If I could rate it higher, I would!

I was looking forward to visiting based on reviews I had reason here, and booked on for a Heritage Tour. Because it was October, this tour had been swapped for a Go Darker Tour (still the Heritage Tour, but with a lot more added gruesome information etc.). I'm so glad we picked this tour because it was amazing!

Our guide, Gemma, was fantastic. Her knowledge of, and clear interest toward the history of Bodmin and the Jail was so clear to see, and I was amazed at how many facts she reeled off. Every single bit of information Gemma gave was so interesting and it was amazing to hear where so many sayings we still use today actually came from. If you have Gemma as your guide, you've got yourself a real good tour.

As for the actual tour, there's things I can say, and things I can't, otherwise surprises will be ruined. The first part of the tour comprised of a fantastic experience, with some real surprising moments. I had read various comments about tech at the site, but was impressed by what you see here and how it's all done. No more to be said for this first part - enjoy it in person!

The second part of the tour was the walk around the Jail etc. The history was fascinating and it was really interesting to see how things changed over the years. My tour group was 5 people big, which was a perfect size, and it made it really easy to walk around the Jail and stand around the individual cells that Gemma was talking about. We could all see and nobody got in the way. Other visitors were freely walking around the Jail whilst we were on our tour, but they didn't have a Gemma! I highly recommend having a guided tour.

There's a really fun end of tour element. You're warned that there is a surprise, but it wasn't what I thought at all, and it was funny and a good laugh. Again, no spoilers! You are given the opportunity to skip this bit though, so don't worry. Also, this is not a jump-scare or even scary attraction. You won't find people jumping out at you etc. It's spooky, dark, and interesting, so for those of a nervous disposition, you'll be perfectly fine.

There's a bistro attached the back of the hotel that opens on the courtyard inside the Jail grounds, which is lovely and worth a visit.

All in all, I'm very impressed and I cannot recommend this attraction enough. Get yourself booked on a tour and you'll love it!