St Anges is a hidden little treat of Cornwall. It hides away just 20 minutes from Truro, mostly eclipsed by it’s neighbour Perranporth, which leaves it naturally developed and beautiful and feeling like a true Cornish town, and not a tourist retreat.
As with many of these special little town, the cost of seclusion is not cheap, and house prices are reflected in the cars parked in driveways. But regardless of costs and socio-economic background, the locals are friendly and welcoming, as I found in all the pubs I visited.
The first time I visited I stopped off at a tiny little beach one bay west of St Agnes. Barely even a cove, this beach is tricky to find and get to, but worth it. It looks out westwards, the way of the setting sun the I was there, and watching it slowly descend as the handful of other people on the beach was a calming and very pleasant experience. Followed by food and drinks at one of the pubs in town. The locals ebbed and flowed in and out of the bar, very few didn’t say hello, and many introduced themselves to investigate who we might be. The barman was a treat, as the only people inside for quite a while he chatted about life hidden in these Cornish valleys and all sorts more.
The second time I visited with my brother and his young son, so we wandered through the town again, and down to the main beach. A larger, but not big beach, with a few people dotted about. Again, it was a peaceful and welcoming place. Folk said hello as they passed, and the dogs on the beach made it good fun to run around. The chill winter air gave it a rather desolate feel, but inside our jackets we were happy to be there, enjoying another dose of what makes Cornwall so special.
If you’re looking for a jaunt out of Truro, you could do a lot worse than a trip to St Agnes, any time of year.
Benjamin Duff
Verses Travel 