St. Nectan's Glen, Tintagel: Hours, Address, St. Nectan's Glen Reviews: 4.5/5
St. Nectan's Glen
St. Nectan's Glen
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
46 within 5 kms

Tree of Life Cafe
10
28 m₹ • Cafe • British • Healthy

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Vega
128
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Charlie's
809
2.4 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Cafe • Seafood • British

Tintagel Brewery Bar and Bistro
276
2.3 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Brew Pub • Bar • Cafe

King Arthur's Cafe
648
2.6 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Cafe • British • Vegetarian Friendly

The Cornish Bakery
583
2.6 km₹ • Bakeries • Cafe • Fast food

The Olive Garden tintagel
462
2.6 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly

The Olde Malthouse Inn
420
2.6 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Bar • British • Pub
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,474 reviews
Excellent
1,066
Very good
218
Average
77
Poor
50
Terrible
63
Barbara
2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
Walking among the trees with the tinkling of the stream. Stunning nature, gorgeous flowers.
You have to climb a lot and I could not complete the whole circular walk, and I've been surprised to have been offered a refund as I was not sufficiently fit. I did not want money back as I felt glad to give a small contribution for taking care of the place.
You have to climb a lot and I could not complete the whole circular walk, and I've been surprised to have been offered a refund as I was not sufficiently fit. I did not want money back as I felt glad to give a small contribution for taking care of the place.
Written 3 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Vanessa Westwell
3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
This is a peaceful, beautiful spot which my friend and I really enjoyed. Walking alongside the tinkling stream was very relaxing. There were other visitors there, but it was not crowded. So we could stop whenever we liked.
The walk is very steep in places, with a lot of rough, uneven ground and many steps. It was quite muddy in places. Luckily, it had not rained that day. You really need to wear strong, waterproof shoes with a good grip.
All the staff were very friendly and welcoming.
The walk is very steep in places, with a lot of rough, uneven ground and many steps. It was quite muddy in places. Luckily, it had not rained that day. You really need to wear strong, waterproof shoes with a good grip.
All the staff were very friendly and welcoming.
Written 3 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lauren R
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Couples
It was really heartbreaking to see how this magical place has become a monetised tourist trap. I have been wanting to visit this place for years and I couldn’t believe that they charge you see and get near the waterfall! They have killed the magic of this place- nature shouldn’t be owned by anyone. Nothing is sacred anymore.
Written 1 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mark H
2 contributions
Jun 2022
Anyone who truly loves nature and is pro-environment will likely hate this place. How it is considered a conservation area and site of special scientific interest is beyond me. I love taking photos of natural landscapes, but people have done what they can to add their own 'art' to nature, and have ruined it. The 'leave only footprints' signs are not enforced in any way - one sign was on a cut section of tree trunk that people had hammered coins into. There were dozens of stacks of stones (removing stones removes the habitat of everything that lived or sheltered under them), thousands of coins have been hammered into tree trunks, and plastic ribbons have been tied to trees. If the managers cared they would have these removed daily (or more) to prevent encouraging others.
Also, it's £3 (cash only) to park in a small car park, then a walk along a road then footpath to the cafe, shop and main entrance (£7.50 to see the one little waterfall). There's a 'nature trail', which is free, but, as a commercial installation, was far less of a nature trail than the walk in. I did not have £3 cash so parked in a layby a little further up the hill and walked back.
It's clearly a commerically-focused tourist site / art installation to generate money, with no obvious signs these people care about the environment. There are so many 'natural' places to visit for free that are far superior.
Also, it's £3 (cash only) to park in a small car park, then a walk along a road then footpath to the cafe, shop and main entrance (£7.50 to see the one little waterfall). There's a 'nature trail', which is free, but, as a commercial installation, was far less of a nature trail than the walk in. I did not have £3 cash so parked in a layby a little further up the hill and walked back.
It's clearly a commerically-focused tourist site / art installation to generate money, with no obvious signs these people care about the environment. There are so many 'natural' places to visit for free that are far superior.
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
V.B
7 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
It was lovely unexpected peaceful area and the waterfall was beautiful!
Bring sandles or a towel as you have to get your feet wet.
Bring sandles or a towel as you have to get your feet wet.
Written 16 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much for your kind review. We're so glad that you enjoyed your experience with us! We'll hope to see you again in the future.
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kjacko
121 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
I saw a family member had recently gone so I wanted to see this place for myself. Heads up - it is around a half hr walk from where you park up to the actual entrance. You walk through dense woodland and it is a nice walk. At parts it is a steep climb so I wouldn’t recommend if you struggle to walk! The actual waterfall itself was lovely but sadly too many trying to film their selves for Instagram. The cafe was lovely, my only bug bare being served hot drinks in a takeaway cup. The chocolate and banana cake slice was lovely though!! I believe the parking was £3 all day from memory and only took cash.
Written 15 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hi there Kjacko,
Thanks for your review. We're glad you enjoyed your experience, and sorry to hear your experience was hampered by the crowds during the time of your visit. To avoid disappointment next time we recommend arriving early, as the waterfall will be largely empty first thing.
We will look forward to seeing you again in the future. Until then, take care!
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
B00ts_Electric
Grimsby, UK50 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Beautiful woodland walk with lots of paddling opportunities along the way. You have to pay to get to the waterfall but there's a fair amount of paths and steps to maintain so we didn't mind. Lovely and friendly cafe with some nice treats. We didn't have time to do the nature trail unfortunately but just the walk, waterfall and coffee took us a couple of hours. Parking a bit limited and needs cash (£3 when we went)
Written 3 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're glad you had a welcoming experience with some nice treats too. We will hope to see you again in the future!
All the best from the team.
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rolphy220689
Royston, UK172 contributions
May 2022 • Family
A lovely walk, but its much better if you have wellies or walking boots as you do need to cross the stream - some people do it bare footed or just get wet shoes as you s
Written 1 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you so much for your kind review!
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kieron K
Southampton, UK8 contributions
May 2022 • Family
The waterfall was beautiful.. The place magical we loved that you had to wade into the river to see the full waterfall. The cafe was lovely with an excellent selection of cakes.. Be prepared for a difficult terrain to walk into the site I would recommend not taking pushchairs or people who struggle with walking. Also be wary of sitting on fallen trees as people have lined these with wish coins
Written 29 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Hi KieronK,
Thank you so much for a great review. We're glad you enjoyed your experience and enjoyed our cafe for a pit stop! The coin trees are a 200 year old tradition which started in Wales. It is said that if you have a worry or illness, then transferring it to the coin and pressing it into a dead log will take the illness away. Be wary, as removing a coin will bring the worries or illness with it!
We will hope to see you again in the future.
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
CakeLady
5 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
A beautiful woodland walk and lots of peaceful spots to stop and take in the scenery.
Delicious cake stop in the lovely cafe at the top. Wear sturdy shoes, it's very steep and uneven ground. I slipped a few times!
I was a bit shocked to see a group of people getting fully undressed and into trunks to go under the waterfall, nearly put me off my cake! A few people were meditating by the main waterfall too, very slippy, one lady fell in.
Delicious cake stop in the lovely cafe at the top. Wear sturdy shoes, it's very steep and uneven ground. I slipped a few times!
I was a bit shocked to see a group of people getting fully undressed and into trunks to go under the waterfall, nearly put me off my cake! A few people were meditating by the main waterfall too, very slippy, one lady fell in.
Written 23 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Thank you for your review. We're glad you enjoyed the serenity of The Glen (and the cafe too). Thank you for your patience with those who weren't afraid of changing in public. We try to maintain a family friendly atmosphere and obviously don't encourage bodily exposure but cant keep an eye on the waterfall at all times. We hope you finished your cake!
It is a place of peace and mindfulness, and so meditation is common at the waterfall. We hope to see you again in the future.
Written 17 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jane F
Trowbridge, UK1 contribution
can children paddle in the stream/river-is there access?
Emmaparker12
2 contributions
Yes my 3 year old did , just make sure they are wearing some shoes that can go in water with grips for the rocks
How far is the walk from car park to fareena cafe?
M G
4 contributions
30 minutes of a very fast walk, but we've been in hurry, normally i would say it's gonna take 45 mins. Don't forget a pair of waterproof boots, as there's a lot of mud and even running water on the path and mind "last admission" time as the staff will lock the entrance in front of your faces if you will arrive even few seconds late
Nisha T
9 contributions
What is each part of the walk like?
I'm asthmatic and concerned about the up and down bits after the walk from the car park... (i'm ok walking long distances on flat or steady inclines but not a large number of steps in 1 go (gaps in between are fine).
please can i get some thoughts on the number of steps you have to climb up and how long it takes?
Tristan
7 contributions
Most of the walk there is fine, there's one steep section with steps just before you arrive but it's fairly short. I can't remember how many steps it was but if you did need to stop half way there's a wide corner bit where you could easily pause without being in the way.
At the falls themselves there's a little walk around that goes up and down with a fair few steps, but you could always ask if you could go in through the exit and bypass that to go direct to the falls instead.
Michelle T
7 contributions
What is the ease of accessibility to the falls. Steepness etc please.
Danielle M
Oxfordshire, UK47 contributions
It’s a really short walk of the circuit itself - probably about 15 minutes to do the whole circuit (if you are not stopping for long to look at it).
The walk to the circuit is longer and quite steep in some places, however not for a long distance.
It is uneven ground as you are walking through a forest, so I would suggest sturdy shoes - and they provide you with wellies at the top, but you sometimes have to wait for your size to be available.
Cuánto dura la ruta hasta la cascada? hay algún acceso rápido para personas con discapacidad?
supergt1971
King's Lynn, UK11 contributions
It is a good 10-15 min walk,no level areas at all apart from the initial road leading up the hill,as such i would say not good for someone not fully able bodied.
Is the walk pram friendly? It looks absolutely stunning.
Paulineindevon
Cornwall, UK93 contributions
Only with a all terrain buggy. You also may need someone with you to lift pram over some of the steep parts. Personally I would only do it again with a baby carrier. Please don't let this pit you off, it really is worth the effort.
How long is the walk to the waterfalls?
damarisjane
Leicester, UK30 contributions
About 2 miles. It took us about 30 minutes to walk at a steady pace - some rocks to step up / over and on a wet day it is pretty muddy too.
Ken E
Stevenage9 contributions
is st nectans glen on a public footpath ?
Matt L
Derby, UK26 contributions
Yes the path through the Glen to the visitor centre is free to access, it’s a really nice walk. There’s a nice cafe and small gift shop there, payment is required to to go any further to access the waterfalls via a separate path.
How can I take my one year old baby and is it safe? Are the walking paths well secured?
Lynne P
38 contributions
All very secure. I agree, buggies not advisable, baby on your back is the only safe option in my opinion.
If I were you I’d call the glen, the staff are extremely helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions about St. Nectan's Glen
- St. Nectan's Glen is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
- We recommend booking St. Nectan's Glen tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 St. Nectan's Glen tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near St. Nectan's Glen:
- (2.32 km) Lewis's Bed and Breakfast
- (2.63 km) The Old Parsonage
- (2.64 km) The Old Coach House
- (2.87 km) Trenowan
- (2.68 km) Boscastle House
- Restaurants near St. Nectan's Glen:
- (0.03 km) Tree of Life Cafe
- (2.27 km) Primrose Cottage Cafe
- (2.41 km) Charlie's
- (2.27 km) Vega
- (3.36 km) The Coffee Cup