St. Ives – A Treasured UK Holiday Destination

St. Ives on the Northern coast of Cornwall is an internationally-renowned holiday destination and UK treasure for good reason. Bathed in the relatively warm waters of the gulf stream and enjoying a quality of light that has attracted artists and holiday-makers from the UK and beyond for many years, this charming fishing town has much to offer. It is the sort of place that people fall in love with and indeed, over the years, many have decided to stay.

As with many small, popular holiday spots, the balance between newcomers who settle, tourists and the established population has sometimes been a challenge. St. Ives however, has risen wonderfully to the challenge and managed to embrace the new and welcome visitors, while maintaining the traditions and lifestyles of its inhabitants. With its fishing boats and palm trees, St Ives has a truly distinctive character of its own.

The perfect UK holiday for art lovers

Nowhere epitomises this more than the place St. Ives has in the history and contemporary life of British art. Modern artists such as Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth, whose work is on shown at the Barbara Hepworth museum and gallery, have long been drawn to St Ives and it has also brought us its own painters and sculptors.

Alfred Wallace is one notable local painter. He was a controversial, troubled and eccentric figure who famously, on completion of his pictures, used to drive a nail through the middle of the wood they were often painted on, to fix them to his wall. Luckily there were people around him who recognised his naïve talent and rescued some paintings before they fell to this fate.

Tate St Ives sits at the edge of Porthmeor Bay and houses some of the local artists among other important people with links to the town. You can easily spend a day or two touring the numerous galleries and shops that are to be found throughout St Ives. If you are a keen amateur or a budding artist yourself, get inspiration before setting up your own easel and brushes outside and attempting to capture the magic that has made this small place so important in the history of British art.

Whether you are drawing, painting, taking pictures on your phone or just looking, St Ives is a place to stop and stare. The fishing boats on the beach at low tide, the sweep of the twin bays (St Ives and Porthmeor) or the narrow cobble streets as you head inland all present beautiful views. This is the type of UK holiday that can stay with you for a lifetime. For more stunning vistas take one of the many boat trips that run from St Ives Bay. You can take a sea safari or just admire the stunning views of this part of the British coastline.

The perfect UK holiday for beach lovers

St Ives has something to offer for all tastes. Relax on a lovely sandy beach or take to the surf. Porthminster beach is a blue flag rated surfing beach and draws keen surfers from around the world.

Walking or cycling the coastline also brings its own joys or for a more laid-back experience take the train.

The train journey to St Ives has to be one of the most scenic in Britain. Enjoy the spectacular views from the train window as the line sweeps along the coast past the golden sands of Hayle Towans and Carbis Bay before arriving in St Ives. You can take a fifteen minute trip to St Erth from St Ives in an old diesel train for the best views of the coast and estuaries. There is a great park and ride scheme at St Erth for those visiting by car as parking is difficult in the town itself.

This is a marketing article from My Holiday Home Insurance, a specialist provider of insurance for holiday homes, leisure homes, holiday lodges and static caravans. Our team of experienced advisers are always happy to help, so for more information call our Northampton office on freephone 0800 988 0890.

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