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There’s no shortage of places to nurse a cuppa in London, whether you’re sipping a loose-leaf blend from a bone china teacup, or dunking a bag of English breakfast in a mug. But in southern Cornwall, you can drink the UK’s only homegrown tea right on the land the leaves were picked from.
Tregothnan Tea Estate is the UK’s first tea plantation. It’s a vast Cornish estate that dates back to the 1300s and houses the biggest historic botanic garden in Cornwall. Thanks to a warm microclimate, all sort of rare plants thrive here, like camellia sinensis – better known as tea plants – and heady herbs like chamomile (also good for tea). Tregothnan first started selling its hand-picked tea back in 2005 and now the British blends are stocked in Liberty.
Photograph: Tregothnan Tea Estate
Swing by to take a private tour of the gardens followed by a cream tea, or take part in one of the estate’s educational sessions like beekeeping and a tea-making masterclass where you can learn to make your very own brew.
Photograph: Tregothnan Tea Estate
Then pop into the estate’s shop and stock up tea and biscuits (because no tea break is complete without a snack) and head home for another brew. Milk, no sugar, ta.
Near Truro, Cornwall. Private tour and cream tea from £65. Find out more here.
Fancy staying over after drinking tea all day? Book a room at Cornwall’s best hotels
... or if you’re in the capital, have a scone with your cuppa at one of London’s afternoon tea experiences