and Nanny Pat. Home to 20 charming self-catering cottages that can accommodate groups of all sizes, it’s ideal for trips with multiple generations, cousins or groups of friends, with activities that span feeding the farm animals and pony riding to swimming and walking – with a great soft play area thrown in too. What’s more, it’s close to all the best that St Austell has to offer, including sandy beaches with great restaurants, making it the ideal spot for a wonderful UK break
Here mum-of-one, Rebecca Cope, who visited with a friend and her daughter, gives us the lowdown on why a trip to Bosinver should become the next one you book for a family-friendly escape at any time of year
Words: Rebecca Cope
Published: 19th May 2026 | Last updated: 1st June 2026
Your most asked questions, answered
What is Bosinver Farm and what is all the hype about?
Bosinver is a collection of 20 self-catering cottages on 35 acres of rolling farmland and wildflower meadows just outside of St Austell in Cornwall
When owners Farmer Dave and Nanny Pat first bought the site, it was to bring magic into the lives of their children and then grandchildren, but in the years since they’ve turned it into a business to bring joy to countless others too
A nostalgic farm stay, Bosinver allows guests to get close to nature, whether that’s through feeding the chickens, ducks, goats and sheep, collecting freshly laid eggs, going on a pony ride or walking the cute Gruffalo Trail in the woods
With everything you could possibly need onsite – including rainy day activities such as a soft play, games room, indoor swimming pool and baking set – it’s ideal for families who prefer to spend time enjoying all that this magical spot has too offer rather than driving from place to place
Who is it for?
The magic of Bosinver is that it truly is for everyone, but it will especially appeal to families of young children, who will no doubt want to return year after year
During our stay, we mostly met families with babies and toddlers, as it was outside of the school holidays, but we imagine it is full of primary school aged kids come the summer break. It’s particularly good for multi-generational trips, with ample room for grandparents to tag along, as well as groups of friends with kids of a similar age. It’s dog-friendly too
What's included for families?
Every stay includes access to all the farm activities, such as animal feeding, egg collecting and pony rides, plus use of the swimming pool, which can be booked exclusively for one-hour slots too
The self-catering cottages are well-equipped for children of all ages, with the following available to borrow:
- Bottle sterilisers
- Baby monitors
- Baby baths
- Bumbo seats
- High chairs
- Stair gates
- Travel cots
- Booster seats
- Bed guards
- Toddler toilet seats
- Changing mats
- Night light
- Strollers
- Carriers
- Blackout blinds
- Buckets and spades
- Splash suits
- Wellies
One extra special touch that we particularly loved is the inclusion of a toy box full of toys, dolls and books to discover – ideal if you’ve left a favourite cuddly toy at home
What's the dining set up?
Bosiner is all self-catered, with everything you could possibly need to whip up a feast for a family (including pots, pans, baking trays, crockery, cutlery and much more). It also spotlights two local businesses: a fruit and veg box delivery service, Cornish Food Box Company, offering £15 off a £50 minimum spend, and SOS! Save Our Supper, frozen ready meals made by Hannah from Cornwall Private Chef
Where is Bosinver Farm?
Located just a few minutes drive from the main thoroughfare of St Austell, Bosinver is easy to find and ideally situated for trips to the beach, with Pentewan being the nearest
It has the feeling of a small hamlet, with the self-catering cottages dotted across the site, and facilities like the swimming pool and soft play housed in outbuildings
When is best to visit?
Bosinver is a year-round destination, but there’s undoubtedly a lot of charm in visiting during the spring and summer months, when you can really make the most of the sprawling site
Rooms & Suites
Self-catering at its best
There are 20 cottages at Bosinver Farm, spanning from those that accommodate a family of four up to 12 (plus cots). Each is completely unique, though there is a through-note of countryside chic running through them all
We stayed in Hillside, a two-bedroom cottage located at the top of the hill overlooking the valley. The views are truly spectacular, with floor-to-ceiling windows to really make the most of them. Our little ones particularly loved watching the rabbits hopping about outside at dusk every evening, or the chickens running around in the morning
Spacious and comfortable, there’s a sprawling living area featuring two sofas, a TV, kitchen and dining table. One bedroom has a king-sized bed while the other is twin, and both have an en-suite bathroom, one with a bath, the other with a shower
We also loved the entry way, where we could store coats, bags and sandy shoes, as well as the sweet little patio area, which boasts a dining table and rotary dryer for washing
Childcare & Kid's Entertainment
Tons of farmyard fun
There are never-ending things for children to see and do here, no matter the weather. The real highlight of our trip was undoubtedly feeding the animals with Farmer Dave – it’s easy to see why he’s got his own fan club. Whereas at some farms this activity might take a mere five minutes, Dave takes his time, bringing out one animal after another. Watching my three-year-old go from being nervous around the chickens to delightedly hand-feeling Martha the goat was a real joy. So too was the pony ride on Crystal, who Paul playfully told us turned into a unicorn every Sunday at midnight. You sense that Dave, Paul and Pat all love inspiring the next generation to love farm life, and it makes everything feel so much more magical
Of course, no holiday is complete without a swimming pool session, and it’s really clever to allow guests to book a one-hour exclusive slot so that they can have the pool to themselves and enjoy all the floats and toys uninterrupted
It’s definitely worth also stretching your legs and going for a wander around the estate, as there’s plenty of secret places to discover. We stumbled across three fairy houses, the Gruffalo Trail and a huge swing, not to mention a slide and zip-wire. And although the weather was beautiful throughout our stay, we still made a pitstop at the soft play, which was a big hit
Bigger children will love the Wild Kids forest school club, which encourages them to explore nature and take part in activities such as bug hunting, marshmallow toasting and clay model making
Wining & Dining
Dreamy kitchens that make you want to cook
The joy of dining at Bosiner Farm is all gathering round a cosy kitchen table or spilling out on to a sunny patio in the garden for family meals you create yourself. And there is definitely something about these charming, well-equipped little kitchens that will make even the most reluctant of chefs feel like rustling up a pasta or popping a roast in the oven. You really do have every utensil you could possibly need to whip up a feast for your gang – from pots and pans to crockery and cutlery – evening baking trays if you feel like a cake is the order of the day
Load up on groceries on route or make the most of two excellent local businesses during your stay. Firstly there’s the Cornish Food Box Company, a fruit and veg box delivery service who offer £15 off a £50 minimum spend on their super, locally grown produce. Or if you want a break from cooking on your hols (and don’t we all sometimes) then the Bosinver team can give you the number of SOS! Save Our Supper, for a great selection of delicious frozen ready meals made by Hannah from Cornwall Private Chef
What is there for adults?
Embrace all the farm has to offer
To be honest, we got just as much out of the farm activities as the children did, but there’s also the option to book a massage or other treatment with two local therapists, for when you do want a little ‘me’ time
One of the nicest ways to pass the time is just going for a walk on the stunning grounds or having a cuppa while you watch the kids play in the fields. This is simple, wholesome fun for all ages and a great place to all reconnect without distractions
They also have several babysitters that they can recommend if you do decide to get out for a meal one night without kids
Our verdict
We’ve never stayed anywhere quite like Bosinver Farm and we can see why it’s become such a family favourite. During our stay, we spoke to little guests who had been coming every year for almost a decade, and for whom Bosinver was clearly a very special place. Indeed, a friend reached out after seeing that we were staying and said she had been a regular in her own childhood in the ‘90s! It’s certainly somewhere that we can see forming the backbone of magical childhood memories
Themes: The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in the UK with Kids’ Clubs; The UK Family-Friendly Edit
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