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St Agnes Head
Walk over a jewel-like carpet of heather and gorse
St Agnes Head, Off Beacon Drive, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0NU
Opening times for 4 July 2025
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- Dogs allowed
Please keep dogs under close control
Uneven ground. The furthest beach entrance (away from the town) is easier to access.
- Steps/uneven terrain
Fairly level access close to parking area. Narrow and uneven paths along coast path beyond
- By road
From A30, at Chiverton Cross roundabout, take B3277 for St Agnes. At roundabout, at the entrance to St Agnes village, turn left and follow brown tourist signs past the beacon for St Agnes Head. St Agnes car park is restricted to vehicles under 2.3m
Parking: at St Agnes Head car park.
Sat Nav: TR5 0NU gets you to the general area, then please follow the road around Beacon Drive and look for the National Trust sign at the end of the track to the car parks. OS SW699512, (50.315915, -5.232293).
- On foot
On South West Coast Path and good network of paths from St Agnes village. Approx. 30 minutes' walk around the village to Beacon Drive from St Agnes village.
- By bus
Services 87 and T2 Perranporth, Truro and Redruth to St Agnes village; See www.travelinesw.com for up to date timetables and journey planning.
St Agnes Head, Off Beacon Drive, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0NU
Planning your visit
What's on around St Agnes
Check out the events listings for St Agnes
Article
Visiting St Agnes Head with your dog
A guide to exploring St Agnes Head with your dog, where dogs are welcome year-round.
Highlights
Headland
Open heathland with heather and gorse. Footpaths through and along the cliff top.
St Agnes chapel and well
Site of an oratory and holy well on slope down towards Chapel Porth. A spring emerges here which plunges into a cave on the beach.
St Agnes Beacon
Panoramic views over Cornwall from the top of the beacon.
Things to see and do
Article
Things to do at St Agnes Head
Explore dramatic clifftop walking trails, discover Cornwall’s Dark Sky stargazing spots and visit a small beach that boasts its own signature ice cream.
Article
The St Agnes Bolster Festival and legend of the Giant Bolster
Every May Day weekend the villagers of St Agnes re-enact the story of Giant Bolster through the village & over the clifftops of Chapel Porth.
Top trails
Trail
White Rocks to St Agnes Beacon loop
Follow this gentle stretch of South West Coast Path from St Agnes Head to the disused mine at Wheal Coates. Loop back inland and climb to the summit of St Agnes Beacon for far-reaching views over the North Cornwall coast before heading back to the starting point.
Trail
St Agnes Head circular walk
This coastal walk in Cornwall passes the remains of a Second World War training camp, a National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) lookout, and acres of windswept heathland.
Trail
St Agnes Head Lookout Loop
A simple coastal stroll, with wide sea views, and an interesting stop off point at the National Coastwatch lookout.
Places to stay
The West Wing
Live in the historic house of Trerice where views extend over the gardens and countryside.
Trelissick Engine House
A restored water pump house in the heart of the Trelissick estate, close to the Fal Estuary.
Upcoming events
Event
St Agnes guided Walks 2025
Join local historian and story-teller Roger Radcliffe and National Trust rangers for a series of guided walk around the St Agnes area on selected dates this summer and autumn.
About St Agnes Head
Set on the cliff tops high above the Atlantic and in the shadow of the Beacon behind you, St Agnes Head was used as a light anti-aircraft artillery range in the Second World War and during the Napoleonic war it was a rifle range; this seemingly remote and peaceful spot has seen its fair share of activity over the years. Nowadays the headland is a much quieter place to visit. The only busyness you'll discover is from the insects buzzing in and out of the gorse and heather.
You can walk past the old look-out station and gaze out over the patchwork carpet of yellow and purple, with the brilliant blue of the sea beyond.
Chapel Porth beach, Wheal Coates old mine works and Trevaunance Cove are all a stone's throw away. Climb up to the top of the Beacon to take them all in and see for miles and miles.
Our work
Article
Poldark’s filming locations
Many of the places in our care helped bring the Bafta-winning Poldark series to life, including lots of coast and countryside areas that are rich in mining and Cornish history.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with St Agnes Head.