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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Bodmin
Spend a half‑day to a full day in Bodmin; one night if you want to stay near the steam railway or explore nearby Lostwithiel.
Bodmin is a small historic town in north‑Cornwall with a railway station, a prison museum, a steam railway and easy access to Bodmin Moor and Lostwithiel. One day covers the main sights; add a night for the steam railway or a relaxed pace.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Aug (peak tourist crowds on the moor)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £45–£70 excl. bed · Mid £70–£110 excl. bed · High £110+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Fire and ambulance 999
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | £2–£3 |
| Pub meal (fish & chips) | £8–£12 |
| Bodmin Jail entry | £6–£8 |
| Restormel Castle entry | £5.90 adult |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EXT · Exeter Airport
- About 30 km (19 mi) east; bus or taxi to Bodmin (~45 min).About 19 mi (30 km) east; bus or taxi to Bodmin (~45 min).
Typical fares
- Bodmin Parkway → Bodmin town (bus 11A)
- about £5 one way (check schedule)
- Train Exeter ↔ Bodmin Parkway
- about £12 return (check National Rail)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bodmin Parkway station (hourly trains to Penzance and Plymouth). Local bus 11A links station to town centre (4 mi). Walk or cycle on the Camel Trail to the moor. Car hire at Exeter or local agencies for moor access.
See and do
Known for
- Bodmin Jail museum
- Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway
- St Petroc's Church
- Cardinham Woods
- Proximity to Bodmin Moor
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lostwithiel | Bus 11A or train to Lostwithiel station, about 15 min. | ≈30 min round‑trip |
| Bodmin Moor (Cardinham Woods trail) | Local bus to Cardinham or drive; walk from town centre. | ≈2 h total for a short walk |
Sleep
- The Globe Inn
- B&B in Lostwithiel, 5 min by bus; £70 per night.
- The Royal Oak Inn
- B&B in Lostwithiel; £75 per night.
- St Tudy Inn
- Gastropub B&B 10 mi north of Bodmin; £210 double.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Sorisaw-ree |
| Thank you | Diolchdee-och |
| How much is it? | Faint sut?faint soot |
| Where is the bus stop? | Bleth bus?bleth bus |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Train service is roughly hourly; check the timetable for late‑day gaps.
- Bodmin Jail opening hours vary seasonally – verify before visiting.
- Some attractions (e.g., Restormel Castle) close in winter; check dates.
Bodmin is generally safe; watch for narrow rural roads and keep an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bodmin yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bodmin Jail museum
- Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway
- St Petroc's Church
- Cardinham Woods
- Proximity to Bodmin Moor
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Cornwall's Regimental Museum: cornwalls-regimentalmuseum.org/
- Lanhydrock House – National Trust: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock/
- Restormel Castle – English Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/restormel-castle/
- Wikivoyage: Bodmin, revision 5257507 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5257507
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bodmin). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.