St Ives circular walk

St Ives

A circular walk at St Ives along the granite coastline and white sandy beaches which have inspired so many artists, through some of the most famous parts of the town including the harbour, The Island and The Tate, and via the church and holy well of the Celtic girl Ia who, according to legend, was the first to settle here.

Get the app to guide you around the walk

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Download the (free) app then use it to purchase this walk.
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The app will direct you to the start of the walk via satnav.
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The app guides you around the walk using GPS, removing any worries about getting lost.
Phone showing walk directions page in the iWalk Cornwall app
The walk route is described with detailed, regularly-updated, hand-written directions.
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Each time there is a new direction to follow, the app will beep to remind you, and will warn you if you go off-route.
Phone showing walk map page in the iWalk Cornwall app
A map shows the route, where you are at all times and even which way you are facing.
Phone showing facts section in iWalk Cornwall app
Each walk is packed with information about the history and nature along the route, from over a decade of research than spans more than 3,000 topics.
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Once a walk is downloaded, the app doesn't need wifi or a phone signal during the walk.
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The app counts down distance to the next direction and estimates time remaining based on your personal walking speed.
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We keep the directions continually updated for changes to the paths/landmarks - the price for a walk includes ongoing free updates.

either as a GPS-guided walk with our app (£3.29) or a PDF of directions (£2.79) Example of directions

The route descends from the car park along Park Terrace with views over the rooftops of St Ives before reaching the sea beside the St Ives Art Club. The walk then circles the harbour to Smeaton's Pier and passes the St Ives Museum to reach the cove of Porth Gwidden. The route crosses the Island, via the chapel, to the long, sandy beach of Porthmeor where it passes the Tate and joins the coast path. After following the coast past Carrack Du, the return route to St Ives is via farm tracks and the church of St John.

Highlights

  • Spectacular views over St Ives, across the bay and along the coastline
  • Sandy beaches of Porthgwidden, Porthmeor and around Carrick Du
  • St Ives historic harbour and buildings
  • Tate Art Gallery and a myriad of small galleries

Considerations

  • The track to Hellesveor Farm can get quite waterlogged in the winter months.
  • Note that most coastal walks in Cornwall have paths close to unfenced cliffs.

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Vital statistics

  • OS Explorer: 102
  • Distance: 4.3 miles/7 km
  • Steepness grade: Moderate
  • Recommended footwear: Walking shoes in summer; waterproof boots in winter
  • No stiles: ✓
  • Pub: ✓
  • Café: ✓

OS maps for this walk

Click or tap on map for more info (blue=laminated)

Pubs on or near the route

  • The Hain Line
  • The Lifeboat Inn
  • The Sloop Inn

Alternative walks

Adjoining walks

either as a GPS-guided walk with our app (£3.29) or a PDF of directions (£2.79) Example of directions

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