Callington

Callington is a market town in east Cornwall, set at the foot of Kit Hill (334 metres) roughly 5 miles from the Devon border. The town served the surrounding mining industry and retains a quiet, working character with independent shops, a pannier market and a series of painted murals on buildings around the centre depicting local history and legends.

Things to Do

Kit Hill, managed by Cornwall Council, rises directly above the town and offers 360-degree views across Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and Plymouth Sound on clear days. Walking trails cross open heathland and past old mine workings, with wild ponies often grazing on the slopes. Cadsonbury, an Iron Age hillfort above the River Lynher, is a short walk from town with commanding views over the valley. Dupath Well, a well-preserved 16th-century granite well-house built over an ancient spring, is about a mile east. The annual Callington Honey Fair, held each October, is one of the town’s oldest events, celebrating local beekeeping and agriculture.

Where to Stay

Around 14 holiday properties are available in the Callington area, mostly rural cottages and converted farmhouses. Browse all Callington properties. The town works as an affordable base for exploring both east Cornwall and west Devon. Looe is about 14 miles south, Tavistock and Dartmoor roughly 10 miles east, and the Eden Project around 20 miles west.

Getting Here

Callington is on the A388 between Launceston and Saltash. The nearest mainline rail stations are at Gunnislake (Tamar Valley Line, about 5 miles north) and Plymouth (15 miles east via the A38 and Tamar Bridge). There is no direct rail link to the town itself, so a car is the most practical option.