St Anthony Head
CornwallTucked away at the bottom of the Roseland there's lots to discover for everyone.
St Anthony Head, nr Portscatho, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5HA
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 21 February 2026
Asset Opening time Countryside Dawn - Dusk Car park
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid whole day parking £9.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Car park
- Dogs allowed
Please keep dogs under close control
- Toilet
Seasonal toilets
Steep slopes down to the bird hide and observation point. Fairly level car park area with accessible toilet.
- Accessible toilet
Accessible toilet open all year (cleaned daily in summer and weekly in winter)
- Steps/uneven terrain
Slopes and steep paths down from the main car park and battery area to the bird hide, lookout and old paraffin store
- By road
- From A30 take B3275 via Ladock, then A390 towards St Austell, turning onto A3078 to St Mawes. Turn off A3078 signposted Gerrans/ Portscatho, travelling through villages onto Porth, then St Anthony Head.Parking: National Trust car parks at St Anthony Head and Porth.Sat Nav: TR2 5EX
- On foot
- The South West Coast Path winds through the whole of the Roseland.
- By train
- Truro station, 20 miles by road to St Anthony Head (the mostly southerly point on the Roseland). From Falmouth station you can continue your journey by passenger ferry to St Mawes
- By bus
- Regular buses from Truro and St Austell to St Mawes.
- Cycling
- National Cycle Network Route 3 connects Portloe and Pendower with the King Harry Ferry. See Sustrans for details.
- By ferry
- Passenger ferries link Falmouth, Truro, St Mawes and Place (near St Anthony Head). The King Harry Ferry is an iconic car ferry connecting the Roseland with Falmouth and Truro.
St Anthony Head, nr Portscatho, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5HA
Planning your visit
Events at St Anthony Head
Search our events listings to see what's going on here
Visiting St Anthony Head with your dog
Find out where you can take your dog when you visit Carne and Pendower, and what facilities are available for them.
Highlights
Battery
Military defences built to protect against invasion, from Napoleonic times up to World War Two. Book onto a tour to find out more of the hidden history of the headland.
Bird hide
A hidden bird hide down the footpath below the ramparts.
Paraffin Store
Built to store fuel for the lighthouse. Now this tiny building has been used for artists in residence and art exhibitions.
Battery Observation Post
Mirroring the post over the water at Pendennis Castle and built as part of our coastal defences.
The view
Look over the water to the right up to the Carrick Roads, or ahead across to Falmouth for far reaching maritime views. A good place to stop and stare.
Spotlight events
St Anthony Unearthed: Discover St Anthony Battery guided tours
Come and meet the experts to hear about the layers of military history at St Anthony Head. Hear stories from when this tiny headland played a major part in protecting Britain's shores.
Other events near here
See what's on around Carne and Pendower
Other events near here
See what's on near Porth
Things to see and do
Exploring St Anthony Head
Explore St Anthony Head at the tip of the Roseland peninsula, South Cornwall. Learn how its historic military past played an important strategic role defending Falmouth and surrounding waters. Discover wildlife and views along the rugged coastline.
Things to see and do on the Roseland peninsula
Explore the cliffs, creeks, woods and dog-friendly beaches of the Roseland peninsula, where there’s wildlife to discover, as well as military history and networks of coastal paths.
Top trails
St Anthony Head circular walk
This short circular walk presents dramatic scenery along tree-lined pathways and from clifftop vistas.
Porth circular coast and woodland walk
Enjoy this circular walk along the coastal path at Porth, Roseland, passing through farmland and woodland, with long-reaching views and clifftop vistas.
Places to stay
The Lieutenant's Quarter
A converted former officer’s quarters sitting on St Anthony’s Head, with sea views and military history on the doorstep.
The Major's Quarter
A converted former officer’s quarters sitting on St Anthony’s Head, with sea views and military history on the doorstep.
The Captain's Quarter
A converted former officer’s quarters sitting on St Anthony’s Head, with sea views and military history on the doorstep.
Tiffy's
A neat bolthole on the tip of the Roseland peninsula with a military past and sea views for miles.
Upcoming events
The Fort at the end of the road
Join us on a tour to discover what goes on behind closed doors.
About St Anthony Head
On the tip of the Roseland peninsula, St Anthony Head offers commanding views across the Fal estuary and beyond. Famed for its military history for centuries, there are big guns, batteries and fortifications to discover. With level paths from the car park to the headland, there's easy exploring for everyone.
History
History of St Anthony Head
Discover more about the military buildings now in our care on the Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall. Explore the history of the gun battery, ammunition stores and gunner's lookout at St Anthony Head.
Our work
South West Coast Path: creating a year-round economic asset in Cornwall
Thanks to funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, places in Cornwall have started improvements to help make the South West Coast Path a year-round experience. Find out where has benefited.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with St Anthony Head.
