Place Name

Kiss Me Arse Steps, Cornwall, England

Where the Insults are a Farce, don't like it? Kiss My...!

Introduction:

Ah now, Kiss Me Arse Steps. Say it out loud and you can almost hear a Cornish local mutter, “yer, that’s the name, get over it.” It is one of those names that sounds like an insult, a challenge and a punchline all at once, until you realise it’s just a perfectly normal set of coastal steps with a perfectly outrageous name.

Folk hear it and imagine arguments, pranks or a cartographer who’d finally had enough.

Whatever the truth, the name has been sparkin laughter for generations, watchin visitors grin at the sign, locals grin knowingly and the occasional hiker try to say it without blushin.

Toponymy

Let’s break down this name:

Kiss – Affectionate, playful, or in this case, the start of a phrase that’s about to go downhill faster than you will on the steps.

Me Arse – A classic Cornish‑British expression of exasperation, humour or mild threat. Could refer to the steepness, the effort required or the general attitude of the coastline.

Together, they form a name that makes visitors pause before sayin it aloud, then laugh because it sounds like the steps themselves are tellin you off.

Historical Context

The name Kiss Me Arse Steps appears in local lore tied to the South West Coast Path. Some say it was named by fishermen who used the steps daily and expressed their feelings loudly. Others reckon it was coined by walkers who reached the top, collapsed and declared the steps could “kiss their arse.” And if you ask an old lad in St Ives, he’ll tell you it was named after a council meeting where someone misheard something and nobody bothered to correct it.

Whatever the truth, Kiss Me Arse Steps has survived storms, walkers, folklore, misheard stories, cheeky humour and generations of Cornish folk who know exactly how to embrace a name with attitude.

Points of Interest

If you are wanderin about, have a nose at:

• South West Coast Path – Clifftops, sea spray and dramatic views.

• St Ives – Art, beaches and proper seaside bustle.

• The Minack Theatre – Open‑air drama carved into the cliffs.

• Godrevy Lighthouse – Waves, seals and windswept beauty.

• Tate St Ives – Art inspired by the Cornish landscape.

Notable Figures

Folk tied to Cornwall include:

• Daphne du Maurier – Queen of Cornish atmosphere.

• John Betjeman – Poet with a love for Cornish quirks.

• Sir John Franklin – Explorer with Cornish ties.

• J. K. Rowling – Visitor inspired by coastal magic.

• Richard Trevithick – Steam pioneer and Cornish legend.

Conclusion

So next time you find yourself wanderin around Kiss Me Arse Steps, take a moment to breathe in the sea air, admire the rugged cliffs and enjoy the glorious absurdity of a place that sounds like an insult but feels like a Cornish rite of passage.

And for more hilariously strange place names and their quirky histories, check out www.strangeplacenames.com because the UK and Ireland have loads of funny gems just waitin to be explored.

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