St Ives

An hours drive from the lodge, St Ives has to be visited at least once. Now the home of the Tate St Ives Gallery, the town has long been a mecca of artists, drawn by the supposed unique light of the peninsula. So expect lots of galleries and art-themed venues.

While the exhibitions at the Tate can be of variable taste, do visit it at least once. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden is definitely a must (book your entry first).

Wander through the maze of narrow cobbled streets, independent shops and fisherman’s cottages in the heart of St Ives. It has its fair share of fudge shops but there a plenty of more unique things to see besides. For a town packed solid with visitors in the summer, some of the back streets are surprisingly run down, but don’t let that put you off!

St Ives is rammed in the summer and parking is at a premium – most likely you will end up in a car park at the top of the hill with a steep walk down to the town. Much better to do the park and ride – stop at St Erth, a few miles from St Ives. You will catch a shuttle train that runs along the estuary, so sit on the right-hand side to get the views. Trains run every half an hour or so and it makes a visit to St Ives much less stressful!