Reverse level ground floor apartment, over two floors, Two bedroom: 1 x ground floor king with en-suite shower, basins and WC, 1 x ground floor twin, 1 x family bathroom with bath and shower-over, basin, heated towel rail, and WC, Open plan living space with kitchen, dining and sitting area, seaward facing balcony and ground floor terrace.
Carbis Bay, a popular tourist destination close to St. Ives, is renowned for its pristine white sand beach. The beach, with its turquoise seas and sheltered settings, is ideal for a traditional day at the sea. If lounging in the sun isn’t your style, the Ocean Sports Centre is right there on the beach, so you can rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard and enjoy the sea. Why not indulge in a day of pampering at the spa in the boutique hotel that has a wonderful balcony where you can sip cocktails while taking in the Cornish sun? Carbis Bay is home to a few unique establishments, including a fish and chip takeout and a railroad spur. One of the most scenic rail rides in the country is from Carbis Bay to St. Ives.
With its sweeping beaches, rugged moorlands, hidden woodlands, and rolling countryside estates, Cornwall is a superb destination if you want to spend some time bird watching on holiday.
One of the best spots is Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve, managed by the RSPB. This rich wetland habitat attracts a variety of birdlife, including teals, wigeons, and goosanders. While winter offers the highest numbers, spring and early summer also bring migrant waders such as oystercatchers, dunlins, and whimbrels to the tidal pools and marshes.
Marazion Marsh, also managed by the RSPB and overlooking the iconic St Michael’s Mount near Penzance, boasts Cornwall’s largest reedbed. It’s a haven for species like chiffchaffs, Cetti’s warblers, little egrets, and grey herons. Bitterns are regularly recorded here, and birds of prey, including sparrowhawks and buzzards, are often spotted too.
For a variety of songbirds and raptors, head to the Rame Peninsula near Cawsand. This beautiful area of tidal creeks, sandy beaches, and peaceful farmland attracts goldcrests, firecrests, warblers, and buntings. You may also glimpse birds of prey such as hobbies, merlins, peregrine falcons, and, if you’re lucky, the rare hen harrier.
At Stithians Lake, a large reservoir, breeding birds like little grebes, coots, and moorhens are common. Waders such as greenshanks, ruffs, and curlew sandpipers can also be seen foraging along the muddy banks.
Not far from St Ives, St Ives Island, actually a headland between Porthmeor and Porthgwidden beaches, is a top spot for seabird watching, especially in autumn. Huge flocks of skuas, terns, gannets, fulmars, and auks pass by, alongside waders like purple sandpipers, whimbrels, and turnstones.
Finally, no trip to Cornwall would be complete without exploring Bodmin Moor. This dramatic granite moorland, scattered with ancient ruins and rich in wildlife, is especially rewarding in spring and summer, when skylarks, stonechats, wheatears, and sedge warblers arrive to breed. In autumn and winter, the moor plays host to thousands of golden plovers, along with snipes and the more elusive jack snipe.
