A glimpse of St Ives, Cornwall

Last weekend I visited Cornwall for what was (minus a school trip in Year 8) the first time. I wasn’t sure what to expect to be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of British seaside resorts, I always thought they were a bit cliched and cheesy.

Saying that though, Cornwall massively surprised me and I can’t wait to go back. It has beaches that (in sunny weather) could rival some of the beaches we came across in Australia. And the best bit? It was only a train ride away and didn’t involve custom checks, airport lounges and turbulence.

Yay!

I thought I’d share a few photos with you of the place we were staying, a little town called St Ives. So enjoy!

Below is a photo of the hotel we stayed at called Tregenna Castle. Whilst the hotel isn’t in the centre of town (about a 10 minute walk up the hill) you’re treated to some of the most amazing views of the ocean and the town from the hotel rooms. Worth the climb!

Below is Pad and I enjoying the views. If you’re thinking ‘wow these two dress smart’ I can assure you we don’t usually look this good. It was for a wedding!

There are 3 main beaches in St Ives you can enjoy. A quiet beach by the (very tiny) train station, a surfing beach on the opposite side of the town to the harbour, and the harbour itself – which acts as a mini beach when the tide is out.

Below is the harbour… pretty!

There are loads of restaurants and cafes around the harbour-side, so it’s nice just to sit and enjoy the view whilst eating tea / having a drink. There are loads of benches to sit on too – so I would grab a piece of shortbread from the local bakery and enjoy the view with a biscuit instead…

The other beach (photos below!) is a surfing beach. The sea is a little rougher and there is a nice coastal walk around it with incredible views. And if you get fed up of the walking you can just sit on the grass and watch the surfers.

The third beach (and my favourite one of the lot) is by the train station, a tiny bit out of the main town area. The sand just looked perfect, and the water was so blue. There were even some cute cafes down there too.

Have you been to St Ives? Which beach was your favourite?