CORNWALL - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 418

September Monday to Friday 9:15am to 5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
From September to March it's open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday to
Sunday 10am to 3pm.
Exploring the Area
The area around St. Agnes is carpeted with gorse-covered heathland that surrounds
the ruined engine houses of the Wheal Coates mine: The National Trust parking lot
(free for members) is a good starting point for walks (from the outskirts of St. Agnes,
follow signs to the Beacon). St. Agnes Beacon, a prominent hilltop, offers excellent
views over the surrounding countryside. Fires were lit here to warn villagers of
impending attack from the Spanish Armada.
The village itself is a charming jumble of cottages, with several galleries and
crafts shops. Trevaunance Cove is a lovely sandy beach that's popular with families
and surfers. Just outside the village, set in a steep-sided valley is Blue Hill Tin
Streams ( & 01872/553341; www.bluehillstin.com), the last place in Cornwall
where tin is being produced—using the ancient method of “streaming.” You can tour
the works from April to late October Monday to Saturday 10am to 2pm, July and
August 10am to 4pm; admission is £6 adults, £3 children. Take the B3285 to Per-
ranporth from St. Agnes, turn left to Wheal Kitty, then right at the grass triangle.
Newquay, a resort with sandy beaches at the foot of the cliffs, is the surfing capi-
tal of Britain and attracts a party-loving crowd—particularly in high season. Fistral
Beach and Watergate Bay are its best-known beaches, and although the town itself
lacks charm, the coastline is stunning.
Picturesque Padstow is a gem, a bustling fishing village on the Camel estuary
that still has a small working fleet. With a history stretching back to the 6th century,
it became an important trading port and customs post (Sir Walter Raleigh lived here
when he was Warden of Cornwall). St. Petroc's Church is a medieval structure
with a fine 15th-century font. Padstow makes a good base for exploring this part of
Cornwall. Large numbers of visitors come to sample the food of local celebrity chef
Rick Stein, whose empire has expanded to cover much of the town (hence the nick-
name “Padstein”) and includes a cookery school (Riverside; & 01841/532700;
www.rickstein.com). Sit by the quayside and enjoy some fish and chips or an ice-
cream cone, and pop into the lovely
London Inn at 6/8 Lanadawell Street
( & 01841/532554; www.staustell
brewery.co.uk), the local pub, for a
drink or a bar meal.
On the other side of the Camel, just
beyond the busy family beach at Pol-
zeath, is the medieval Church of St.
Enodoc, where the poet Sir John
Betjeman is buried. It almost disap-
peared under encroaching sands in the
18th and 19th centuries, to the extent
that access was only possible through
the roof. The church today is sur-
rounded by the fairways of the St.
Enodoc Golf Club.

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Outdoor Activities

Newquay's Surf Academy, Holywell Bay
( & 01637/831369; www.cornwallsurf
academy.com), offers surf lessons and
courses lasting from 1 to 5 days. Surf
rental is also available. Padstow is the
finish point for the Camel Trail, a cycle/
walking route that runs for 18 miles
along a disused railway line by the
River Camel from Wadebridge. Bike
rental is available from Trail Bike Hire,
South Quay, Padstow ( & 01841/
532594; www.trailbikehire.co.uk).