WHO said old fashioned (and cheap) activities are going out of style?

Cornwall’s brilliant Eden Project ran den building activities this summer and you couldn’t move for parents and kids dashing hither and thither in search of bamboo, logs and fabric.

Mine and six-year-old Nicholas’s simple teepee effort was fun to assemble, but paled into insignificance alongside some ambitious creations which must have taken all day.

The sun kindly shone on our visit to Eden, so we could fully appreciate all the outdoor attractions as well as the indoor Mediterranean and rainforest biomes.

Sunflowers were in full bloom and staff were busy picking vegetables from the well-stocked borders.

Eden’s cafes and restaurants offer tasty and healthy treats and there are wheelchairs available for disabled guests. For more details visit www.edenpro ject.com Another stop during our South West sojourn was Crealy Adventure Park near Padstow (www.cre aly.co.uk/cornwall).

Watery and scary rides sit alongside rather more sedate attractions like big curvy slides, a haunted house and cuddly baby animals. There’s also a big indoor play area.

Nicholas loved the Water Walkerz (extra charge). There was a long queue to climb into one of several enormous balls, which float on water as you roll and tumble around.

We also paid a visit to Pendennis Castle in Falmouth, an English Heritage property with a fascinating past (www.eng lish-heritage.org) Built to repel a possible threat from both French and Spanish navies, the castle played a vital role in key conflicts, including both world wars.

Falmouth itself is a charming town, with sandy beaches, rock pools and restaurants galore offering top notch seafood and good ol’ fish and chips.

We recommend Harbour Lights in the town centre, which has views across the estuary to St Mawes.

l Teresa and her family stayed in a three-bedroom lodge at Hoburne Doublebois, near Liskeard.

Hoburne also has parks in Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and the Cotswolds.

For more details about the sites and nearby attractions and to book, call 01425 277661 or visit www.hoburne.com