| l has always been a favourite holiday destination | | | | metre high hill that overlooks St Agnes. Legend |
| and its dramatic coastline, picturesque villages, | | | | has it that a giant called Bolster could stand with |
| vibrant culture and sumptuous cuisine. For those | | | | one foot on The Beacon and the other on Carn |
| visitors who have travelled to the region, the | | | | Brea six miles away. If you fancy a detour then |
| benefits of a Cornish holiday need no explaining, | | | | trek up it for some fantastic views from |
| but for our international friends, who have yet to | | | | Padstow in the north, to the clay country and |
| explore outside of London, a visit to Cornwall will | | | | south to St Ives. |
| give you a very different taste of English life. In | | | | Otherwise the route skirts the bottom of the |
| this article, I describe one of my favourite walks | | | | Beacon, and then follows a path to St Agnes |
| in Cornwall and thoroughly recommend it to | | | | village. Here locals bustling about their day-to-day |
| anyone visiting the area. | | | | business will be brushing shoulders with |
| Parts of the walk between St Agnes and the | | | | day-trippers and holiday makers. Stop for a |
| Jericho Valley have been trodden so often by my | | | | browse around some of the fascinating arts and |
| sturdy boots, that they practically know their own | | | | crafts galleries, or pause for a coffee outside the |
| way. It's one of my favourite stretches of | | | | St Agnes Hotel. If you feel like staying overnight, |
| coastal path for its spectacular views across the | | | | there is some lovely holiday accommodation in the |
| turquoise waters to the huge stretch of beach at | | | | area, as well as a very high standard of local pubs |
| Penhale; the ever-present tang of salt hanging in | | | | and restaurants. ( ) |
| the air; the dramatic cliffs bordered with a mosaic | | | | Next you'll see the quirky row of sea captain's |
| of gorse, heather and thrift; plus it conveniently | | | | cottages known as Stippy-Stappy, then follow the |
| links my house with the beach, the pub and my | | | | road for a short time before you descend off left |
| favourite seaside restaurant. | | | | into Trevellas Combe. Following a clear trickling |
| St Agnes was once a busy centre of mining | | | | stream through woodland, you'll pass the isolated |
| activity, the relics of which are dotted all around | | | | Jericho Cottage, once owned by renowned |
| this walk. Today it is still a very | | | | Cornish artist John Opie. Near here, we got a |
| community-minded village with a friendly | | | | fright when a grass snake slithered across the |
| population boosted during the summer by the | | | | path in front of us. |
| visitors attracted by the village's charming unspoilt | | | | You emerge out of the valley at Blue Hills Tin |
| character, its beautiful coastline and popular beach. | | | | Streams, where you can see a working water |
| The village is well equipped for walkers, with some | | | | wheel and tin smelting in the traditional way. Then |
| beautiful, quintessentially English cottages and | | | | perhaps stop at Trevellas beach for a paddle. |
| hotels ( ), and some superb restaurants which | | | | Head up the steep hill to the left of the beach. It's |
| take advantage of Cornwall’s fantastic local | | | | a toughie this one, but there's a strategically |
| produce. | | | | placed bench half way up! At Easter this area is |
| On this walk you'll first head southwards on the | | | | buzzing with an array of classic cars racing their |
| coast path up a fairly steep climb away from the | | | | way around a track. |
| picturesque Trevaunance Cove. Just above the | | | | You can get round this walk in a speedy two and |
| beach if you peer down at low tide you'll see the | | | | half hours, but I think you should allow about four. |
| scattered stones of the former harbour walls, | | | | In that time you'll have journeyed through |
| deposited when storms swept it away in 1915/16. | | | | centuries of life in this colourful part of Cornwall |
| At a higher tide with a gentle swell you may see | | | | and should go home with a real taste of how this |
| one or two of the resident seals putting in an | | | | friendly community has evolved in that time. |
| appearance. | | | | * Distance: 4.5miles |
| Continuing along the coast path you'll be rewarded | | | | * Grade: Moderate |
| with amazing views - careful though, some of the | | | | * Maps: OS Landranger 203, reference 721 515. |
| drops are quite sheer in places. You'll pass a | | | | Walk taken from Classic Walks Cornwall 1 ( |
| number of capped mine shafts and a couple of | | | | published by Cornwall & Devon Media, £5.99) |
| benches where you can enjoy the view of | | | | * Parking: Leave your car at the car park in |
| Bawden Rocks, also known as Man and His Man. | | | | Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes |
| Every summer daring swimmers from the village | | | | * Refreshments: St Agnes Hotel, for coffees and |
| swim the mile out to this rock and back. | | | | pub food opposite the church; Driftwood Spars |
| After about half a mile along the coast path you | | | | for a pint in their beer garden just a few metres |
| head inland and up towards the Beacon, the 192 | | | | from the beach. |