Best Beaches for Surfing in and around St Ives

If you’re visiting St Ives in Cornwall this summer, you really should try surfing. The sport of surfing is a vibrant part of the culture and lifestyle of Cornwall, and St Ives is a hotspot for surfing activity. To leave Cornwall without having tried surfing, is like visiting Cornwall without ever tasting a Cornish pasty. It’s simply something you should do to get under the skin of this holiday destination and immerse yourself in the Cornish vibe.

Of course you wouldn’t just try surfing because of its connection with Cornwall. It is also a fabulous activity which allows you to have fun in the sea and experience the power of nature as you ride waves along the shore. It is also a healthy exercise and is great fun for all ages and abilities, especially families who are staying locally in St Ives holiday accommodation.

Surfing at Porthmeor Beach, St Ives
The best place to start your surfing adventure in St Ives is Porthmeor Beach. This half-mile stretch of sand is located right in the heart of town, overlooked by the prestigious Tate Gallery. The beach faces north west, so it is slightly sheltered from the biggest swells and strongest winds. This means the waves are often cleaner and gentler here than west facing beaches, so Porthmeor Beach is perfect for learning to surf most of the time. St Ives Surf School runs surf lessons here (see discount information below). A surfing lesson at Porthmeor Beach is a superb activity to experience while you are on holiday in the St Ives area.

Surfing at Sennen Beach
Just a short drive away from St Ives and Carbis Bay, at the far end of West Penwith is the pretty fishing village of Sennen with its crescent of golden sand renowned for its quality surf conditions. As this beach is located right at the tip of Cornwall, near Land’s End, Sennen Beach does pick up most Atlantic Ocean swells. On big wave days, the surfing is best left to the local pros. But when the conditions are calm, Sennen is one of the few places where you can pick up some beginner size waves. There is also the very good Sennen Surf School here, with professional surf instructors eager to teach you in the ways of wave riding.

Surfing at Gwithian Beach
Located just the other side of Carbis Bay, at the other end of the Hayle Towans, Gwithian is one of the hottest surf destinations in the area. This beach is also exposed to the best swells rolling in from the Atlantic, which can deliver big barreling waves for experienced surfers some days. But on other days, beginner surfers can enjoy calmer waves and surf conditions suitable for learning how to surf. If you check the surf forecast and choose your visit correctly, you will be rewarded with some awesome waves in the shadow of Godrevy Lighthouse. Gwithian Academy of Surfing runs surfing lessons here for beginners and progressing surfers.

Surfing at Praa Sands
Praa Sands is only a 20 minute drive away from St Ives, but has a very different outlook and atmosphere to the rugged beaches of the north coast. When you pass Penzance you’ve turned the corner onto the south coast of West Cornwall, with generally gentler, greener coastal scenery. Surf conditions on the south coast can be world class, especially at nearby Porthleven with its renowned rocky reef break. The waves can also be big and hollow at Praa Sands, but generally in the summer months, the waves break gently onto a soft sandy beach. This makes it a good location for families with small children to try surfing and master core board skills without battling it out through big breakers. Stones Reef Surf Shop, located right on the beach, provides surfboard hire and surfing lessons.

Let’s Go Surfing!
So there you have it. A round-up of the best places to learn to surf and enjoy surfing while you are on holiday in St Ives or Carbis Bay. But your surfing adventure needn’t end there. There are surfing beaches, coves and more advanced surf spots to explore along the entire coastline of Cornwall. Once you’ve had your initial surf lessons and feel comfortable in the water, you can just pick up a board and explore. You’ll be assured a true Cornish adventure.

For more information on surfing in St Ives or to book surfing lessons at Porthmeor Beach, please visit the St Ives Surf School website. Remember that if you’re on holiday in St Ives with Carbis Bay Holidays, you can get 20% off the price of surf lessons with this surf school.

If you’re a keen surfer or want to try surfing while on holiday in St Ives, please check out the range of holiday cottages, houses and apartments near Porthmeor Beach on the Carbis Bay Holidays website.

We've Struck Gold Again as a Green Tourism Business

Carbis Bay Holidays is pleased to announce that it has retained it's Green Award status following an evaluation from the Green Business Tourism Scheme.

To celebrate the accolade we gave this press release a cheeky, little Olympian theme as follows:

While Team GB revels in its medal success at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, St Ives holiday accommodation specialist Carbis Bay Holidays is celebrating its own ‘podium finish’ after retaining a Gold Award in the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Following an ‘Olympian’ effort to get their environmental policies and procedures up to the highest green standards, the St Ives based holiday company has retained its Gold Award – the top accolade in the national scheme which promotes sustainable tourism.

Carbis Bay Holidays has always prided itself in its green credentials, but this latest award in this prestigious scheme is the crowning glory in its continued efforts to run a responsible tourism business. It is the third successive year that the company has achieved the Gold Award.

Amanda O’Toole from Carbis Bay Holidays commented: “We’re delighted to be recognised again for our efforts to be an environmentally friendly business and to promote green, sustainable holidays in the St Ives area."

You can read the full press release here: Gold Medal for St Ives Accommodation Company

Ancient Forests Uncovered at Mount's Bay

This is amazing. An ancient submerged forest has been uncovered at Mount's Bay, near Penzance, following the recent storms.

Frank Howie/Cornwall Wildlife Trust

It seems that the stormy seas which wreaked havoc on the coast in early February has uncovered stumps of ancient oak, beech and pine trees. These large tree stumps are between 4,000 and 6,000 years old and have been preserved all this time by sand and shingle.

I'm not sure how long the ancient forest in Mount's Bay will remain visible before shifting sands cover them over again, but experts are warning visitors not to investigate.

Frank Howie, Cornwall Wildlife Trustee and chair of the county's Geoconservation Group, said: "The storms have revealed two to five metre trunks of pine and oak as well as the remains of hazel thickets with well-preserved cob nuts and acorns washed out by streams running across the beach.

"These forests were growing four or five thousand years when climate was slightly warmer than today.

"They were not flooded at the end of the last ice age which happened around 12,000 years ago.”

The above quote is an excerpt from an article in The Telegraph. To read full article go here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/10653204/Submerged-forests-revealed-by-UK-storms.html

Happy Valentine's Day from Carbis Bay Holidays in St Ives

As it’s Valentine’s Day we wanted to share with you our love of St Ives.  We carried out a quick survey of some of the Carbis Bay Holidays team, to see what they love best about our lovely quirky fishing village.

Posh Fish & Chips by Sunset

On a fine summer evening my husband and I love taking our Patterdale terrier ‘Jet’ for a walk around the Island, stopping off at Harbour Fish & Chips on the way. Their fish and chips are truly scrumptious, especially the sprinkling of crunchy sweet potato on top. The Island offers stunning 360 degree views, taking in so many different aspects of the town and bay. We finally make our way around to our little bench which is perfectly positioned overlooking Porthmeor beach and enjoy our alfresco dinner with what we think is the best sunset in the world.
Tamsin, Marketing

The Breathtaking Beauty

Even though I have lived here half of my life I still cannot believe how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.  The walk from Carbis Bay where I live to St Ives is like a mini holiday to me and as soon as I reach closer to St Ives I look over the wall to survey the beauty and the light – it still always takes my breath away!
Natalie, Property

 
Carbis Bay Holidays offer a wide selection of holiday properties suitable for a romantic break any time of the year.  From cosy hideaways for couples to holiday homes with hot tubs, we are sure you will love St Ives and return again and again.

What do you love most about St Ives?