Goonhilly- gone silly (Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station)

Member Name: werewolf2

Product:	Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station
Date:	24/10/07 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: plenty to do for adults and kids alike

Disadvantages: may be expensive for large families

Currently at Goonhilly internet cafe. There is a free bus ride to the Control tower and round the various antenna - named after King Arthur and his knights, Guinevere, etc. One was first used on Blue Peter, so has a Blue Peter badge and is grade 2 listed. Good access for buggies/wheelchairs, except in the Control Tower which has steep steps.

Can ride a Segway for an extra £5 per person and go up an antennae to see the dish close up for £3 extra per person. Robert, my boyfriend and his friend Richard had a go on the Segways and they stated they were brilliant. I videoed their second go on them the next day, but would have loved to have had a go. Participants are given elbow and knee pads with some instruction round a nearby car park, which was visible from the outside decking of the cafe, before heading round the site following the bus route. It is described as the eco-friendly transport of the future and I got chance to video the boys in action on their second go - I was busy writing this short review the first time! To go on a segway you must be over 38kg (6 stone) and under 127kg (20 stone), plus riders must be over 135cm (4ft 5) and under 206cm (6ft 9) and other terms and conditions apply - as they are worth about £40,000 each according to Richard. Booking hotline 01872 325 400, Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6LQ.
The earth station is £6.75 per adult, various family tickets, concessions available. Children under 5 go free. We got a £1 off per person by picking up a brochure in Truro. There is free entry to the cafe and shop.

Nearby attractions are the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek, near Helston and Flambards Park.
This is at Goonhilly Downs, a few miles from Helson, Cornwall. Just follow the brown signs from Helston to get to it.

A great place to visit with big kids or little this has plenty of things that you can play with, knobs to push, etc. It has morse code games, TV satelitte tuning and other interactive items with free internet cafe and international telephone calls. You get to email an alien, free XBox games centre, learn how faxes work and how satellites move round the earth via gravity. All in all, this was worth the money, Robert and Richard enjoyed the technical gadgets, whilst Michelle and I enjoyed relaxing in the cafe and shop, and I got to check my 251 emails!!!
We all tried emailing aliens, faxing and pressing the various buttons to get a TV station tuned in to the screen.

The cafe was family friendly with big pictures of earth on the tables and plenty of room to get the baby's buggy round. The girls serving were polite and helpful - including getting hot water for the baby's bottle. The toilets area was clean and well supplied, and I understand that the baby changing room was good, too - but it needs soundproofing, as Mark (5 months old) screamed his head off and could clearly be heard in both sets of toilets either side!
There was some stuff upstairs in the main visitors centre, but a lift was available for disabled guests or pushchairs. The only down side was that the buggy had to be left in the visitor centre whilst on the bus tour. The bus was wide enough and low enough to accommodate the buggy but at the control centre was a steep set of stairs, no lift and no-where to store the buggies, whilst we climbed up to view the satellites and control tower. On the bus, a guide explained what each satellite was called, what it operated and where it covered, she came in to the control tower and continued her talk and then showed us a film with strobe lighting about the satellites.

I enjoyed this very much and I know that my companions did as they asked to go back the very next day to have another go on the Segway. Keep your entry ticket and you may be able to do the Segway, without having to repay the entrance fee, as they are trying to expand this side of the business.
Werewolf

Summary: An entertaining indoor and outdoor activity centre run by BT