Nestled into the northern coast of Cornwall is the compact little village of St Agnes.
In the past this quaint village was part of Cornwall’s thriving tin and copper mining industry. Although much has changed over the years it retains its traditional friendly atmosphere and picturesque appearance.
Only a few miles away from Perran Springs Holiday Park, it would be a shame to miss out St Agnes during your itinerary.
Exploring St Agnes Village
With ample parking available, you can drive right up to the village itself and start exploring. Aside from being a generally beautiful setting, the village offers numerous sights worth seeing – such as the town church (with its unusual poor box), St Agnes Museum, and numerous craft shops and art galleries. The row of sea captain’s cottages known as ‘Stippy Stappy’ is also a sight that should be part of your itinerary.
If you’re in the area around mealtimes or just need to have a quick bite to eat you could pop into any of the cafes and restaurants that serve Cornish or other cuisine. In the evening, The St Agnes Meadery Restaurant is a great place to eat, it’s a medieval restaurant serving big portions of food, such as a rack of ribs, roasted chicken, scampi, large puddings and of course mead.
Also if you venture a bit outside of the village you’ll find many of the old engine houses around the immediate area.
Enjoying the Outdoors
Part of what draws visitors to St Agnes is its peaceful setting that is accentuated by the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounds it. Many visitors love to take long walks around the coastal paths that extend out of the village, and also visit the nearby sandy beaches.
With over seventy footpaths in close proximity to St Agnes, you’re going to be spoilt for choice over which to choose. The South West Coastal Path is particularly known for its stunning scenery, though some of the mining trails that will take you to the old tin and copper mines in the area are also noteworthy.
Assuming you’d like to learn more about the history of St Agnes, you might want to head over to Land’s End or the Poldark visitor center. Recently the latter site has become more popular, owing to the popular TV show bearing the same name.
The local beach (St Agnes Beach) is called Trevaunance. Known for its old broken up harbour wall which is accessible when the tide it out, this beach is picturesque and great for swimming & surfing. The other advantage is to the right hand side of the beach is Trevellas Cove, which is one of the best coves in Cornwall for exploring its rock pools, which can be a great and cheap idea for a family activity.
For walking, a hike to the top of St Agnes Beacon is worth a visit for its spectacular views across Cornwall. As you can see, St Agnes certainly has a lot to offer its visitors – and you could quite easily spend a day exploring both the village, cliffs, and beaches.
St Agnes village also hold a number of events that tend to be held annually – such as the Bolster Festival, St Agnes Lifeboat Day or St Agnes Carnival.
photos: Visit Cornwall – Adam Gibbard.