Written by Julie Cleaver (47) second home owner, St IvesGetting There/Getting around.
By train - Paddington to Penzance takes 5 ½ hours Take the small coastal branch line to St Ives by changing at St Erth, the stop before Penzance.
By road - the completion and recent improvements to the A30 make driving far easier - approx 5 hours from London but, to avoid the inevitable summer queues, travel very early or late.
By air - the fastest way to travel - Southwest Airlines still operate 3 flights a day from Gatwick and Manchester to Newquay, (45 mins flight) This will set you back about £200 with a taxi to St Ives (another 40 mins)
Note: St Ives is not “car- friendly” so all vehicles have to be parked out of town in the local car parks. Walking up steep cobbled streets with suitcases can be difficult but you can use the local taxis that are permitted into the centre in July and August.
Staying there
There are loads of B+B’s and Guest Houses with views over St Ives Bay and an abundance of self-catering apartments and small fishermen’s cottages for rent - full of character and all within walking distance of the town centre and harbour due to the island shape of this south west peninsular.
The Tregenna Castle Estate has hotel accommodation and self catering apartments of a very high standard . Perched high on the winding hill into St Ives, set in tropical gardens, it has spectacular views and its own small golf course, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pool. Only 5-10 mins walk down into St Ives, but a lot longer and hard work to walk back up.
http://www.tregenna-castle.co.uk/ or
http://www.stives.co.uk/ for other accommodation info.
Things to do
St Ives has fantastic white sandy beaches. Porthminster just below the railway station is very popular with families, Porthmeor on the opposite side of St Ives below The Tate Gallery has larger waves and attracts surfers, Pothgwidden and the harbour beaches are also very safe and popular.
On the other hand from both sides of the peninsular there are long scenic coastal walks as well as inland walks to local villages for a cream tea or a cornish pasty. The shops in St Ives consist mainly of art galleries, souvenirs and surf shops. The Tate Gallery and The Barbara Hepworth Museum are just two of the most popular places to visit.
Carbis Bay and Lelant are both accessible by train on the scenic branch line from St Ives, or by walking the picturesque coastal path. Both beautiful beaches, well worth a visit but Lelant (or Porthkidney Sands as it is better known) has no facilites in the way of toilets or cafes.
Eating out
A variety of restaurants, harbour cafes and pubs. Ranging from high class cuisine of local produce and freshly caught fish, to pasty and chips and ice cream. Watch out for the greedy seagulls who will swoop down and take your chips and ice cream whne you are not looking.
Most of the restaurants need to be booked in advance in July and August and now too at Christmas and New Year .The St Ives New Year celebrations where the whole of St Ives becomes a fancy dress party has attracted more and more people over the years and is quite a spectacle finishing with a firework display over the harbour at midnight.
My favourite restaurant is the Porthminster café overlooking the beach and St Ives Bay. Has had many complimentary reviews in national press, worth a visit!