HEADING south from Dizzard Point in North Cornwall, the South West Coast Path takes in a couple of challenging ups and downs before reaching Crackington Haven which offers a large sandy beach as the tide goes out.

Around seven miles south of Bude, Crackington Haven, which can become busy with visitors in the summer, is the largest settlement in the rural parish of St Gennys.

The hamlet of St Gennys, on high ground to the north of Crackington Haven, is home to the parish church which dates back to medieval times and is thought to have been built on an early Celtic site. In the spring, the churchyard abounds with colourful displays of daffodils and primroses. There are also two holy wells in the vicinity with one, which was restored in the 1920s, carrying an inscription stating it dates from around the sixth century.

The holy well of St Gennys which is tucked away behind the parish church. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
The holy well of St Gennys which is tucked away behind the parish church. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

The parish also has historic slate quarrying and mining areas, and a considerable maritime heritage. In the 1830s, there was a proposal to turn Crackington Haven into a port – Port Victoria – but the ambitious plan never came to fruition.

In common with other areas on the north coast of Cornwall, the St Gennys parish has witnessed the natural spectacle of the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis, out above the sea in recent times as the cycle of solar activity has reached one of its peaks.

There's a car park behind the beach at Crackington Haven in North Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)
There's a car park behind the beach at Crackington Haven in North Cornwall. (Picture: Andrew Townsend)

The offshore area here is designated as a marine conservation zone while the coastline is a site of special scientific interest and a special area of conservation, as well as a designated heritage coast. The parish lies within area two of the Cornwall National Landscape, formerly known as the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it hosts a number of county wildlife sites.

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!, a lovely tour around the county, 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 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 - bit.ly/AndrewTownsendAuthor