Cornwall

2017

Yet another amazing weekend away without having to take a plane…

As mentioned in a couple of posts, I have a group of old school friends who try to get away together once or twice a year. A trip to St. Ives in Cornwall was the first of these trips we ever went on.

We took train which took 6.5 hours from London to St. Ives (stocked with snacks and alcohol) and the accommodation was a short walk from St. Ives station. We booked our travel in advance so the return train was £60 per person (it can shoot up to £100++ if you’re late to book).

We stayed in an amazing AirBnb very close to the centre of the action. A beautiful modern townhouse with plenty of space, perfect for a large group. Between 9 of us, we paid £70.50 for 2 nights each. Check out the view from my bedroom window…

This was our first trip away together so we didn’t plan as well as we have done on trips since. Unlike the last 2 trips, we did not put in a Tesco order before we went, so one car of friends went to the supermarket as soon as we arrived to stock up for dinner / breakfast / drinks! If you have a group who will work together to cook / wash-up, then you’re onto a winner and a cheap weekend away.

Things to do…

The beach!

There are many beaches in St. Ives which are well known for surfing. I am sure all of them are beautiful, but we only saw 2.

It wasn’t warm enough to swim in the sea when we were there, but with just enough alcohol in them, the boys did manage a midnight dip.

Coastal walks!

The Cornish coastline is stunning – wherever you walk, I don’t think you can go too far wrong. We basically walked for 1.5 hours away from the accommodation, and then all the way back! If you’re a keen hiker, I am sure there are walks of varying lengths and difficulty you could find out about.

We decided to fly a kite in a field right next to the water (which I wouldn’t advise as the winds are strong and I nearly flew away!)

Fish and chips!

There’s nothing better than takeaway fish & chips eaten on the beach, and some of the best fish & chip shops you’ll find are in Cornwall! I didn’t have a Cornish pasty on this trip, but wish I had! Ice cream is a must too (obviously)!!

The Tate!
The Tate in St. Ives is another tourist attraction. If you’re into art, it is probably impressive, but I wasn’t wowed by any of the exhibitions.

There are plenty of gorgeous restaurants along the waterfront, but St. Ives is small and busy during the summer, so if there’s anywhere in particular you want to go, I’d suggest booking in advance.

St. Ives is seriously beautiful – in warm weather it is idyllic! With a group of good friends, you’re going to have a good time wherever you are, but it’s nice to have a beautiful coastline to walk around and a nice beach to fly a kite on!

PLUS it was pretty cheap…
£60 – return train
£70.50 – accommodation for 2 nights
£106 – for everything else (a big supermarket shop, fish & chips (x2), dinner & drinks out, ice-cream, pub lunch)
Total = £236.50!