Many people love a St Ives holiday
And it is little wonder as this small Cornwall town has so much to offer. We are developing a St Ives guide which we will continue to publish here over the coming weeks and we hope that reading about some of the towns history and current attractions will encourage you to visit it. There are many St Ives apartments to choose from whatever the size of your party, but, if you are a couple with up to two children then naturally we hope that you will choose to stay in Poscader.
The Sloop Inn
We will start our journey at the Sloop Inn which can be found at the harbour front. Dating back to around 1312 it is one of the oldest inns to be found in Cornwall and many would claim it is the best pub in St Ives.
Inside it retains much of its ancient character and the walls are adorned with original art by local artists. Outside there is a seating area that faces the harbour and when the sun shines, which it often does in St Ives, this is a great suntrap and even in winter it is extremely pleasant to sit there. Naturally it is not always easy to find a seat. We have a great view of it from the Poscader decking, so with the aid of binoculars or a long focal length lens you can quickly check out how busy it is.
The Sloop Inn shot from Poscader decking (focal length 300mm). This was during the winter and there are still people enjoying the sun outside. From the ladder and the man in overalls it looks as if the place is getting a fresh coat of paint.
Stroll a little further along the harbour front and you will find Hobblers House, one of our favourite restaurants.
Hobblers House
This was a quaint old restaurant which occupied two floors and had excellent food and great harbour views. Sadly it is no more as it has been converted. Again there were many paintings by local artists on the walls and the restaurant had a special place for Poncle, that wonderful depictor of cats; many of the wine carafs were also decorated by her.
Hobblers House is a listed building which dates back to the 17th century and you can find it on the harbour front. Originally the building was home to local 'hobblers' and outside they would moor their tug boats. Hobblers were essentially pilots who would tow large boats into the harbour.
This is a picture of Hobblers House painted by Ponckle. The print hangs over our dining table.
Next we will take a look at the immediate surroundings of St Ives - discover cliff top walks and the golden sands of Carbis Bay: Cliff Walks and Carbis Bay.
and sample some of the special party atmosphere in St Ives at Christmas and the New Year.
Leave the car behind and enjoy some short walks on your St Ives holiday.
If you can drag yourself away from the superb beaches of St Ives and leave the eating establishments behind, you will find that you do not need to venture very far in order to experience some beautiful and spectacular scenery. If you walk west you will find an excellent walk along the cliffs where you can venture as far as you wish. Even when the clouds descend you can enjoy some amazing views of he sea, the cliffs and the sky.
You will find huge granite rocks with mysterious shapes
and spectacular seascapes, though when the skies look as threatening as this you might not wish to venture too far.
Take the eastern path from St Ives and you will find there a lovely walk to Carbis Bay where you will find a very different and far more gentle coastline with sweeping golden sandy beaches.
And if you feel like taking it at a leisurely pace, you might get back in time to enjoy a glass of sparkly and watch the sunset over the harbour from from the Poscader decking.
Though if you want to get home faster, then you can always catch the train from Carbis Bay to St Ives Station.
