A Day in St Ives: A Simple Plan That Avoids the Crowds
St Ives is beautiful and, from July to early September, very busy. Its narrow streets were never built for cars. This plan gets you in without the parking stress and puts the busy sights at the quiet times of day.
Morning: arrive by train
Skip driving into town. Park at St Erth station, which has a large park-and-ride car park beside the A30, and take the St Ives branch line. The ride takes about ten minutes and runs along the edge of the Hayle estuary and Carbis Bay. It's one of the most scenic short train journeys in Britain.
Tip: Sit on the right-hand side of the train going towards St Ives for the sea views.
Late morning: art first
St Ives has drawn artists since the early twentieth century, and two places are worth your time:
- Tate St Ives, above Porthmeor Beach, shows modern and contemporary art with a focus on artists linked to the town. Book a timed ticket online in peak season.
- Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, the sculptor's former studio and garden, is small, peaceful and unlike anywhere else. You'll want about an hour.
Lunch: eat early
Harbourfront cafés and pasty shops get long queues between 12:30 and 2pm. Eat at 11:45, or take food up to The Island, the grassy headland with St Nicholas Chapel on top, for views over both bays.
Watch the gulls. Herring gulls in St Ives will take food straight out of your hand. Eat with your back to a wall, or indoors.
Afternoon: choose your beach
- Porthmeor faces the Atlantic, so it gets surf and lifeguards in summer.
- Porthminster is sheltered and calm, good for swimming, and close to the station.
- Porthgwidden is a tiny cove beside The Island. It's lovely, but it fills up fast.
For somewhere quieter, walk the coast path south from Porthminster to Carbis Bay (about 1.5 miles), then take the train one stop back.
Evening
Day visitors leave from about 5pm, and the harbour is at its best in the early-evening light. Catch a train back to St Erth after dinner. Check the last departure on the day, as it changes with the season.
Practical information
| Getting there | Park and ride from St Erth (A30), or main-line trains to St Erth with a change for St Ives |
|---|---|
| Time needed | A full day. Two days if you want both galleries and a long beach session. |
| Quietest months | May, June and late September to October |
| Accessibility | The streets are steep and cobbled, but Porthminster and the harbour front are fairly level. |