PARK Head, on the North Cornwall coast, has iconic views towards the remarkable sea stacks at Bedruthan Steps, including Queen Bess Rock, Samaritan Island and Pendarves Island.

Queen Bess Rock is named after Elizabeth I while Samaritan Island is so called because the Good Samaritan ship was wrecked on the rock in the mid-19th century.

Park Head and Bedruthan Steps make up a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of their natural history, including rocks containing rare fossils. Bedruthan Steps also has designated dark sky status, meaning it is largely free from light pollution and, on a clear night, has amazing views of the stars.

Breathtaking views can be enjoyed at Bedruthan Steps on the north coast of Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
Breathtaking views can be enjoyed at Bedruthan Steps on the north coast of Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

The coast path takes walkers from Park Head past the earthworks of the prehistoric Redcliff Castle to the National Trust’s Bedruthan Steps facilities at Carnewas where old mining buildings have been repurposed. The remains of the cliff castle, dating from the Iron Age and covered in vegetation, are protected as a scheduled ancient monument.

The cliff walks around Bedruthan Steps have been drawing in visitors since Victorian times. The early tourists would travel to Newquay and then make their way to the breathtaking location by horsedrawn transport.

There is some debate over the origin of the name of Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
There is some debate over the origin of the name of Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

There is some debate over the origin of the Bedruthan Steps name. One line of thought is that it came from the legend of the giant Bedruthan who is said to have used the rocky stacks as stepping stones, this story seemingly being made up to attract the visitors in the 19th century. Another explanation is that the name came from a steep cliff staircase that was created down to the beach by miners. The cliffs here are susceptible to rockfalls which can block access to the sands via the staircase. However, there is a viewing area at the top.

Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, a lovely tour around the county, is available as an ebook on Amazon.
Cornwall Favourites For One And All!, offering a lovely tour around the county from the comfort of your own armchair, is available as a book and an ebook on Amazon. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

*Andrew Townsend is a journalist and writer. He further explores the county in the entertaining travel book, Cornwall Favourites For One And All!: A Quick Guide To Good Places To Visit Across The County, which is available in print and as an ebook. More details on Andrew’s books and ebooks can be found via this link to his author page on Amazon - https://bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor