St Agnes Head

Things to do · St Agnes

About St Agnes Head

St Agnes Head is the high, heather covered headland just west of St Agnes village, where the cliffs fall straight into the Atlantic. It is recorded as a natural feature, and visitors rate it 4.9 out of 5. On a clear day you can look along the coast towards St Ives Bay. About a mile offshore, the Bawden Rocks, also called Man and his Man, give seabirds a place to rest and breed.

Seabirds and the coastwatch lookout

Gannets, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, shags and cormorants all use these cliffs. Manx shearwaters pass close in on onshore winds. Red billed choughs, Cornwall’s emblem bird, are seen here regularly, and spring and autumn are the best times. The headland once held Cornwall’s largest kittiwake colony, though most of those birds have since moved further along the coast. The volunteers at the coastwatch lookout on the headland are happy to tell you what has been spotted.

Getting here and walking on

The easiest start is the National Trust car park at Wheal Coates, or its car park at Chapel Porth beach, where a fee is payable. Don’t park on the steep lane down to Chapel Porth. From Wheal Coates, follow the coast path north past the old engine houses to reach the headland. Then loop back over St Agnes Beacon for the best view inland. The paths are rocky and steep in places, so wear sensible footwear and allow for the ground underfoot.

Questions visitors ask

Where can I park for St Agnes Head?

Use the National Trust car park at Wheal Coates or the National Trust car park at Chapel Porth beach, where a fee is payable. Avoid parking on the steep lane down to Chapel Porth.

Which birds might I see at St Agnes Head?

Look for gannets, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, shags and cormorants. Manx shearwaters come close in on onshore winds. Red billed choughs are seen regularly, and spring and autumn are the best times.

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