The September Festival: An Autumn Art Class

September is the perfect time to visit St Ives, the streets are quieter, the weather is warm and the days are still long. Autumn in St Ives is also a magnet for artists, with its special quality of light, the ever changing skies and the beautiful ocean views. If you’re treating yourself to a relaxing five star self catering holiday we think an art class is the perfect way to unwind. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional there’s something for everyone. 

The St Ives School of Painting sits just down the road from our luxury self catering cottages and over looks the beautiful Porthmeor beach. It has long been an important historical, cultural and social mecca for the town ever since the school first opened in 1938. After becoming a charitable trust in 2000 and undergoing some much needed renovations the school has been given a new lease of life.

They offer a multitude of classes for all levels all year round including short workshops and weekender art courses with prices starting from £15. There’s even a drop in life drawing class. All abilities are welcome and all the materials are provided so you don’t need worry about to packing your paints to take on holiday. Although if you’ve got an artistic flair you’re welcome to bring along any of your favourite brushes or tools that you just can’t live without!

As well its popular art courses every year the school takes a leading role in the St Ives September Festival which runs from Saturday 12^th to Saturday 26^th  September. There are over 200 events including music, theatre, dance and art and with The St Ives School of Painting offering subsidised art workshops and special one off classes it’s the perfect time test your skills with a brush.

Whether you’re visiting our five star accommodation during the St Ives September Festival or just in the quiet of Autumn, we think an art class is an ideal way to relax and explore your creative side. There’s something so special about taking time out of your busy lives to just listen, learn and create. You never know, you might come home with something to frame. 

Onna x 

Looking for reasons to visit St Ives this September…

St Ives September Festival, Saturday 12 - Saturday 26

September in St Ives is when the town starts to mellow, the weather is still favourable and the evenings are still long, making it the perfect time for a luxury self catering getaway. The Sail Lofts coastal position is perfect for long evening strolls along the cliff tops and around St Ives cobbled streets, ending with laid back drinks and delicious food relaxing around the harbour front watching the boats bob along gentle waves.

During September the St Ives annual music and arts festival kicks off on Saturday 12^th and runs for 2 weeks, up until Saturday 26^th and features a well rounded host of live acts including musicians, theatre and comedy acts, cabaret and street entertainment, not to mention art workshops and art exhibitions embracing St Ives rich cultural heritage.

Acts confirmed so far for 2015 include Show Of Hands, Steve Knightley, Johnny Cowling, Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston, The Acoustic Strawbs, The Rollin’ Clones and Mad Dog Mcrea. 

The St Ives September Festival began in a back kitchen in Teetotal Street just around the corner from The Sail Lofts in September 1977 bringing together the diverging interests of several arts and music professionals. The first Festival, which ran from 14th to 24th September 1978 was already ambitious in its scope and covered folk music, dance, fine arts, chamber music, poetry, arts & crafts and theatre, and even featured a very young Nigel Kennedy.

The Festival has continued over the past thirty-five years, with a few short breaks, and with different organisations responsible for arranging the programme. It has always been a very important part of the town’s cultural life, and people come from year to year to take advantage of the very wide range of events that are on offer.

So if you are considering a holiday in St Ives this September and are looking for self catering accommodation please contact us on 01736 799175 or to view availability please use the link below…

Katy x

September Availability

Cornish self catering bounty...

Our Welcome hampers for our St Ives self catering guests recently under took a revamp to respond to guest feedback on wanting to see more local Cornish brands represented, so we went on a quest to find the best that Cornwall has to offer…

St Ives Bakery Scones

After copious amounts of taste testing by all Sail Lofts staff we all agreed that no scone was softer, more buttery or delicious than the offering from St Ives Bakery, an independently owned and rather unique little bakery located centrally in St Ives. They have a particular, penchant for pasties and a whole host of other baked goods, so make sure when in St Ives to pop in and try more of their sumptuous delights. 

Trewithen Dairy

Cream, milk and butter in Cornwall does not get better than the offering from Trewithen Dairy, not to mention it has some of the most eye catching packaging. The known home of Cornwall’s happy, healthy cows, they have been located here in Cornwall at Greymare Farm near Lostwithiel since the 1980s and dairy farming’s been in their family for generations.

Roskilly’s Organic Cream Fudge

A family run business with a herd of Organic Jersey Cows, they produce Organic and Farmhouse ice cream and fudge. The farm makes for a great day out where you can stroll around the meadows and enjoy the tranquillity of the ponds.

Polgoon Cornish Elderflower Presse

The light and sparkling Cornish Elderflower Presse from the Polgoon Cidar Farm is crisp and refreshing, with a hint of zesty lime. All welcome hampers come with a presse and a complimentary tour of the Polgoon orchards located just outside of Penzance.

Cornish Sea Salt

We love guests making the most of their self catering surroundings so as a helping hand for cooking sumptuous meals we include a tub of Cornish sea salt, handmade in Cornwall by Cornish Sea Salt Co.

Simply Cornish Biscuits

Produced by Warrens Bakery, Cornwall’s oldest commercial baker and the world’s oldest Cornish pasty produces, it was established at St Just, West Cornwall in 1860. They run a dedicated team, supplying our popular handcrafted products. We couldn't find any shortbread more buttery or delicious to supply our guests.

Here at the Sail Lofts we love experiencing the amazing delights that Cornwall has to offer, and introducing our St Ives self catering guests to experiences that they might not yet have discovered…

Katy x

CHECK JUNE AVAILABILITY 
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CONCIERGE SERVICES

Looking for reasons to visit St Ives this June…

June is the month where St Ives bursts back in to life, the quayside is full of shops selling brightly coloured bucket and spades and the harbour is alive with the bustle of people and the smells of St Ives’ different award winning restaurants flood the streets, whilst the boats bob serenely in the water, with the occasional interruption from the quayside sellers offering ‘adventures at sea’ at the top of their lungs.

Shouldering Summer months can be when St Ives can be viewed at its best, with the weather being favourable and the beaches outside of the Summer holidays being that much quieter, giving you the opportunity to really unwind and enjoy the town for what it is made for… relaxing.

The cobbled streets, vast beaches, local boutique shops and restaurants bring everything you could possibly need to one destination ready for discovering. This by far has always been one of the most noticeable reflections by our guests; that St Ives has everything you could need when looking for reasons to visit St Ives for either a long or short stay, especially with its abundance of entertainment and places to explore.

Within the Sail Lofts we offer our own suggestions via our ‘Whats on board’ which has become more often known as the ‘Wazzon board’ in true Cornish style. The board details everything from Yoga Sessions on Monday mornings at the Guildhall, open to all, to belly dancing at the Operatic Rooms, giving St Ives visitors a chance to broaden their experiences and take on a new hobby before heading off back home.

Not forgetting our in house Spa studio offering all a welcome chance of relaxation, our recommendations would be for the Sail Lofts Ocean Spa Sensation and relax in a warm cleansing facial mist as the back of your body is scrubbed and swept, ready for the luxury stress releasing massage using Thai herbal compresses. A head, neck and facial massage completes this treatment, using hot and cold stones, combined with anti-aging facial techniques, to leave you feeling indulged, pampered and rejuvenated all for the amazing price of £55 for an hour long treatment. Or why not try the Absolute Spa Ritual and choose from one of the unique Elemis Facials and combine it with the powerful effects of a Deep Tissue Massage. Two hours of pure relaxation with dramatic results…

We love hearing back from our guests on suggestions and ideas along with the things that they get up to whilst they are here enjoying St Ives, so why not get in touch and let us know your favourite locations whilst spending time on holiday in St Ives…

Katy x

CHECK JUNE AVAILABILITY

St Ives Survival Guide...

We all know that self-catering family holidays in St Ives and trips away from home can be stressful. What with trying to remember all that you will need for your time away, working out what the weather might be like and then regardless packing for all seasons just in case the British weather does not live up to expectation. So here at the Sail Lofts we thought it best to combine our years of experience in making your self-catering St Ives holiday the one to remember for all the right reasons…

1. Travel

DO NOT RELY ON MISTER SATNAV. St Ives turns out to be one of the least SatNav friendly locations on the planet, likened to tributaries of the Amazon River with numerous dead ends and one-way systems along with amused locals guffawing at your best attempts. Read your Welcome Pack, we cannot stress this enough. Your easiest route into St Ives whether by plane, train or automobile is by reading the carefully honed travel directions that you will find in your welcome pack, detailing down to the arrival at the very door of your self catering accommodation.

 

2. Sunscreen

Wear sunscreen, this is in no reference to the 1999 Baz Luhrmann song, however all his reasons are also valid, but we recommend sunscreen for making sure no peeling noses or sore shoulders occur during your visit to St Ives, even on the most overcast of days it is still possible to catch the sun, especially whilst you are out enjoying St Ives' numerous coastal walks, beaches and streets.

3. Food

Get it delivered, being in one of Cornwall’s most westerly towns food shopping can be tricky, especially if you are used to a certain type of pate or gluten free bread. In St Ives there are the smaller generic and well know convenience shops, however if there are products that you consider necessities make sure to make the most of The Sail Lofts concierge service and use your regular supermarket to deliver your food shopping prior to arrival with us. Should you wish to try something new we recommend the Cornish Food Market for anyone looking for sampling the local delicacies along with their standard weekly shop.

These are just our top 3 recommendations for having a hassle free self catering holiday in St Ives… however should you ever have any queries for further recommendations why not make use of our concierge services and give us a call on 01736 799175, or email info@thesaillofts.co.uk…

Katy x