Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, Cornwall

Our visit to Goonhilly was a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. It's all a pretty amateurish set up. At the desk I asked for tickets to the 'full experience' and all we got was a look round some very static exhibits and a very rushed tour of the site. Two of the main attractions in the site's publicity are a tour of Arthur, a huge satellite dish and a ride on a Segway. These, it seems are £5 extra for the Arthur tour and £12 (yes, £12) for a play on a Segway. Haveing seen these were missing from our 'full experience' tickets, I asked a member of the guide staff about them. Oh, they're extra, I was told ... more

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 ... more

Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station is the largest earth station in the world and has been in existence since 1962. It occupies over 160 acres of the magnificent Lizard Peninsula and has over 60 dishes, 25 of which are still in use. Goonhilly is able to transmit to anywhere in the world via space and the site also links to undersea fibreoptic cable lines. It really is one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Cornwall, attracting around 80,000 people per year. The site is owned by British Telecom (BT) and is opened to visitors throughout the year who are able to explore the story of ... more