St Agnes

St Agnes is a former mining village on Cornwall’s north coast that has reinvented itself without losing its character. The village sits on the cliffs above Trevaunance Cove, a sheltered beach with good surf and a dramatic setting between high headlands. The cove has a lively beach bar, a cafe, and the remains of the old harbour walls that once served the mines — the sea reclaimed the harbour long ago, which tells you something about the power of the Atlantic here.

The village itself is strung along a narrow valley running down to the coast, with a good mix of independent shops, galleries, cafes and pubs. The Taphouse is a proper local with good beer and regular live music. St Agnes feels less polished than some Cornish villages — it has a slightly edgier, more creative energy that draws artists, surfers and people who’ve deliberately chosen somewhere with character over prettiness. The St Agnes Beacon, a short walk above the village, gives 360-degree views across Cornwall and is managed as heathland by the National Trust.

The coastal walking from St Agnes is among the best on the north coast. Head north towards Chapel Porth — a wild sandy beach backed by old mine workings — and on towards Porthtowan, or south along the cliffs towards Cligga Head. The mining heritage is everywhere: engine houses on the skyline, old shafts in the heath, and the Wheal Coates engine house perched on the cliff edge above Chapel Porth, which has become one of the most photographed buildings in Cornwall.