Gazing out across the bay from our lofty lunchtime dining perch above Porthgwidden Beach everything about St Ives’ enduring success as a top seaside resort was laid out before us in picture-perfect plain sight: the golden sands, the rocky cove, the clear blue sea and a sky to match.
What more could you ask for? Well, in our case, a couple of glasses of vino and some inspired Cornish seafood tapas, which added another layer of holiday indulgence to our visit. Sure, it’s always a pretty busy place but never overwhelming because even when there’s just a smidgeon of sunshine St Ives still manages to maintain a feelgood factor.
For such a compact resort it really does have an awful lot to offer. There are the beaches, of course, and some very decent restaurants and pubs. But it’s synonymous with all things artistic, too, and artists have long headed here inspired by the light cast over its seascape by the skies above.
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As a consequence galleries abound and it boasts not one but two major artistic presences in the town – the Tate St Ives Gallery and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. Una St Ives, our base for a few days savouring the sights and delights here, is located just outside St Ives at nearby Carbis Bay, another popular holiday spot.
A collection of luxury holiday homes, Una St Ives is far removed from any madding crowds, sited in a rural setting tucked up a country road, yet still within easy reach of everywhere, whether driving or walking.
It’s most definitely not your average purpose-built resort destination with accommodation ranging from a one-bedroom abode to a four-bedroom home.
My wife and I had a detached two-bed lodge which came with a hot tub and wood burner. Both bedrooms were en suite, the fitted kitchen was really well-equipped, right down to a washer-dryer.
We both thought that a major plus point for anyone staying here is how spacious, light and airy its contemporary design was. Each lodge also boasts its own private outdoor space for those alfresco moments.
A nice touch, given the strong artistic roots of its location, the Una St Ives properties also feature original local art on their walls.
There’s more on offer, though. A really good spa offering a range of treatments sits alongside an indoor infinity pool, a children’s pool, a gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room.
You don’t have to walk far to search out a decent restaurant, either. Una St Ives has its own, the Una Kitchen specialising in woodfired cooking under the charge of AA Rosette-winning Cornish chef Glenn Gatland.
It’s very popular - booking is highly advisable - and when you get your food you quickly appreciate why that is. The dishes are imaginative and locally sourced.
We both had a Cornish-distilled gin and tonic in the bar, before tucking into a starter of duck rillette. My wife chose a mackerel fillets dish for mains, while I opted for some delicious pork belly.
The atmosphere’s nicely informal and the staff great. We had booked a three-night stay, the bulk of which was occupied by taking trips into St Ives.
Knowing that its popularity and layout puts it at loggerheads somewhat with those who choose to drive in and seek out a parking space, we chose a different approach.
At the end of Una’s lane we turned right, heading back to St Erth and its railway station just off a roundabout on the A30. This is the location for a park-and-ride facility for the train ride into St Ives. It runs frequently throughout the day and into the evening. It was quick and easy to park and a day ranger ticket cost us £4 each. The journey’s great as the train hugs the elevated coastline, offering fab vistas of sand and sea. We could, of course, have caught the same train not far along along the road from our lodge in Carbis Bay but doing the entire 10-minute rail trip really is worth going the extra mile or two. I should add that regular bus services run, too!
The St Ives station is particularly handy for Porthminster beach and a straightforward walk into the heart of the town or along the harbourside.
Another favourite spot is the previously mentioned Porthgwidden Beach. It’s quite small in comparison but rather pleasant, with a nice café/bar/restaurant overlooking the sands below. We had two must-see items on our agenda, though. The Tate St Ives and the Hepworth Museum.
The Tate’s striking design dominates a chunk of the seafront across the road from Porthmeor beach. Once inside it serves up some wonderful visual treats with works from Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, Hepworth, of course, and Alfred
Wallis, the last two being major local influences having been based in the town. I suggest you grab a coffee and a bite to eat here, then make your way out on to the terrace at the top of the Tate to do yet another spot of leisurely sea-gazing.
The Tate also administers the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, housed in a far more modest structure located on Barnoon Hill. Step inside, straight off the road and you are in the Trewyn Studio which the world-famous sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth once called home.
Climb some stairs and step out into a sheltered, light-filled garden where she worked, created and, sadly, died in an accidental fire in her studio in 1975.
Located at one end of the garden, the studio interior has been carefully recreated so it seems, peeking through the window, as if Dame Barbara is still using it.
The garden is absolutely crammed with some of Hepworth’s iconic works. It’s an absolute gem of a place, an area of calm and creativity.
Back in the heart of the town itself there’s plenty to tempt the shopper in us all, be it a humble pasty, some seafood, or something to hang on your wall back home. The latter is incredibly tempting as there are some cracking galleries.
On our final full day at Una St Ives we headed further down the A30 first to Penzance, where you can, if so minded, take a day trip to the Scilly Isles, then to nearby Newlyn, the latter still very much a fishing port and, like St Ives, a place with strong historical artistic connections.
Flipping through our National Trust guide we discovered that on the edge of Penzance was Trengwainton Garden, which served up a real feast for the eyes, taking visitors through amazing giant fern “forests” or dazzling them with displays of its abundant rhododendrons, before opening out into a wonderful view across Penzance towards Marazion and St Michael’s Mount.
On previous forays to St Ives across the years I have left with an artistic reminder of our time spent there. This year, however, my wife put her foot down about acquiring any more artwork to adorn our cluttered walls. No matter, a quick visit to the Tate gift shop saved my day. Which is why we now have a rather unusual cardboard make-it-yourself grinning shark’s head affixed to the bathroom door!
FACT FILE
TIM Davey stayed at Una St Ives Resort ((www.unastives.co.uk), Carbis Bay, Cornwall, TR26 3HW where a one-bedroomed detached lodge costs from £180 per night.
Named after the first boat to win the Cornish Gig Rowing Championships the resort currently includes 29 lodges - a blend of one, two, three and four-bed properties. A range of pet-friendly accommodation options are available.
The next phase of Una St Ives’ development will see the addition of a 20-metre heated lido with an additional kids pool and outdoor kitchen, bar and restaurant. Also, 27 high-end two and three-bedroom Cornish stone villas with private hot tubs will be built. Plans for 55 apartments, a total of 93 holiday villas and a central piazza with a bar, restaurant and further leisure facilities will make it the largest luxury resort in the South West.
He visited: Tate St Ives, Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 1TG and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Barnoon Hill, St Ives, TR26 1AD (check out their websites on www.tate.org.uk). Trengwainton Garden, Madron, near Penzance, TR20 8RZ (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/trengwainton-garden).
For more info on the area check out the Visit Cornwall website at www.visitcornwall.com
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