St Johns Chapel

St Johns Chapel sits quietly in the countryside just outside St Austell, a modest stone church that rewards a gentle detour if you're camping or glamping in the area. It's the kind of place that feels properly Cornish - simple, weathered, and unpretentious.

The chapel itself is small and intimate, with the sort of austere charm you find in rural West Country religious buildings. There's no ornate nonsense here, just honest stonework and a straightforward interior that speaks to centuries of local worship. The churchyard is peaceful, the sort of spot where you can actually hear yourself think - rare enough these days.

This works best as a walking destination rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at one of the nearby sites like Tre-End or The Meadows, it's worth a ramble through the lanes, particularly if you've got older kids or you're into that quiet, contemplative village-church thing. Allow maybe half an hour, longer if you're the type to sit and absorb the atmosphere.

It's free to visit, naturally, and there's no fussing about opening hours - you just turn up. In good weather it's a pleasant pit-stop between exploring St Austell's mining heritage or heading towards Pentewan Sands for something livelier. Nothing flashy, nothing touristy. Just a proper little Cornish chapel doing what it's done for donkey's years.