Things to see and do around St Agnes Head

People playing on the beach at Chapel Porth, Cornwall

High up above the ocean, St Agnes Head is a real breath of fresh air.

Walking

The South West Coast Path runs through Chapel Porth and around St Agnes Head. The coast path can be accessed by a network of other footpaths that head inland, so you can complete circular walks including coast, cliff, beach and heath.
 

Exploring the past

For about 400 years until the 1920s, the village of St Agnes was a mining community, surrounded by over 100 tin and copper mines.

Explore this industrial landscape on foot and wonder at the engine houses perched right on the edge of the cliffs.

The iconic Towanroath is now part of the World Heritage Site.

Wheal Coates at St Agnes with a burst of gorse flowers
Looking through bright yellow gorse flowers over to Wheal Coates old engine houses at St Agnes and Chapel Porth

Become a member

National Trust membership is a great way to support our work along the coast, with the benefit of letting you park for free here and in our other charging car parks and for entry into all the National Trust houses and gardens. Have a chat with the car park team when you're down at Chapel Porth to find out more.
 

Geocache with us

Geocaching is a great way to explore and give the kids a bit of an adventure. To give it a try, borrow a GPS from Chapel Porth car park (Easter to Autumn half-term).
 

Don't miss

  • The panoramic views from St Agnes Beacon
  • Exploring the iconic mine buildings at Wheal Coates
  • Strolls along the beautiful low-tide beach at Chapel Porth
  • Enjoying a hedgehog ice cream at Chapel Porth Cafe
  • Some old school prone bellyboarding
  • The annual St Agnes Bolster Festival
  • Starry, starry nights
 
We've teamed up with the Dark Sky Discovery Site to put St Agnes on the star gazing map. Walk or drive to our small car park off Beacon Drive (SW 699513).
 
You won't need to wander far to find a good spot to settle down, get your telescope out and look up. Please wrap up sensibly for being out after dark and don't stray far from the parking area.
 

Beaching it

Chapel Porth changes from an intimate rocky cove at high tide to a vast sandy beach at low tide. Bring your own beach games or borrow ours, just ask a member of staff.
 
It's easy to get cut off by the tide, so make sure you know whether it's coming in. There are seasonal lifeguards and a seasonal dog ban on the beach.