Confirmed · North Cornwall coast · Landscape

Holywell Bay

Warleggan beach in Poldark. Open to visitors; allow 1–2 hours.

On screen as: Warleggan beach
Series and episodes: Series 2
Access: Open to visitors
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Where: Holywell, near Newquay, Cornwall

On screen

How Holywell Bay appears

Holywell Bay is where series 2 films beach scenes involving the Warleggans, with the dunes and the twin offshore rocks giving a distinctive skyline. In the story, the beach belongs to the same stretch of Cornish coast as Nampara and the mines; the real beach is between Newquay and Perranporth. The Gull Rocks offshore are the easiest way to match the shots on the ground, since they stand out on screen behind the action.

The real place

What you can visit

Holywell Bay is a broad sandy beach backed by dunes, with the Gull Rocks offshore and a small cave on the north side that holds the holy well that gives the place its name, reachable only at low tide. Much of the surrounding land, including Kelsey Head to the north, is National Trust. The village has a pub, a café and holiday parks. Lifeguards cover the beach in season; currents can be strong.

Swim between the lifeguard flags, and only visit the holy well cave on a falling tide, as the north end of the beach floods quickly.

National Trust: Poldark's filming locations ↗

Getting there.

There is a large pay car park in Holywell village, with a walk of about 10 minutes through the dunes to the sand. Buses run from Newquay in season; check the current timetable. The dune paths are soft sand and not suitable for wheelchairs. For the view in the photo, walk north on the coast path to Kelsey Head.

Open in Google Maps ↗Read the visiting guide →

Common questions