The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2021 - Issue 29

S ince holidays abroad have been vir- tually non-existent since last year’s lockdown, many people in the UK have turned to holidaying on their own turf and discovering the beauty of England. One such place is the gorgeous St Ives in West Cornwall, known for its surf beaches and art scene. I have always known Cornwall to be one of the sunniest places in the UK, with over 1,500 hours of sunshine annually and around 7 hours of sunlight a day from May to July. However, they say the best time to visit is in June or September. The highlight of St Ives is the town’s Harbour Beach, sheltered by thick walls and a revealing soft sandy beach when the tide is out. It’s completely safe for swim- ming and building sandcastles with a host of shops, galleries, cafes and pubs along the street that run parallel to the sea. As a working port, you may catch glimpses of local fishermen landing their daily catches of fresh seafood from the beach.The town’s Lifeboat Station located on the harbour is opened to visits during the summer season. You’ll be amazed to learn that St Ives has over 300 beaches, including the five best - Harbour, Porthmeor, Porthminister, Porthgwidden and Carbis Bay. Porthmeor Beach is located beneath the Tate St Ives gallery and popular with surfers and swimmers alike. It’s a stone’s throw from the town centre filled with ancient pubs, trendy cafes and many art galleries. Porthmeor is one of only eight beaches in Cornwall that hold the prestigious Blue Flag Award 2021 in recognition for water quality, safety, environmental man- agement and education. Porthminster is a crescent of golden sand framed by a glitter- ing bay with glorious views of Godrevy Lighthouse, the inspi- ration behind Virginia Woolf ’s famous novel To The Lighthouse . A short walk from the town centre, this award-winning beach with a tropical feel of waving palm trees and translucent waters is a family favourite for safe swim- ming. Onshore, visitors can relax in a deck chair or try their skill at the mini 18 hole golf, with freshly made juices and smooth- ies available. The most petite soft golden sand beach, Porthgwidden, is popular with families as it’s very sheltered and an east-facing sun trap. Facing northeast and a mile east of St Ives, Carbis Bay, surrounded by sub-tropi- cal plants and lapped by turquoise waters, is ideal for families with toddlers as the beach rarely has any surf and is perfect for swimming. A short walk on the east side of the beach at low tide will bring you to Porthkidney beach, where you’ll find an RSPB bird sanctuary, an essential habitat for sea birds. Speaking of Porthkidney, the north-facing beach is at the mouth of the Hayle Estuary that lies two miles from the picturesque harbour town of St Ives. At low tide, this vast expanse of sands can stretch almost a mile out to sea, backed by scenic dunes and theWest Cornwall Golf Club.To get to the Carbis Bay beach, located on the other side of the Hawks Point headland, take a short walk along the South West Coast Path, which will proceed to St Ives. There are plenty of places to eat out in St Ives, such as Porthminster Beach Café, a small whitewashed 1920s building with stunning coastal views of the white sandy beaches and turquoise seas. At this café, you can tuck into some of the most delicate bitetravel

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