Time of your Ives
modern artists linked with the area.
Hiking along the rocky path that leads around St Ives Head, it’s not hard to see why artists flocked to the region. On the other side of the steep cliff, bright sunshine illuminates Porthmeor beach, where scores of surfers are scattered in the sparkling, jade green waves.
Even more breathtaking, Gwithian Towans beach is located on the other side of St Ives Bay.
Grassy sand dunes make way for a huge, flat expanse of white sand. In the distance, whitewashed Godrevy Lighthouse (made famous by Virginia Woolf ’s novel To The Lighthouse) sits atop a tiny outcrop.
A few brave wetsuit-clad surfers limber up then jog out, boards under arms, into the sea.
Feeling a chill just watching them dive in, I head in the opposite direction back to the dunes and the Hungry Horsebox, a mobile cafe housed in a converted horse transportation box, to indulge in its ultimate hot chocolate.
It’s a cup of silky smooth hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, two wafers, a flake and toasted marshmallows on a stick, plus crumbled homemade praline, sprinkles and more marshmallows – the perfect antidote to the bracing coastal winds.
If surfing or wild swimming aren’t your cup of tea, there is one way to take a dip in Cornwall without having to brave biting sea temperatures.
Clowance Estate
Clowance’s pool
Opened in 2020, the UK’s first geothermal lido, part of the Art Deco Jubilee Pool complex in Penzance, extracts water from a 1,345ft well to keep the shallow saltwater pool at a balmy 30-35C.
The water feels wonderful when I first wade in, but I have to keep paddling to stay warm enough during the hour-long session
(£11.75 for an adult; jubileepool.co.uk).
Even more steamy than the geothermal pool is the hot tub I sink into that night (and every other night) on the terrace of The Gate House, the threebedroom former rectory
St Ives Bay where I’m staying on the Clowance Estate, near Camborne.. Situated at the far end of the 97-acre estate, the property feels secluded and cosy yet spacious, with an open-plan kitchen/ dining area and conservatory that opens on to the terrace.
With delightfully comfy beds (the sheets are five-star hotel-level soft) and virtual silence at night, the luxurious bedrooms are ideal if catching up on sleep is top of your holiday priorities.
The main Clowance manor house was the seat of the St Aubyn family until 1839.
Now the building houses a reception, cafe-bar, swimming pool, gym and spa.
From Scandi-style A-frame lodges to converted houses, all properties are self-catered, meaning the kitchens are very well-equipped (I get particularly excited about the immaculate
St Ives Head drawers full of cutlery and utensils) and supermarket delivery drivers are used to dropping off grocery orders straight to your door.
In 2020, the estate was forced to close due to coronavirus restrictions, but, once lockdown ended and UK travel opened up, Cornwall became a hugely popular summer staycation destination.
“It’s been a bit up and down,” says resort manager Wayne Gilbert. “The impact on the business was massive.”
But Clowance has been almost back to full capacity and the team is
Gwithian
beach relishing being in the spotlight. “It’s given us a good opportunity as a company to show people what we’re all about,” says Gilbert, who enjoys welcoming back guests who “love the sights and the quirkiness of Cornwall”.
With renewed travel restrictions due to the Omicron variant, staycations are looking even more attractive once again.
And, as my visit proves, Cornwall makes for a brilliant break all year round – not just in summer.
If country walks, stunning scenery and charming seaside villages float your boat, then you’ll find a lot to love here.
Just make sure you watch out for those pasty-pinching seagulls.
Lodges (sleep 2-6) at Clowance Estate & Country Club near Camborne, Cornwall, cost from £1,075 for a two night self-catering stay; Gate House (sleeps 6) from £1,500 for three nights. luxurylodges.com/clowance/
Feeling chilly, I head into a converted horse box for the ultimate hot chocolate