Cornwall Seal Sanctuary

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary sits in 42 acres beside the Helford River at Gweek, about six miles from Falmouth and a short drive from Helston. Run by the Sea Life Trust charity, it rescues and rehabilitates around 70 grey seal pups a season from the Cornish coast, most of them malnourished or separated from their mothers, and returns them to the wild. Pup season runs from September to March, so autumn and winter visits are when the hospital pools are busiest; year round you can see eight resident grey seals and three common seals that could not be released, along with a colony of puffins in a purpose-built habitat, and listen to seal feeds and talks about the rescue work and the effect of plastic on marine life. The site is open all year, no pre-booking is needed, and dogs on leads are welcome everywhere except the seal hospital, with woodland walks around the grounds. The cafe is takeaway only, serving hot and cold food, and the shop is open daily. The grounds are large, so check the accessibility guide on the website if that matters. Allow two to three hours. It suits families and anyone who wants to see conservation work rather than a performing animal show.

Good to know

• Run by the Sea Life Trust; rescues around 70 grey seal pups a season
• Pup season September to March; 8 resident grey seals and 3 common seals year round
• Resident puffin colony
• Open year round; no pre-booking required
• Dogs on leads welcome except in the Seal Hospital
• Takeaway cafe; 42 acre site on the Helford River

Address: Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Gweek, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6UG.

Official site: Cornwall Seal Sanctuary website.