With thoughts of the southwest coastal path still on our mind we set off on a fairly gentle walk from St. Ives to Lelant. Getting on the bus in Penzance we headed for St. Ives. The day was sunny if a little windy. We walked to Carbis Bay, a path we know well and the far-reaching views out across St. Ives Bay and Carbis Bay were stunning, the pristine blue sea, meeting the white of the sandy beaches. It never fails to amaze and delight. The Carbis Bay Hotel has changed quite a bit over the past ten years. Where there used to be a non-descript car park there are now holiday lodges and a beach side restaurant, all very modern, very wooden and I’m sure very appealing to holiday makers. The Carbis Bay Hotel always was and still is a very popular wedding venue. We sat at the top of the hill overlooking the beach and enjoyed our packed lunch and flask of coffee. Spring has finally sprung and the hedgerows and wooded areas are bursting with life. The guide book says that the walk from St Ives to Lelant on the south west coastal path is two miles. It felt longer. As we passed the Lelant Golf Links we headed for St Uny Church and were delighted to find that they were having a tea/cake sale in the community hall. It was good to get in out of the wind. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.
If you’re not up to a long walk, there is a little train that runs from Lelant to St Ives, taking in the full splendour of Carbis Bay along the way. We usually recommend this trip to our visitors. There is a park and ride at Lelant Saltings and the train ride is very reasonable – under ten pounds for a family ticket for 4 people.
