iKnow Cornwall
St Agnes Walking Holidays Cornwall Cornish Coast UK
St Agnes is the perfect location for a walking holiday in Cornwall, with a choice of stunning coastal walking along the South West Heritage Coastal Path, plus plenty of historic mining walking trails, inland walking footpaths and a number of National Trust designated walking trails.
Long hikes or short strolls are all on offer in the St Agnes area of North Cornwall, with a variety of scenery ranging from striking coastal cliffs to gentle woodland and valleys. Walking the cliffs around St Agnes is not just to experience stunning coastal scenery, but also to journey through North Cornwall's mining history, as numerous mining remains are dotted along this stretch of the North Cornish coastline.
St Agnes Beacon & Cliff Walking
Most guides books on walking around St Agnes will direct you towards the walk upto St Agnes Beacon, specifically because of the spectacular views to be had when you've hiked the 630 ft to the top. The walk up only takes about 1 hour, so not too taxing! Most park up in the St Agnes village car park and walk upto the Beacon past Higher Bal. At the top panoramic views await both to the South towards St Austell and out to the coast as far as St Ives and the other way towards Padstow.
St Agnes Beacon is a historic vantage point, used in the 16th century when small fires would be lit up here to warn of approaching Armadas. The Beacon is situated slightly inland from the coast, with a choice of footpaths leading up to it.
For a longer Cornwall coastal walk take the spectacular cliff walk from Trevaunance Cove to Porthtowan Beach, taking in the full beauty of the St Agnes Coastline. This walk takes about 2 hours, and you can park up at Trevaunance Cove. Refreshments and facilities are conveniently positioned at the beginning and end of this walk as well! This coastal walk also offers plenty of opportunity to view old mining remains in the area including Wheal Coates engine house which is right on the edge of the cliff.
The Blue Hills area north of the centre of St Agnes around Trevellas is so named for it's visible blue tin colouring in the cliffs. One particular footpath well worth taking on your visit is the walk along Jericho Valley past the Blue Hills Mine and Tin Streams Museum. Check with St Agnes Tourist Information for comprehensive walking maps of the area and check the weblink to the right for more details on walking in this superb Cornwall coastal walking territory.
Arts & Crafts Trail
St Agnes is also well known for it's arts and crafts scene, and you can pick up a little map for an arts and crafts trail around the area. Particularly popular is the area around the old Victorian parish church in St Agnes, with it's surrounding choice of specialist shops, galleries and the renowned pretty brownstone cottages in this area.
The street in St Agnes which has always held particular appeal to artists is Stippy Strappy, once the host of mining families in the mining cottages lining this street and now lined with arts and craft wares, plus the Saffron Art Gallery offering a choice of some of the best local artists' work of the area.
The Saffron Gallery, Peterville, St. Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0QU. Tel: 01872 554449
