Driftwood Spars St Agnes: A Proper Cornish Brewpub by Trevaunance Cove

Some Cornish pubs win you over with the view. Some do it with the beer. Driftwood Spars in St Agnes has both, but the real reason I like it is simpler than that: it feels completely at home beside Trevaunance Cove.

You’ll find it tucked below St Agnes village, with cliffs around you, the beach close by and the South West Coast Path within easy reach. It is a pub, B&B, restaurant and brewery-linked local institution, with Driftwood Spars Brewery just across the road. In the wrong hands, that mix could feel overdone. Here, it feels natural.

This is not a glossy coastal bar dressed up to look Cornish. It is a proper north Cornwall pub with old beams, local beer, good food, dog-friendly corners, rooms upstairs and the sort of atmosphere that works just as well on a wet winter afternoon as it does after a sunny beach walk.

My take: Driftwood Spars is one of the most useful pubs to know in St Agnes if you want local beer, relaxed food, sea air, character and somewhere you can build a walk, meal or overnight stay around.

This is the sort of Cornish pub that makes most sense after salt wind, wet boots and a walk along the coast path.

Quick guide to Driftwood Spars St Agnes

• Location: Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes, Cornwall
• Best for: local beer, coastal walks, pub food, Sunday lunch, sea views and stays by the beach
• Good for dogs: yes, in selected pub areas, the lower beer garden and selected rooms
• Good for families: yes, especially in the more relaxed dining spaces
• Beer: Driftwood Spars Brewery is just across the road, with house beers usually on the bar
• Food: homemade pub food, seasonal specials, local produce and Sunday roasts
• Rooms: 15 en-suite B&B rooms, including sea-view, garden-view, family and dog-friendly options
• Nearby: Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes village, Chapel Porth, St Agnes Head and the South West Coast Path

Why Driftwood Spars is worth visiting

The building has a good story behind it, and that matters here. The name comes from the huge wooden spars used in its structure, salvaged from shipwrecks along this stretch of coast. Before it became the pub and hotel people know today, the building had lives as a tin mining warehouse, chandlery, sail-making loft and fish cellar.

That history gives Driftwood Spars a texture you cannot fake. Inside, it has old beams, proper corners, woodburning stoves and a pleasingly layered feel. It is cosy without being twee, historic without feeling museum-like, and popular without losing its pub character.

The pub also has several distinct spaces, which is one of its quiet strengths. You can come in for a pint after a walk, sit down for a proper meal, bring the family, tuck yourself into a quieter corner, or stay over and treat the whole thing as a small coastal escape.

That flexibility is what makes it useful. Plenty of pubs in Cornwall are good for one very specific thing. Driftwood Spars works for several: a beach-day drink, a winter roast, a brewery pint, a dog-friendly stop, a family lunch or a night by the sea.

A St Agnes pub with its own brewery

For Pasties & Pints purposes, the beer is not a side note. Driftwood Spars has its own microbrewery just across the road, so the pub has a genuine local-brewing identity rather than simply putting a Cornish ale or two on the bar.

You can usually expect Driftwood Spars beers on handpull alongside guest ales. Its own beers are gluten free too, which makes this a very handy pub to know if someone in your group usually has to be careful around beer.

The beer names are rooted in St Agnes and the surrounding coast: Lou’s Brew, Blue Hills, Bolster’s Blood, Bawden Rocks, Spars and Alfie’s Revenge among them. I like that. A good Cornish pint should carry a bit of place with it, and Driftwood does that without turning it into a performance.

If you are eating, it is worth asking what pairs well with your food. This is the kind of pub where a pint can do more than sit politely beside your plate. A lighter ale with fish and chips, something darker with richer meat dishes, or a golden ale with roast chicken can make a straightforward pub meal feel much more thought through.

Food at Driftwood Spars

Driftwood Spars could probably get away with being average because of where it is. Plenty of coastal pubs do. Happily, the kitchen gives you more reason to stay.

The food leans towards homemade pub cooking, local and seasonal ingredients where possible, Cornish meat from local butchers, and fish that often comes from nearby waters or Newlyn. It has the feel of a pub kitchen with more ambition than simply feeding a beach crowd, but it does not tip into anything too formal.

That is the balance I want here. After a walk around Trevaunance Cove or along the coast path, I do not necessarily want fussy dining. I want good ingredients, proper portions, a decent pint and a room that still feels like a pub.

Food is normally served from lunchtime into the evening, with pub classics, specials and Sunday roasts part of the rhythm. Menus and exact timings can shift with the season, which is normal for Cornwall, but this is very much a food pub rather than a “maybe there’ll be a sandwich” sort of place.

Where to sit at Driftwood Spars

This is worth thinking about because the pub changes character depending on where you land.

Main Bar: best for beer and atmosphere

The Main Bar is the heart of the pub. It is the place for real ale, grown-up pub atmosphere, a fire in colder months and that satisfying feeling of having come in from the coast.

This is where I would head first if I wanted a pint rather than a full meal. It has the proper pub feeling: warm, characterful and centred on the bar.

Starboard: best for families and relaxed meals

Starboard is the easier fit for families and relaxed dining. It has a softer, more informal feel, which makes sense if you are with children or want something less pubby than the Main Bar.

It is also a useful option if you are visiting with a dog and want to eat indoors rather than sit outside.

Top Bar: best for a quieter table

The Top Bar has the old beams and a more tucked-away atmosphere. I would aim here for a calmer lunch or dinner, especially as a couple or small group.

It still feels like part of the pub, but it has a little more breathing room.

Sea View Dining Room: best for the view

The Sea View Dining Room is the one to aim for if you want the full Trevaunance Cove setting. It is light, bright and more dining room than bar, so it suits a proper sit-down meal.

Children are welcome here, but dogs are not. If you are choosing between spaces, that is the practical detail to keep in mind.

Lower beer garden: best for dogs, sun and sandy shoes

The lower beer garden is the easy option if you have dogs, children, beach gear or all three. It is also the place to head for a sunny pint, casual food or a post-beach drink when you do not need the full indoor pub experience.

The Crib Shack and beer garden

Across the road in the beer garden is The Crib Shack, a casual little outpost made from a former shipping container. “Crib” is a Cornish word for snacks, which tells you the mood straight away: easy, informal and very useful near the beach.

It serves drinks, coffee, hot chocolate, Callestick Farm ice cream, homemade cakes, toasted sandwiches and doggy ice cream. You can also order from the pub menu there, which makes it more useful than a token outside bar.

The decked area above has views towards the coast, so it is ideal for the in-between moments: morning coffee, a post-surf hot chocolate, a pint in the sun, or something simple when you are not ready to commit to a full pub table. In summer, this part of the place has an easy holiday buzz. In rougher weather, I would be heading back inside.

Staying at Driftwood Spars

One of the best ways to enjoy Driftwood Spars is to stay put. There are 15 en-suite B&B rooms, with a mix of sea-view, garden-view, double, twin, single and family options. Some rooms are in the main building, while others are in annexe spaces, including rooms that suit guests travelling with dogs.

Breakfast is served in the sea-view dining room, and that is a very good start to a St Agnes day. Have a Cornish breakfast, look out over the cove, then either wander down to Trevaunance or take on a longer walk towards Chapel Porth.

For fixed dates, especially weekends and school holidays, I would not leave it late. St Agnes is small, Trevaunance Cove is popular, and a pub-with-rooms by the sea is exactly the sort of place that gets booked up when the weather or calendar looks kind.

Is Driftwood Spars dog friendly?

Yes, Driftwood Spars is dog friendly, but the detail matters. Dogs are welcome in selected pub areas, the lower beer garden and selected rooms, rather than absolutely everywhere.

For indoor food with a dog, I would think about Starboard, the Top Bar or the Main Bar depending on the time of day and the kind of visit you want. For an easy outdoor stop, the lower beer garden is the simplest choice.

The Sea View Dining Room is better treated as a no-dog dining space, so if a sea-view meal is your priority and you are travelling with a dog, plan the visit with that in mind.

Parking and getting there

Driftwood Spars is at Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0RT. If you are driving, follow St Agnes down towards Peterville and then continue towards the beach. Once the cove opens up, the pub is hard to miss.

There is parking nearby, and pub customers should speak to staff about the current car park voucher arrangement before leaving. That is one of those small practical details that can save a bit of faff at the end of a meal.

The lane down to the cove feels properly Cornish: narrow in places, busier in summer, and much easier if you take your time rather than arriving in a rush. If you are walking from the village, remember that the return leg is uphill.

Things to do near Driftwood Spars

The obvious thing to do is enjoy Trevaunance Cove itself. It is one of those north Cornwall coves that changes mood quickly: bright and easy on a calm summer day, dramatic and wind-battered when the weather comes in.

From the pub, you are well placed for the South West Coast Path. Chapel Porth is a good longer walk if you want cliffs, old mining country and big Atlantic views. St Agnes Head is another strong option, especially if you like your pint to feel well earned.

You are also close to St Agnes village, which is worth a wander in its own right. It has a strong local character, independent shops, mining heritage and a proper community feel. Driftwood Spars sits down by the cove rather than in the village centre, which is part of its appeal. It feels tucked away, but not cut off.

Good to know before you go

• Book ahead for: Sunday lunch, summer evenings, larger groups and overnight stays.
• Best time to visit: after a coast walk, for a winter pint by the fire, or on a sunny day when the beer garden and Crib Shack come into their own.
• Best table for views: the Sea View Dining Room.
• Best area for dogs: the lower beer garden, or selected indoor pub spaces.
• Best reason to visit: the combination of Trevaunance Cove, local beer, food, history and atmosphere.
• What to expect: a characterful Cornish brewpub, not a polished hotel bar.
• What to pair it with: a beach walk, Chapel Porth walk, St Agnes Head, or a slow wander through St Agnes village.

FAQ: Driftwood Spars St Agnes

Where is Driftwood Spars?

Driftwood Spars is at Trevaunance Cove in St Agnes, on the north coast of Cornwall. It sits below the village, close to the beach and the South West Coast Path.

Is Driftwood Spars worth visiting?

Yes, I think Driftwood Spars is well worth visiting if you like proper Cornish pubs. It has sea air, historic character, local beer from its own brewery, good food, rooms upstairs and a setting that feels completely tied to St Agnes.

Does Driftwood Spars serve food?

Yes. Driftwood Spars serves pub food, specials and Sunday roasts, with a focus on homemade dishes and local produce where possible. It is a good choice for anything from a casual lunch to a proper evening meal.

Is Driftwood Spars dog friendly?

Yes, dogs are welcome in selected pub areas, the lower beer garden and selected accommodation. Not every dining space is dog friendly, so it is worth choosing the right area when you arrive or book.

Does Driftwood Spars have rooms?

Yes. Driftwood Spars has 15 en-suite B&B rooms, including sea-view, garden-view, family and dog-friendly options. Staying over is a good way to enjoy the pub without worrying about driving back.

Can you get Driftwood Spars beer at the pub?

Yes. Driftwood Spars Brewery is just across the road, and the pub usually serves its own beers alongside guest ales. Its own beers are gluten free, which is a useful extra detail for beer drinkers with dietary needs.

Is Driftwood Spars good for families?

Yes, especially in the more relaxed dining spaces and outdoor areas. Some parts of the pub are more adult in feel, but it works well for families who want a proper meal near Trevaunance Cove.

What is The Crib Shack?

The Crib Shack is Driftwood Spars’ casual outdoor food and drink spot in the beer garden. It is good for coffee, hot chocolate, ice cream, toasted sandwiches, drinks and easy post-beach stops.

What is near Driftwood Spars?

Trevaunance Cove is right there, and the South West Coast Path is close by. Chapel Porth, St Agnes Head and St Agnes village are all good options if you want to build a walk or day out around the pub.

My final word

I’d recommend Driftwood Spars if it suits the kind of visit you want.

It is not perfect because it is polished. It works because it has proper Cornish character and enough care behind the practical things: good beer, good food, rooms if you want to stay, and different spaces for different sorts of visit.

It is a pub I would happily use in more than one way. I would go for a pint after a walk, lunch with visiting friends, a Sunday roast in winter, a Crib Shack drink in summer, or a night away where breakfast comes with a sea view.

That flexibility is its strength. Driftwood Spars is not just a pub near Trevaunance Cove. It is part of the cove’s rhythm: walkers, surfers, locals, dogs, diners, staying guests and people who came in for one pint and quietly decided to have another.