The pretty corner of Cornwall that the world will have its eyes on this week

St Ives, Cornwall - Markus Thoenen/iStockphoto
St Ives, Cornwall - Markus Thoenen/iStockphoto
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St Ives has come a long way since the Irish princess Iya floated into the bay on a leaf in the 5th century to bring Christianity to its fisherfolk. This June it is the leaders of the free world who will be landing on its beaches for the G7 Summit – possibly with vaccine passports in hand.

Despite the pandemic, St Ives had a good summer in 2020 – without the expected spike in Covid-19 cases. Trying to social-distance in the cobbled lanes of Downalong, the old fishermen’s quarter, was tricky but so much of what is best about the resort takes place outdoors: sunbathing on its wide sandy beaches, surfing, boating, walking, and people-watching from cafes, bars and restaurants that spilled out onto the quay and the sand, many now offering outdoor heaters for cool days.

An empty shop in St Ives is a rarity, as are the big brands. Instead there are dozens of independent boutiques, galleries and craft shops displaying work by local artisans alongside the traditional Cornish ice cream, chocolate and pasties.

St Ives knows what tourists want; it has been catering to daytrippers from all over the world ever since the railway arrived in 1877. The clarity and intensity of the light that bounces off a blue sea also drew artists, from JMW Turner and Rex Whistler to Patrick Heron and Barbara Hepworth, who set up their easels in disused net lofts and pilchard cellars.

Today, artistry of a different kind is making its mark on the town as talented young chefs and bakers, such as Bradley Monk at 1 Fish Street and Travis and Sophie Bulbeck at the new Fish Bar at West Beach on Porthmeor Beach, raise the culinary bar. And it’s no longer necessary to do a shop on the way: corner shops – notably Norway Stores in Downalong and Ayr Stores at the top of Porthmeor Hill – sell everything you need to cook an Ottolenghi recipe.

With such a variety of places to eat out, from breakfast through to dinner, staying in a cottage or apartment is the way to go. Many have been sensitively renovated and connected to superfast broadband. Agencies include Cornish Gems, Aspects, Cherished and St Ives Holidays.

When it comes to hotels, the Carbis Bay Hotel has been given a multi-million pound facelift and will be the focus of the G7 Summit from June 11-13. But discerning travellers prefer to stay in townhouse B&Bs including the award-winning WestbyFive and Trevose Harbour House. Best of all, you don’t need a car in St Ives. Everything is on the doorstep or can easily be accessed using public transport. Here are some ideas on how you can have seven mini holidays in seven days while enjoying the resort’s cultural and natural riches.

The beach break

Sand encircles St Ives so there’s a beach for everyone. Families with young children head for east-facing Porthgwidden, sheltered by the Island where waves lap gently on the shore. Porthminster is best for sandcastle-making, beach games and paddleboarding. And Porthmeor, facing the open Atlantic and the setting sun, is the surfer’s beach. You can hire a chalet to store windbreaks and beach toys from £60 per week.

Porthminster Beach - iStock
Porthminster Beach - iStock

Harbour Beach is great for people-watching – but beware the thieving seagulls. Tiny Bamaluz, revealed at low tide, allows dogs all year round, as does the vast expanse of Porthkidney Sands – reached along footpaths from Carbis Bay or Lelant.

St Ives Surf School runs the town’s watersports and offers surfing lessons for all ages and abilities from Porthmeor Beach, plus coasteering, sea kayaking and paddleboarding from its base on Porthminster.

The culture break

The landscape in and around St Ives has inspired three generations of British abstract artists, from Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson to Roger Hilton and Terry Frost. Known as the St Ives School, their work is celebrated at Tate St Ives, which has expanded to twice its original size. As well as the superbly curated permanent collection, there’s a special exhibition of sculptural works by the Korean artist Haegue Yang, inspired by her travels in West Cornwall. The Tate also takes care of Hepworth’s former studio and sculpture garden nearby.

Downalong is peppered with galleries displaying works by artists working in and around St Ives today. Among the best are Anima Mundi in Street-an-Pol, the New Craftsman and Livingstone on Fore Street, and the Penwith Gallery in Back Road West.

Tate St.Ives - Alamy
Tate St.Ives - Alamy

On the Stennack stands the former studio and gallery of the influential studio potter Bernard Leach, which offers classes and courses. There’s also a superb collection of contemporary studio pottery at St Ives Ceramics on Fish Street.

Alternatively, you can hone your own artistic skills at the St Ives School of Painting, which offers “Creative Weekender” courses in the historic Porthmeor Studios from £230.

The cycling break

There are few roads in Britain more scenic than the coast road from St Ives to St Just. It rises and falls between moor and sea, threading through an ancient patchwork of luminous green fields bounded by lichen-encrusted stone walls that date back 4,600 years. Ancient farmsteads, the ruins of former tin mines, granite tors and craggy cliff forts punctuate the way.

coastal path - Peter Cade/Getty
coastal path - Peter Cade/Getty

Let the landscape enfold you by hiring an e-bike from St Ives Bike Hire. It takes the pain out of the hills so you can enjoy views that make the heart sing. The Cube e-bikes come in both traditional cross-bar and step-through styles with powerful Bosch motors and rear-mounted child seats. Rental costs £38 per day.

The boating break

You get a very different view of St Ives from the sea and this summer there’s a new boat on the dock that rivals the drama of the coastline. The James

Stevens No 10, built in solid mahogany and rowed by 12 brave men, served as the St Ives Lifeboat for 33 years from 1899. Beautifully restored, it will be offering 90-minute cruises around St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse, an area rich in wrecks and tales of rescue and derring-do. Book through St Ives Boats, which also runs boat trips west along the coast to the Carracks, offshore islets that are home to a colony of Atlantic grey seals (adults £20; children £15; dogs and babies free).

st ives - Romi Nicole Schneider
st ives - Romi Nicole Schneider

It’s a rare day when a fishing trip doesn’t net a basketful of mackerel – even if you’re a novice. Blue Fin Charters takes groups of up to 12 mackerel-fishing in the bay for £25 per person; children of all ages welcome. Day charters are also available in search of shark, rays and the flamboyant red gurnard.

The walking break

“Strenuous” is the word most used to describe the seven-mile section of the South West Coast Path that links St Ives to the historic village of Zennor. The trail is muddy and rocky in places and will take a reasonably fit walker three hours, but the drama of the flower-strewn landscape makes it worth it.

Coastal scenery near Zennor - Ashley Cooper/Getty
Coastal scenery near Zennor - Ashley Cooper/Getty

If you tire of picking your way through tumbled rock, turn inland at River Cove and follow an Iron Age track to Treveal Farm to pick up the “Field Path” to Zennor. It links a string of medieval farms and passes near the former homes of DH Lawrence and Patrick Heron. Your reward is a pint in the Tinners Arms, one of Britain’s oldest pubs.

An easier alternative is to take the train from St Ives to Lelant, one of Britain’s most scenic train rides, and walk back on a well-kept path through the dunes and around Carbis Bay.

The bus break

You can tour the Land’s End peninsula on the open-top Atlantic Coaster in summer. The hop-on-hop-off service runs six times a day and a circuit of the peninsula takes around three hours with sea views most of the way.

Highlights include the fishing port of Newlyn, the clifftop Minack Theatre, and Geevor Tin Mine Museum at Pendeen, where a working beam engine stands on the cliffs.

Minack Theatre -  Romi Nicole Schneider
Minack Theatre - Romi Nicole Schneider

I would also recommend stopping in St Just for an ice cream at Moomaid’s ice cream parlour, local beef and sausages from Vivian Old’s tiny butchery and the Kurt Jackson Foundation’s fine art gallery. See firstgroup.com for a timetable; a rover ticket costs £15 for an adult; £30 for a family.

The foodie break

Start with breakfast on the heated terrace at Porthmeor Beach Cafe, which must include a Da Bara cinnamon bun.

Pick up the makings of a picnic lunch from the Allotment Deli and the St Ives Bakery (its Turkish flatbread makes great sandwiches), both on Fore Street. Or walk around the harbour to the Porthminster Beach Cafe for fresh chilli crab linguine and a grandstand view of the bay.

st ives harbour - iStock
st ives harbour - iStock

Tucked away in Downalong is Olive’s Cafe, which serves the best cream teas; the blueberry scones are ace.

For cocktails and tapas head for the Searoom, which has tables on the Wharf to watch the world go by.

Some of the best places to dine are tucked away down side streets: 1 Fish Street serves up a superb eight-course fish tasting menu; Blas Burgers for the best burger and chips in Britain; and Source Kitchen in the Digey, whose red mullet supper recently impressed Rick Stein.