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Abstract

eater experience while Covid exists.</p><p id="0ed7">Photos do not do justice to the startling beauty of this location. If you are in the area it is worth driving out of your way for a visit even if you don’t take in a show.</p><figure id="5050"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*hMSDbyJK_J0hHyo8iAnbJA.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><h2 id="34c3">St. Ives</h2><figure id="bf60"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*n4n9vZGPCwVt5N4WIBv5LQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="c0b1"><a href="https://www.cornishrivieraholidays.co.uk/about-st-ives/history-st-ives#:~:text=St%20Ives%20takes%20its%20name,the%20St%20Ives%20Parish%20Church.">St. Ives</a> is a great base for a short or long stay. It’s been around since the middle ages and was important for fishing and mining. In its heyday up to 300 boats launched from here for the popular pilchard trade. Coal came into port to feed the mine engines at the nearby tin and copper mines.</p><p id="1da7">As the traditional trades dwindled in the late 1800s the art scene continued to grow and St. Ives reinvented itself as a beacon for artists and tourists alike.</p><figure id="b589"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*DZ_AnT_3c2uWP8AMcxvnrQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="7475">The harbor area has numerous restaurants, bars, and shops all with fantastic views. After months of lockdown, sitting at a table with a beer and watching the tide and tourists flow in and out was heavenly.</p><p id="c938">We stayed in a converted fisherman’s loft in an area known as the Downlong where the fisherman traditionally lived. You could easily spend a day in St. Ives wandering through the cobbled streets ducking into and out of galleries and shops.</p><p id="d7b5">There are also lovely beaches as well as brilliant coastal walks if you fancy a hike.</p><h2 id="3f58">St. Michaels Mount</h2><figure id="4763"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*vcwe1YATMMmdboOEm-kdNQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="46e0">St. Michael’s Mount is about 20 minutes drive away from St. Ives on the other coast of the peninsula. At low tide, you can walk from the shore to the island on the cobbled pathway but for most of the day, the island and the castle at its peak are only accessible by water.</p><figure id="7df1"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*3B2E7yxpFzCGWFTdL37pnw.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="ed30">We walked across at low tide and then climbed up the hill to the ancient castle. Normally you can tour the castle but due to Covid, that isn’t possible right now. Still, it was well worth the walk across the causeway and climb up the mountain.</p><p id="9224">The St. Aubyn family still lives in the castle and members of the family have had a residence there since the English civil war.</p><p id="2635">The walk up to the castle is not too steep and is beautifully landscaped so it was a delightful trek. From the top, you have wonderful views of the bay and Penzance.</p><p id="a6ef">Tickets need to be booked in advance, especially now with Covid restr

Options

ictions, and are severely limited due to the tides so plan ahead if you want to visit.</p><h2 id="365e">Southwest Coastal Path</h2><figure id="2c9c"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*Xge_5zqeW8FamaE6b-8jbw.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="23fb">The southwest coastal path runs along the entire coast of Devon and Cornwall and stretches for 630 miles. Originally formed from paths the coast guard climbed up and down searching hidden beaches and coves for <a href="https://hiiker.app/trails/england/somerset/south-west-coast-path">smugglers</a>, there is a lot of elevation change along this path. If you walk it end to end you will climb the equivalent of <a href="https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/about-coast-path/media-and-press-info/did-you-know/">4 Mt. Everests</a>.</p><p id="5f49">From St. Ives, you can head off on the path in either direction for some stunning coastal views. Or you can drive a little way out of town and hike up into the hills overlooking the town. Head west on the B3306 and stop to hike anywhere you see a trailhead and a place to park the car. You’ll be rewarded with loads of interesting landscapes.</p><h2 id="caf9">Cornish Mining World Heritage Site</h2><figure id="e00e"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*0-4wve0faEO8lDP5Mj7NDg.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="a02a">This area of Cornwall is full of abandoned mines. Mining was big business in Cornwall and in many ways, the county has never fully recovered from the collapse of the industry. Check out <a href="undefined">Terence C. Gannon</a>’s story <a href="https://terencecgannon.medium.com/the-collapse-of-the-cornish-tin-mines-704cd1f409d">The Collapse of the Cornish Tin Mines</a> to learn more.</p><p id="ef5b">Tourism is the big industry in Cornwall now and one thing tourists come to see are the picturesque abandoned mine engine houses dotting the landscape.</p><figure id="cfbb"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*2k59_Mo3a06YtoOfzRgULQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by author</figcaption></figure><p id="ad70">If the mines in these pictures look familiar to you, you have probably seen the BBC drama <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07pn8mz">Poldark</a>. The mine in the top photo, Wheal Owles West, played the role of Wheal Leisure in the television drama, and the iconic Cornish engine houses in the second photo know as the Crowns starred as the Grambler mine.</p><p id="a96c">The museums in and around St. Just are still closed right now, but you will still enjoy hiking in and among these proud buildings from a bygone era.</p><p id="dbea">This is just a tiny slice of Cornwall. If you live outside of Britain add it to your dream locations for someday. If you are in Britain now it is the perfect place for an enjoyable getaway under Covid conditions.</p><p id="c0f4"><i>Read all of my travel stories <a href="https://marydj03.medium.com/list/travel-57d6381a62b2">here</a>. Join Medium to read not just my stories but all the other fantastic content lurking around every corner. Use <a href="https://marydj03.medium.com/membership">this link</a> and I’ll get a small commission when you sign up.</i></p></article></body>

TRAVEL. ENGLAND

Enjoying the Views in and Around St. Ives, Cornwall in Southwest England

A perfect destination to ease out of pandemic lockdown

Cornwall is a perfect location for a trip during a pandemic. The vast bulk of its beauty and charm can be appreciated in the great outdoors. With the recent loosening of lockdown restrictions, you can even enjoy food and drink at one of the many charming pubs as long as they have outdoor seating.

If you are in England already, you can travel to Cornwall now as long as you book a self-catering stay. In mid-May hotels, B & B’s and hostels should open up. It might be a bit longer before it is easy to travel to Cornwall from outside of the country, but read about it now and dream of the day you can travel again.

We just got back from a two-night stay in St. Ives, Cornwall which was wonderful.

Healey’s Cider

Cider is very popular in Cornwall. It seems to have been introduced by the Romans and quickly became more popular than wine which only makes sense as apples are easy to grow in southwest England while grapes are a challenge. It was even a form of payment for farm workers but that practice was outlawed in the late 1800s.

We stopped for lunch on the way down at Healy’s Cornish Cyder Farm which is not far off the A30 in Penhallow near Truro. They have a large outdoor seating area and delicious food, plus we wanted to stock up on cider from their shop.

Healey’s offers free tasting of all their products. My favorite is the new peach Rattler. Be careful if you are driving as there are a wide variety of products and if you try them all you will end up tipsy.

Once pandemic restrictions are lifted you can also book a guided tour with in-depth tastings. Or you can do a self-guided tour. There is a farm animal section for children as well as a museum of cider making. Tractor rides are also an option to take you through the orchards and tell you more about the apples and the cider process.

Minack Theatre

Minack Theatre is an open-air theater with the most impressive backdrop ever — the sea. Minack is located on the Penwith peninsula near Land’s End. The theatre hosts a wide variety of performances year-round.

Nothing was playing when we visited due to the pandemic but it was still possible to wander around and enjoy the beautiful views and gardens. We hope to return soon for a show as it feels like the perfect theater experience while Covid exists.

Photos do not do justice to the startling beauty of this location. If you are in the area it is worth driving out of your way for a visit even if you don’t take in a show.

St. Ives

St. Ives is a great base for a short or long stay. It’s been around since the middle ages and was important for fishing and mining. In its heyday up to 300 boats launched from here for the popular pilchard trade. Coal came into port to feed the mine engines at the nearby tin and copper mines.

As the traditional trades dwindled in the late 1800s the art scene continued to grow and St. Ives reinvented itself as a beacon for artists and tourists alike.

The harbor area has numerous restaurants, bars, and shops all with fantastic views. After months of lockdown, sitting at a table with a beer and watching the tide and tourists flow in and out was heavenly.

We stayed in a converted fisherman’s loft in an area known as the Downlong where the fisherman traditionally lived. You could easily spend a day in St. Ives wandering through the cobbled streets ducking into and out of galleries and shops.

There are also lovely beaches as well as brilliant coastal walks if you fancy a hike.

St. Michaels Mount

St. Michael’s Mount is about 20 minutes drive away from St. Ives on the other coast of the peninsula. At low tide, you can walk from the shore to the island on the cobbled pathway but for most of the day, the island and the castle at its peak are only accessible by water.

We walked across at low tide and then climbed up the hill to the ancient castle. Normally you can tour the castle but due to Covid, that isn’t possible right now. Still, it was well worth the walk across the causeway and climb up the mountain.

The St. Aubyn family still lives in the castle and members of the family have had a residence there since the English civil war.

The walk up to the castle is not too steep and is beautifully landscaped so it was a delightful trek. From the top, you have wonderful views of the bay and Penzance.

Tickets need to be booked in advance, especially now with Covid restrictions, and are severely limited due to the tides so plan ahead if you want to visit.

Southwest Coastal Path

The southwest coastal path runs along the entire coast of Devon and Cornwall and stretches for 630 miles. Originally formed from paths the coast guard climbed up and down searching hidden beaches and coves for smugglers, there is a lot of elevation change along this path. If you walk it end to end you will climb the equivalent of 4 Mt. Everests.

From St. Ives, you can head off on the path in either direction for some stunning coastal views. Or you can drive a little way out of town and hike up into the hills overlooking the town. Head west on the B3306 and stop to hike anywhere you see a trailhead and a place to park the car. You’ll be rewarded with loads of interesting landscapes.

Cornish Mining World Heritage Site

This area of Cornwall is full of abandoned mines. Mining was big business in Cornwall and in many ways, the county has never fully recovered from the collapse of the industry. Check out Terence C. Gannon’s story The Collapse of the Cornish Tin Mines to learn more.

Tourism is the big industry in Cornwall now and one thing tourists come to see are the picturesque abandoned mine engine houses dotting the landscape.

If the mines in these pictures look familiar to you, you have probably seen the BBC drama Poldark. The mine in the top photo, Wheal Owles West, played the role of Wheal Leisure in the television drama, and the iconic Cornish engine houses in the second photo know as the Crowns starred as the Grambler mine.

The museums in and around St. Just are still closed right now, but you will still enjoy hiking in and among these proud buildings from a bygone era.

This is just a tiny slice of Cornwall. If you live outside of Britain add it to your dream locations for someday. If you are in Britain now it is the perfect place for an enjoyable getaway under Covid conditions.

Read all of my travel stories here. Join Medium to read not just my stories but all the other fantastic content lurking around every corner. Use this link and I’ll get a small commission when you sign up.