Chy Barnett – Coastal Holiday Cottage with Sea Views
A secluded whitewashed cottage above the Atlantic, Gurnards Head, near Zennor and St Ives, sleeping 7
Chy Barnett is a whitewashed holiday cottage standing alone on the Coast at Gurnards Head, on the wild north coast of the Land's End peninsula. From every main room, the view runs straight out over the open Atlantic – no roads, no neighbours, just sea, sky and coastal path. It's a rare spot to find, and one of the reasons guests keep coming back year after year.
The cottage sleeps 7 guests across four bedrooms, with two bathrooms and a private clifftop garden. Below the house, Treen Cove offers a sandy beach at low tide, and it's common to spot grey seals along this stretch of coast, with choughs, peregrine falcons and ravens overhead. At the top of the coast path sits The Gurnards Head, an award-winning gastropub just a short walk from the door.
Zennor itself is a short walk or drive away – a tiny granite village with a long history, home to the medieval mermaid carving in St Senara's Church and once a wartime residence of the writer D.H. Lawrence. St Ives, with its harbour, galleries and beaches, is easily reached along the coast, and Land's End lies further along the Coast to the west.
Chy Barnett has belonged to the same family since the 1930s, gradually modernised over the decades while keeping its coastal character intact. It sits right against the coastal footpath, with every room looking out over the Atlantic — a perfect base for walkers and birdwatchers, or for anyone happy simply to sit and watch the sea. The peninsula's mild climate and dramatic scenery have long made it a favourite spot for artists too.
Treen Cove lies directly below the cottage, reachable by scrambling over the rocks at low tide, while Portheras Cove, Porthcurno and Marazion are all a short drive away. Keen surfers head further along the coast to Sennen Cove and Gwithian, both known for some of the best waves in west Cornwall. The whole stretch sits within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with Zennor, St Ives and Land's End all reachable on foot along the same Coast and coves that inspired the Poldark novels.
A short drive or coastal walk away, St Ives is an unspoilt harbour town of cobbled streets, home to Tate St Ives, the Hepworth Museum and Leach Pottery. Its beaches — Porthmeor, Porthminster, Carbis Bay and Porth Kidney Sands — are among the best in Cornwall, and dolphins are regularly spotted in the bay, with seals sometimes venturing right into the harbour. The town remains a magnet for artists, following in the footsteps of painters such as Kurt Jackson in nearby St Just.
Penzance, a lively market town a short drive along the peninsula, has a growing choice of restaurants alongside its working harbour and promenade, with views across the bay to St Michael's Mount and the Lizard Peninsula. It's also the gateway to the Isles of Scilly, with daily sailings, and has direct rail links to London. Newlyn, Mousehole, Lamorna Cove and Porthcurno beach are all close by en route to Land's End — and closer to home, The Gurnards Head gastropub is just a few hundred yards from the cottage, well worth a visit whether or not you're staying with us.
Gurnards Head, Zennor,
nr St Ives TR26 3DE
As dusk settles, set your evening meal on the clifftop garden's picnic table and watch the light fade over Treen Cove below — just birdsong, sea air, and the Atlantic stretching out ahead.
Chy Barnett sleeps 7 guests across four bedrooms, with two bathrooms.
Yes. Treen Cove lies directly below the cottage, accessible at low tide, and several other beaches including Portheras Cove, Porthcurno and Marazion are a short drive away.
Changeover day is Friday.
Yes, off-road parking is provided at the cottage.
St Ives is easily reached along the coast from Gurnards Head, Zennor, with its harbour, galleries and beaches.
Yes, fast Wi-Fi is available throughout Chy Barnett.
A sandy beach directly below the cottage, reachable by scrambling over the rocks at low tide — ideal for a quiet swim away from the crowds.
An award-winning gastropub right on the coast path, just a short walk from the door — well worth booking ahead, especially in summer.
A historic granite village home to the medieval mermaid carving, and once a wartime residence of the writer D.H. Lawrence.
A short drive or coastal walk away, with Tate St Ives, the Hepworth Museum, Leach Pottery, and beaches including Porthmeor and Porthminster.
The dramatic westernmost point of mainland England, reachable along the same coastal footpath that runs past the cottage — a memorable half-day walk or short drive.
A lively market town with a working harbour, promenade, and views across the bay to St Michael's Mount, with direct rail links to London and daily sailings to the Isles of Scilly.