St Ives Harbour

St Ives Harbour
A beautiful day in St Ives

Wednesday 12 February 2014

You won’t need a boat, Cornwall isn’t underwater…


This week we’ve had lots of calls from concerned guests who are worried they won’t be able to get to us due to the recent news reports that Cornwall has been cut-off due to the recent storms.

Yes we’ve had some pretty dramatic weather, it’s been pretty blowy on the coast and the high tides have been somewhat impressive but we’re a pretty hardy bunch down here and the extreme weather hasn’t really phased us.

Rail travel into the county is likely to be disrupted for the next few weeks but don’t let a little thing like that put you off, there are still plenty of ways you can get your Cornwall fix:

By car All of the major routes into and around Cornwall remain open so travelling by car is easy peasy! Especially as you will have an allocated car parking space on arrival.

By air Regular flights bound for Newquay Airport depart from London Gatwick and Manchester on a daily basis. Flybe have recently added additional flights between London and Newquay to ease the pressure caused by the rail disruptions. With one-way flights starting from just £39 versus a £60 off-peak rail single, flying into Cornwall is the financially savvy option.

We’ve also managed to negotiate preferential rates with our friends at Apple Cabs for transfers between Newquay Airport and The Sail Lofts so please get in touch if you need us to book you a taxi.

By coach National Express offer coach services into Cornwall from most major towns and cities and with free WiFi now available on their coaches it’s a great way to travel.

By rail Rail travel is still an option it may just take a little longer than normal as direct routes may not be possible. Rail replacements and diversions are all in place so if you do prefer train travel just plan your journey in advance and you’ll be just fine.

Safe travels everyone,

Kelly x

Thursday 6 February 2014

Family fun on your doorstop…

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With February half term just around the corner and the chance of a heat wave near impossible, we thought our pick of fun family days out might come in handy. We’ve kept it fairly local, but there are a couple of gems that are worth the drive, especially if the weather isn’t great…

Screen-printing workshop…
At The Sail Lofts

Join local artist Dena O’Brien as she teaches you the basic techniques of screen painting. Practice with your squeegee and pick our your favourite colour before you create your very own photographic screen print of St Ives. 

Beach fun...
On our doorstep

Ok, so sun bathing, swimming and surfing probably aren’t going to be much fun in February (unless you’re extremely brave), but there is still so much fun to be had on the beaches in winter. The list is almost endless but our favourites include kite flying, wave chasing, stone skimming, football and rounders.

Splodge…
Just around the corner

If your little ones love getting creative and enjoy a bit of messy play, pop along to Splodge where they can paint their own pot or plate to take home. Hand painted pots are a great gift idea to take home for granny and granddad or just as a memento of your St Ives holiday.

Paradise Park…
15 minute drive

A great day out for all ages, Paradise Park is Cornwall’s top wildlife sanctuary where you can feed the penguins, the parrots and the otters. There’s also a large indoor play area and a pirate trail where little ones solve clues and questions to find the buried chocolaty treasure.

St Michaels Mount…
20 minute drive

Discover the legend and myth of over a thousand years of incredible history on the Island of St Michael’s Mount. Learn about Cormoran the giant, who once lived on the mount, who was slain by a local boy named Jack. At low tide you can walk along the causeway or jump on a local boat and approach the mount by sea.

Tehidy Woods…
20 minute drive

Stick on the wellies and head off to Tehidy Woods for a day of fun. Great for wearing out the little ones they can climb trees, feed the ducks, jump in muddy puddles and, if you take a bag of nuts, they can feed the wild squirrels from their hands. There are also a number of circular walks around the woods and a lovely little café where you can grab a bite to eat.

Heartlands Cornwall…
20 minute drive

With a giant adventure playscape, art and craft studios, climb-on sculptures and plenty of outdoor space to let the children run wild, Heartlands is a great place to spend a few hours. You’ll also find a number of world-heritage site exhibitions which delve into Cornwall’s mining heritage.

Blue Reef Aquarium…
45 minutes drive

Get up close to the creatures of the deep at the fantastic Blue Reef Aquarium. There’s sharks, turtles, octopus, crabs, lobsters, shrimps and rays to name just a few. At the heart of the aquarium is an underwater tunnel where you can enjoy close encounters with hundreds of brightly coloured species, just watch out for the sharks!

Eden Project…
1 hour drive

Explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest, get your skates on and take to the ice or soar above the treetops on the canopy walkway. During the February half-term there will also be a range of extra activities on offer including freaky nature, bug box, seed bombs and storytelling.

Have fun discovering!

Kelly x