The complete guide to Holywell Bay, Cornwall

When you first access the beach, Holywell Bay begins as a cove, flanked by a stream to the west and dunes to the east. Families visiting for the day often camp by the stream as it’s a great place for children to play; the water is no higher than knee-deep at its deepest point and the currents are gentle, making it much safer than the sea. I have fond memories of playing in the little alcoves in the cliffs on the west side of the stream.

The dunes too are fun to explore, and you’ll occasionally see older kids riding down the sand on bodyboards. Just to note, the sand across the beach never feels that clean to me compared to similar locations, with wire sometimes found here, so tread with caution. It’s also possible that adders are present in the dunes (not that I’ve ever seen any!).

Later, Holywell Bay opens up into a long beach, extending to the east, with a surfing school present at the turn between cove and wide expanse of sand.

Perfect to explore

Holywell Bay is best visited at low tide, where the beach extends outwards significantly and you can walk out to the west of the cove. Here, you’ll find caves ready to be explored.

The most fascinating of these caves is Holywell Cave, or St Cuthbert’s Cave, present far on the beach’s eastern side. Inside, you’ll find a “holy well”, in fact a natural spring which has produced tiered limestone deposits in all kinds of colours.

Last time I visited the cave, the entrance required scrambling over some few boulders, so it could be a challenge to identify – although you’ll feel quite proud of yourself when you do!

You can climb up the deposits, and in fact there are step-like indents on the rock outside to provide easier access. There’s a little enclosed area at the top with a candle inside, which I find a bit spooky in the gloom of the cave.

I’d just make sure the tide won’t be coming in any time soon before entering any of the caves. Due to their isolation, it would be easy to get cut off as high tide approaches.

Islands and shipwrecks

It would be impossible to talk about Holywell Bay without talking about the Gull Rocks. This is a pair of cliffy islets which rise out of the sea opposite the west side of the bay and are probably the most recognisable feature of this beach.

I’ve always enjoyed seeing the Rocks rising out of the water. At low tide you can get pretty close and see a flagpole on the top of the left islet (I’ve always wondered who placed this up there!). The shorter rocks on the far right also kind of look like a cow… Can you see it?!

One other interesting thing to spot is a shipwreck towards the east of the bay. Apparently this is all that remains of the SS Francia, which was wrecked in 1917. You can only see it at low tide, sticking out of the shoreline – two posts and a short shallow body.

How does Holywell Bay rate as a destination?

If you’ve already visited, let me know if you agree with these ratings! Just to note, the ratings are my personal opinion based on my visit, so you might have a completely different experience.

More: how I rank destinations using the Everywhere Ratings system

How to get to Holywell Bay

Holywell Bay is best accessed by car. It’s quite remote within the UK and, like many other Cornish beaches, is not easily accessible by public transport.

However, it’s worth noting you can get to Holywell Bay from Newquay and Truro using the 85 bus. Newquay and Truro also have railway stations.

I’d recommend parking at the National Trust car park along Holywell Road (£8 all day or free for members). As the National Trust maintains the beach and the surrounding wild land, the car parking fee is directly plugged back into the local area. From there, it’s five minutes walk along a sandy track to the beach. If the National Trust car park is full, you can also park in the Gull Rocks Bar & Cafe car park, which you’ll pass on the right side as you approach the NT car park.

There are free public toilets along Holywell Road, only a minute’s walk from the car park. Make sure you go to the toilet before you head down, as they’re a trek from the beach!

You can also access Holywell Bay using the South West Coast Path. The path heading in both directions offers panoramic views. If you walk from Perranporth, to the south of Holywell, you’ll pass through military land, close to a derelict training camp, around Penhale Point. Meanwhile, if you walk from Crantock, to the north, you’ll pass through protected wildlife meadows and another cove (Polly Joke – another one of my favourite Cornish beaches!), and, as you walk around Kelsey Head, you might even spot some seals. It’s a great way to explore the surrounding area.

Where to eat

There are two places serving food in Holywell village – Gull Rocks Bar & Cafe, and Treguth Inn. Gull Rocks Bar is right by the beach so gets a lot of passing trade from beachgoers – you can even see the dunes in their outside seating area! In my opinion there is a slightly unfriendly atmosphere inside, but I enjoyed sitting outside on the patio with a pint. Just to note, they only are open during the day.

The Treguth is located further into Holywell village, just off the main road. It has a traditional pub atmosphere, and I’ve enjoyed previous meals there. For a good dinner in Holywell I think this is your best bet! Make sure to reserve a table during peak season if you want to eat there as they were fully booked on my last visit.

During the peak summer months I have seen a food truck serving ice cream on the beach.

There are no shops in Holywell, so bring all drinks, snacks and picnic items with you!

Where to stay

Holywell Bay is within 15 minutes’ drive of other nearby holiday spots like Newquay and Perranporth, making it easy to visit regardless of where you’re staying in the area.

I particularly like Perranporth as a place to stay in the area as it has a range of pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops as well as its long beach. However, within the vicinity of Holywell you’ll find hotels, house rentals, holiday sites and campsites, some of which will fit your preferred vacation style.

In Holywell itself, you have several good options, with there being cottages for rent and campsites nearby. I’ve tried two of these and can recommend them both!

The first is Pennasville, a small holiday neighbourhood right by the sand dunes. If you’ve visited the beach already you’ll recognise it as those ugly grey terraces you walk past on the path to the beach; however, they’re much nicer and more comfortable inside, and you can’t beat the location!

The second is the Parkdean Holiday Park adjacent to Holywell. I used to stay here as a kid and have very fond memories of the place. There’s a pool, an easy footpath to the beach along a stream, and entertainment in the evening. Whenever I smell palm trees (which were dotted by the pool) I’m reminded of this place.

Heading further west in Cornwall? Check out my guide to Priest Cove (Cape Cornwall), one of my favourite places in this area!

What to do in Holywell Bay

Holywell Bay, in my opinion, has it all with a wealth of things to explore. Here are my top suggestions:

1. Try out surfing: there are decent waves, with the RNLI patrolling the beach throughout the summer. For beginners, a surf school runs lessons at the beach to introduce you to the sport;
2. Race boats down the river: a favourite of my childhood, we had plastic boats which we would race down the stream. Who will win…?
3. Explore the caves. The caves and coastline around Holywell are well worth exploring. Just be mindful of tide times and be careful around the cliffs!
4. Walk out along the headland for dramatic views: head south along the coast path to Penhale Point for a close-up view of the Gull Rocks, or north towards Kelsey Head for some seal-spotting. Either way there are stunning views of the Cornish coastline.

Conclusion

Whatever your travel style is, there’s something for everyone here – waves for surfers, a stream and sand dunes for family, caves for explorers and lots of space for dogs and their walkers. There’s no wonder Holywell Bay is my favourite beach in Cornwall!

Have you visited Holywell Bay? Let me know what you like most about it in the comments.

More information

• The National Trust website provides practical information on how to visit Holywell.
• Cornwall Insights is great for gaining useful knowledge of Holywell Bay and other destinations throughout Cornwall.
• Check out The Cornish Life for some wintry photos of Holywell Bay, looking as gorgeous as ever!
• Third Eye Traveller’s post on Holywell Bay as a House of the Dragon film location is well worth a read if you’re a fan of the series!
• Another super interesting post to check out is South West Coast Photos’ gallery of photos from North Cornwall, which includes Holywell Bay and the neighbouring dunes and coastland.