If you're feeling energetic, climb up to the area's highest viewpoint. The panorama from the top of the Beacon stretches across most of Cornwall on a clear day; look out for the dark tors of Bodmin Moor to the east and the distinctive summit of Carn Brea in the west. It's just over a mile's walk (about an hour) from St Agnes town, and fairly well signposted from the village square.

Downloadable PDFs at www.stagnes.com detail several circular routes.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Chapel Porth

0.91 MILES

Two miles from St Agnes is one of Cornwall's most beautiful coves, Chapel Porth, a wild, rocky beach framed by steep, gorse-covered cliffs, owned by the…

2. Trevaunance Cove

1.18 MILES

St Agnes' main beach is great for paddling and rock-pooling, and has old-fashioned beach huts where you can get changed. Koru Kayaking runs trips from the…

3. Trevellas Porth

1.55 MILES

This former mining valley near Trevaunance Cove is locally known as Blue Hills, a reference to the vivid blue heather that grows here in summer. There's a…

4. Blue Hills Tin Streams

1.59 MILES

A mile east of St Agnes (signed to Wheal Kitty) is the rocky valley of Trevellas Porth, home to one of Cornwall's last tin manufacturers. You can watch…

5. Mount Pleasant Eco Park

2.25 MILES

Up on the hill above Porthtowan, this community-focused eco-centre and organic farm is a catch-all venue, hosting everything from vegan food fairs to…

6. Perranporth Beach

4.2 MILES

Perranporth's huge, flat, sandy beach is a favourite for everyone: dog-walkers, bucket-and-spade families, kite-buggiers and surfers alike. Its main draw…

7. East Pool Mine

5.62 MILES

This mining centre near Redruth is an ideal place to get acquainted with Cornwall's once-great industry. At the heart of the complex are two massive…

8. Carn Brea

6.12 MILES

Towering on the skyline between Camborne and Redruth and visible for miles around, this craggy hilltop is one of Cornwall's most iconic natural features…