Visiting St Nectan’s Glen. Is It Cornwall’s Best Kept Secret?

 Are you ready to explore St Nectan’s Glen, a magical and spiritual woodland with a unique 60ft waterfall called St Nectan’s Kieve? If so, then keep reading for more about the trail and some other useful information that you should know prior to your visit.

If you’d like to see our St Nectan’s Glen adventure then make sure to watch our YouTube video by clicking here. (Please note that this video also contains our visit to Tintagel Castle.) You can also watch our full Cornwall Series by clicking here.

10 Interesting facts about Cornwall

Although Cornwall is located pretty far away from the major centres in the UK, millions of tourists visit it every year. So, I thought I’d share 10 interesting facts about Cornwall and show you why we totally fell in love with it in only 3 days.

1. Cornwall has only one neighboring county, Devon, and is surrounded by water on three sides.
2. It has only one city, Truro, which is the administrative centre of Cornwall and also one of the smallest cities in the UK.
3. Cornwall has its own flag and own language called Kernewek, which is a Celtic language. The Cornish flag is the flag of the Cornish patron saint, Saint Piran.
4. It’s southwesternmost point is called Land’s End and the southernmost point is Lizard Point. Lizard Point is also the most southerly point on mainland Great Britain.
5. The well-known Cornish Pasty was invented by the miners. Apparently, at least 120 million pasties are made every year and producers generate millions of pounds worth of trade to the Cornish economy.
6. Due to its oceanic setting and the influence of the Gulf Stream, Cornwall has probably the best climate in the UK.
7. Cornwall has a huge variety of marine life so you can spot seals, dolphins and even Basking Sharks. How cool?
8. There are nearly 400 types of plants in Cornwall, thanks to its warm climate and the Eden Project.
9. Cornwall’s 422 miles of coastline has over 300 beaches, many of which are known as surfing paradises like Newquay. 
10.  Other unique things in Cornwall are the Pipewell in Liskeard that’s never run dry, a coach that’s driven by headless horses in Penryn around Christmas, and all the Arthurian legends.

There are definitely many more fun facts about Cornwall, so make sure to have a quick internet search before your visit.

About St Nectan’s Glen

St Nectan’s Glen is a beautiful ancient woodland located in Trethevy, to the northeast of Tintagel in north Cornwall. The woodland stretches about 1.6km (1 mile) along the River Trevillet. The woodland walk’s main attraction is the 18m (60ft) tall waterfall, St Nectan’s Kieve. What’s unique about this waterfall is that the water has punched a hole through the original basin (kieve) and now it cascades through it. How cool is that? 

Many tourists who visit St Nectan’s Glen believe that this area is one of the UK’s most spiritual sites. Therefore, along the walk you’ll see many small stone piles placed along the trail along with ribbons and crystals tied to tree branches.

 Two species of rare moss and two species of rare Liverworts grow around the waterfall. Due to these rare plant specimens, the area has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) since 1985. 

How to get to St Nectan’s Glen

By Car: St Nectan’s Glen is located in Trethevy to the northeast of Tintagel. If you arrive by car, there are two potential car parks just off the B3263. Both car parks are super small so if you arrive later in the day you might not be able to get a spot. We couldn’t get a spot so we parked further down the road at a layby. (Please see exact location on the Alltrails map.) There’s a £3 all day charge at the official car parks.  

If you don’t have your own car but would like to enjoy the freedom of a private vehicle, then you can always hire a car to get to St Nectan’s Glen.

By Public Transport: If you arrive by public transport you can take Buses 95, 181 and 212  travelling between Truro, Wadebridge, Camelford, Bodmin, and Bude. You can disembark at the ‘Bus Shelter’ bus stop in front of the car parks and start your woodland walk straight away. 

If you’re coming from further afield, I recommend getting the train to Truro. There are train services to and from London, Penzance, Exeter and Plymouth. From there just take Bus 95 to Trethevy. Please note that the bus takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to reach Trethevy. Make sure to plan your journey with Trainline which also provides information on bus fares.

Top Tip – If you’re planning on travelling across the UK by train a lot, then check out some Railcard options which allow you to save some pennies on your train fares.

Good to Know Before You Go

Cost to enter St Nectan’s Glen

It is free to explore the woodland, however, you have to pay to see the St Nectan’s Glen waterfall itself. The admission fee we paid was £5.95 per adult. (On the website it now says £6.45 per adult, so please bear the price change in mind.) 

Luckily you do not have to book your ticket online. You can just turn up on the day and purchase a ticket at the gift shop or café. 

During the summer St Nectan’s Glen is open from 9AM to 5PM. The last possible entry is at 30 minutes before closing time, so in the summer it is at 4:30PM.

Please see more information about admission fees and seasonal opening hours on the website.

You can visit St Nectan’s Glen any time of the year. I think during spring and summer the woodland will be lush green, whereas in autumn you’ll be able to enjoy the colourful leaves. I believe during winter your walk might be muddier and the weather might not be as pleasant. You might want to consider visiting the waterfall after some heavier rainfall to experience it in its full force. Due to its close proximity to Tintagel Castle, I recommend visiting both on the same day. 

Personally, I enjoyed our visit during spring as the woodland floor was covered in bluebells, adding a pop of colour to the greenery. In May, we also had a lot of rainfall, therefore the waterfall was in full force.

Length of the St Nectan’s Glen circular walk

The St Nectan’s Glen walk is a 3 km (1.8 miles) long point to point route (Red Route on AllTrails map). Depending on your speed or how long you’re spending at the waterfall, this route could take around 2 hours.

Please note that it’s a point to point route if you manage to park at the designated car park. We unfortunately couldn’t, so we had to park further down the main road. This meant that we walked around 0.5 km (0.3 miles) along the main road to reach the trailhead, which wasn’t the safest. Therefore, we decided to do a circular walk and walk back along a much quieter local road. (Blue Route on AllTrails map.) This added an extra km (0.6 miles) onto our original route, but it was a lot safer. 

Level of Difficulty

I would rate the level of difficulty of the St Nectan’s Glen woodland walk as easy.  The path is easy to follow and there will be a few signs and other people on the route too. 

However, the path can be rocky and uneven with tree roots jutting up here and there. So, I recommend wearing appropriate footwear. The trail leads through a woodland so you’ll be sheltered from the sun and also from the rain. (Probably not from torrential rain though!)

At the waterfall you’ll most likely have to walk in the River Trevillet to be able to view the waterfall. Depending on the amount of rainfall prior to your visit, your shoes might get a bit wet, and the rocks can be slippery too. 

What to wear and bring with you?

Depending on the time of year you’re visiting I recommend wearing something comfortable and have layers with you.

Whilst the trail is pretty good it can still be a bit uneven in places. Rain can also make parts of the trail muddy and slippery. Therefore, I suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes, boots or sandals. 

Since you’ll have to walk into the river, I suggest either wearing waterproof shoes or just taking your shoes off and walking bare foot. In that case, you might want to pack a small towel to dry your feet afterwards.

I also suggest packing some snacks and having plenty of water and hot drinks with you depending on the weather. 

Please Note! – Whatever you bring with you, make sure you either take it home with you or dispose of it responsibly. Have a garbage bag with you where you can collect all your waste. Enjoy your time in nature but Leave No Trace!

Facilities around St Nectan’s Glen

Cafés and Picnic Spots – If you’d like to grab a drink or something to eat then check out the Tree of Life Café after your St Nectan’s Glen visit. The café offers a great variety of drinks, snacks, cakes and lunches. All ingredients are locally sourced, homemade and change seasonally. 

On a lovely summer day, you can have a picnic around the waterfall. Since the area around the waterfall isn’t massive it could feel a bit crowded though.  

Toilets – There are toilet facilities available next to the Tree of Life Café.

Gift Shop – There’s also a shop and gallery if you’d like to purchase a gift or memoir.

Accommodation and Retreat – What’s unique about St Nectan’s Glen is that you can actually book a lovely retreat there. There are two buildings (The Retreat and St Cleder) where you can sleep plus a studio perfect for yoga or meditation. 

St Nectan’s Glen Circular Walk

The St Nectan’s Glen walking trail is very easy to follow, but as usual I divided the route into 3 main sections.

1. Car Park to St Nectan’s Glen

If you managed to park at the designated car park just cross the B3263 and the trailhead should be in front of you. You’ll have to walk about 100m before you get to St Piran’s Well and a fork in the road. You’ll need to go right here and walk along the paved road. Please note that this road caters for some residents so be careful when walking along it. 

Soon you’ll enter into the magical woodland of St Nectan’s Glen.  Make sure to take your time walking along the path and enjoy the lush green woodland, moss-covered rocks and meandering river. Towards the end you’ll start a small ascent and will have to walk up a set of steps to reach the visitor centre area.

2. Exploring St Nectan’s Kieve

Once you’ve reached the visitor centre, you’ll need to purchase your entry ticket to the waterfall. You’ll go through a separate door from which you’ll start descending down some meandering steps. This area will have lots of ribbons, crystals, photographs and piles of stones, making you feel like you’re not even in the UK any more. 

There will be a cool viewpoint just off to your right where you can have your first glance at St Nectan’s Kieve from above. From there just carry on walking down the steps until you reach a metal turnstile gate. Once you’re through the gate, you’ll have to walk into the River Trevillet. Whilst you’ll be able to hear it, the waterfall will not be visible straight away as it’s tucked away to the right. So, you’ll have to walk into the river in order to see it.

But don’t worry, the river isn’t that deep and you’ll most likely be able to hop onto a few bigger stones.  Once you’re standing in front of St Nectan’s Kieve surrounded by the moss covered rocks and ferns, you’ll definitely feel like you’re in an enchanted forest.

Whilst St Nectan’s Kieve is the main attraction, there are other waterfalls in the area. One of them is just to the left of the turnstile gate, so you’ll be able to spot that before the main waterfall. We saw some kids enjoying themselves around it, so you can definitely access it if you wish. 

3. St Nectan’s Glen to the Car Park

Once you’re ready to leave St Nectan’s Kieve, you’ll need to walk up the path on the opposite side from where you came in. After a small uphill, you’ll circle back to the visitor centre area. From there you’ll need to head back the way you arrived earlier.

If you parked at the designated car park, then you’ll just need to carry on the way you came. If you’ve parked where we did, I suggest you turn left at the bridge and follow the woodland trail until you arrive at a field. Cross that field which will lead you to a small local road. 

From there turn right and follow this road all the way to the B3263. I highly recommend reaching your parking spot this way as this local road had hardly any traffic. However, I would still proceed with caution.

Once you’ve reached your car you’ve completed the St Nectan’s Glen woodland trail. 

Additional things to do in Cornwall

It doesn’t matter when you visit Cornwall, or what the weather is like, you’ll find no shortage of unique things to do and places to see. We definitely managed to visit a variety of iconic locations during our 3-day trip. So, here are some additional places to add to your Cornish road-trip itinerary. 

Visiting Tintagel Castle – Dive into the history and legends of Tintagel Castle including useful tips and 9 must see features so you can make the most of your visit. Click here to read it.

Lizard Point to Kynance Cove Circular Walk – A 5 mile circular walk along one of the most beautiful sections of coastline in the South West. Click here to read it.

Exploring the Lost Gardens of Heligan – Visiting one of the UK’s most popular gardens built in a 19th century Gardenesque style. Click here to read it.

You can browse for more hiking trails in the UK and around the world in my Hiking Adventures Series

Final Thoughts on St Nectan’s Glen

So, is St Nectan’s Glen Cornwall’s best kept secret? I think it’s a bit of a yes and no. I think due to the retreat opportunity and social media, more and more people visit this spot. Although, when I searched for the St Nectan’s Glen hashtag on Instagram, it only had about 11k posts. So yes, it’s not as well-known just yet. I also think that the limited parking might put a few people off visiting it. But, we all know just how fast word about hidden gems like St Nectan’s Glen can spread on social media platforms, so I believe it will slowly become even more popular.

So, is it worth visiting and paying to see it? 100%! I think St Nectan’s Kieve is such a unique waterfall that it’s worth visiting. The woodland is also beautiful and the whole area has such a positive feel to it – with all the ribbons and rocks – that you could easily forget that you’re still in the UK.

Have you ever visited St Nectan’s Glen or Cornwall in general before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to explore? Let me know in the comments below.