ZENNOR

The B3306 road heading west from St Ives has been described as one of the country’s most spectacular drives.  Having travelled that road many times myself, I can testify to this fact.  There is a raw beauty out here, with the bleak West Cornwall moorlands rising up on one side, and the churning Atlantic Ocean on the other.  Several miles out of St Ives, the road reaches the village of Zennor, with its medieval church and its pub the Tinners Arms.  D H Lawrence famously put up here during the First World War when he arrived in 1916 with his German wife Frieda.  They stayed in the pub until they found a cottage to rent – Higher Tregerthen was the cottage they settled on, and can be found to the south of the village.  It was while staying in Zennor that Lawrence finished writing Women In Love.  Lawrence thought he had found paradise on earth in Zennor, which must have seemed a world away from the horrors of war.  However, 18 months months after their arrival the Lawrences were ordered to leave Cornwall, having been wrongly accused of spying for the Germans.  There has been a church on the site of  the current village church, St Senara’s, since at least the 6^th century, although the present church was rebuilt in the 12^th century.  The most notable feature in the church is the Mermaid of Zennor, a carving of a mermaid admiring herself in a mirror, which graces the Mermaid Chair, believed to be at least 600 years old.  Zennor Head is a short walk from the village, and is the nearest point on the South West Coast Path.  A triangulation point on top of the headland records a height of  314 feet above sea level.

Map of the area. 

Zennor Head - geograph.org.uk - 912882. Photo by Row17, via Wikimedia Commons.

ST IVES

When I was growing up in Penzance I used to love jumping on the No. 17 bus to St Ives for the day (incredibly, several decades later it is still the No. 17).  In truth, St Ives was a bit on the tacky side in those days, not that it bothered me as a child.  However, that certainly cannot be said now, with a host of smart restaurants and upmarket accommodation options gracing the town.  I read somewhere recently that St Ives is the most expensive place to stay in Cornwall, even outstripping Padstein, though there are still some affordable options for those on a budget.  

The main factor that propelled the town into the touristic stratosphere, apart from its stunning appearance, was probably the opening of the Tate St Ives, the Cornish outpost of the famous London art gallery, which occupies a position overlooking Porthmeor Beach and which boasts a top floor cafe with sea views.  St Ives was the obvious choice of  location for the gallery, given its long-standing artistic pedigree.  The town, which has always been celebrated by artists for its exceptional light, has for years it been a magnet, and not only for painters.  One of the most famous names from the art world to live in the town was the sculptress Barbara Hepworth.  Although she died in 1975, her memory lives on in the form of the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, which comes under the umbrella of the Tate.  There is much to inspire artists living in and visiting the town, especially in the old quarter bordering the harbour, where ancient whitewashed fishermen’s cottages line the winding alleyways.  Needless to say, a large proportion of these cottages have been turned into holiday homes.

The other big draw for visitors to St Ives is the town’s fabulous beaches.  As well as the above-mentioned Porthmeor Beach, the other main beach is Porthminster, just below the railway station.  Both beaches are gloriously sandy, and both have smart restaurants for more upmarket grub as a change from the ubiquitous pasties and fish and chips.  In between the two is the harbour, with another small beach, and then there is the ‘Island’, not actually an island but a small promontory with a chapel on top.   The diminutive St Nicholas Chapel, also known as the Island Chapel, dates back to at least the 15^th century, though no-one is sure when exactly.  Seals and dolphins can sometimes be seen from the area near the coastwatch station on the Island.  Further along the coast is Seal Island, visited by boat trips from the harbour. Back in the fishermen's quarter, the St Ives Museum, occupying a building once used for pilchard curing, is a treasure trove of memorabilia from the town's past.  Another museum is the Capt Sir Richard Francis Burton Museum, dedicated to the exploits of a Victorian adventurer, explorer, spy and translator of the Kama Sutra.

As is to be expected from such a popular tourist town, there are a plethora of takeaways for those wanting to enjoy a bite to eat al fresco.  However, I feel I must issue a word of warning for anyone tempted to indulge in takeaway food outside, particularly in the vicinity of the harbour: seagulls!  The seagulls of St Ives must surely be the biggest in the country, and they have acquired an almost mythical reputation for their voracity and their brazenness in their quest for free grub.  As an example, a few years ago I was wandering by the harbourside tucking into an ice cream.  Suddenly a gull appeared from behind at great speed and snatched the ball of ice cream from the cone.  I was just getting over the shock of that when another one came along and snatched the cone, leaving me with nothing.  The only consolation was that it provided a good deal of entertainment for a little boy passing nearby with his dad.

St Ives hosts a number of festivals and other events throughout the year.  For a list of events in the  town follow this link.

Webcam view of the harbor.

Map of the area. 

St Ives Harbour over the rooftops - geograph.org.uk - 1206991. Photo by Sarah Charlesworth, via Wikimedia Commons.

CARBIS BAY

When I was growing up in West Cornwall, my mother packed me off to Sunday School each week.  Every summer the Sunday School took us all off to Carbis Bay for our annual day out on the beach.  Part of the deal was a lunch consisting of a pasty and a saffron bun.  For those not in the know, a saffron bun is a Cornish delicacy, basically a large yellow-coloured currant bun.  To this day I think of Carbis Bay every time I see a saffron bun, a happy thought indeed, this being a delightful spot on the West Cornwall coast.  The beach is sandy, overlooked by a leafy subtropical backdrop and with exceptionally calm waters, unusual for the beaches around here.  The village can be reached by train via the branch line from St Erth to St Ives.  Carbis Bay is just around the coast from St Ives, and there is a pleasant coastal walk  linking the two.  The village itself has a small selection of places to eat and drink and a range of holiday accommodation.  The church is dedicated to St Anta (the saint who gave rise to the name of neighbouring Lelant – see previous post).

The higher ground around here is dominated by a distinctive granite memorial with the appearance of a pointy witch's hat.  This is Knill's Monument, originally erected as a mausoleum for the remains of former Mayor of St Ives, John Knill.

Live streaming webcam view of the beach, courtesy of Carbis Bay Holidays.

Map of the area. 

Carbis Bay - geograph.org.uk - 1003367. Photo by Alan, via Wikimedia Commons.

LELANT

Lelant is a popular spot with birdwatchers, occupying an attractive position on the Hayle Estuary.  There is a Park and Ride car park at Lelant Saltings, which also has a station on the St Erth to St Ives branch line.  Several species of gull rub along with migrant waders in the estuary, and winter brings large numbers of Eurasian Teal and Wigeon.  Some of the rarer species occasionally seen here include Lesser Yellowlegs, Pied-billed Grebe and Cattle Egret.  The whole estuary is an RSPB bird reserve as well as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.   There is a beach at Lelant, but due to its position on the estuary care should be taken when swimming there.  There is a golf course between the beach and the village.

Lelant was an important port in Mediaeval times, but after the silting up of the river mouth only the local mackerel boats were to be seen, giving their name to the Mackerel Boats beach near the railway station.  In the village itself is the church of St Uny, dating from the 12^th century and with a solid square granite tower.  However, it was probably another saint, St Anta, who gave rise to the name of the village, although it is the church in neighbouring Carbis Bay which is dedicated to St Anta.  There is a 13-mile walk from Lelant to Marazion on the south coast called St Michael’s Way, based on an old pilgrimage route, and directions can be found on a board outside Lelant church.  

Map of the area. 

Lelantchurch2. Photo by Waterborough, via Wikimedia Commons.