The South West Coast Path from Hayle to St Ives follows a contrasting mix of estuary, coast, and clifftop scenery, covering around 15 km (9.5 miles). Beginning with views across the tidal Hayle Estuary, rich with birdlife, the route offers vistas across St Ives Bay before revealing the sandy beaches and sheltered harbour of St Ives, one of Cornwall’s most celebrated seaside towns.

After another night at the Star Inn, we packed up and drove to St Ives. Parking in St Ives is notoriously difficult, but we arrived early enough to find plenty of space in the Trenwith Car Park, located high above the town. From there, it was a relatively easy walk down to the Bus Station, where we caught the T2 back to Hayle.

The Walk

Easy

20 September 2025

Hayle Harbour & Viaduct

As we got off the bus below the Railway Viaduct, the rain started. This was going to be our first real wet walk, but we were both kitted out with waterproofs, so we hoped it wouldn’t spoil the walk too much. Fair warning: our photo record from this stage is painted almost entirely in fifty shades of Cornish grey!

We walked beneath the railway viaduct—part of Brunel’s main line west—before curving onto the road that follows the estuary edge. Apart from a small section where we turned off the main road to walk along the water’s edge, we followed the road until the turning for Lelant.

On another day, I’m sure we would have seen plenty of bird life, but not today.

Lelant, St Uny Church & Porth Kidney beach

We followed the road past The Old Quay House pub, before turning into a lane running through a housing development on the edge of Lelant. We continued passing Lelant Saltings Station. The lane ran parallel to the edge of the estuary, but we didn’t actually see much of the estuary as it was some distance away and was obscured by trees. We continued past numerous houses before turning up a short hill, and carrying on, we eventually reached St Uny Church.

Once past the church, the Path led us across a golf course and out toward Porth Kidney Sands — a vast, dune-backed beach curving along the inner arc of St Ives Bay.

The official route dips under the railway to join sandy tracks through the dunes above the shore. Instead, we mistakenly turned onto a path beside the golf course and railway. Eventually, we climbed high above the beach with fine views, but nowhere to cross the tracks and rejoin the Coast Path. After a long detour, we eventually reached a residential area, where a footbridge crossed the line, and, doubling back on ourselves, we were able to rejoin the Coast Path as it skirted Carrack Gladden.

Carbis Bay

The track eventually brought us out onto the access road for Carbis Bay. From here we followed the Coast Path in front of the hotel — famous as the venue for the 2021 G7 Summit — before climbing gently past its grounds and over a railway bridge. Beyond this point, the route levelled out, keeping close to the railway line, and passing The Baulking House, once used as a huer’s lookout to signal the arrival of pilchard shoals offshore.

Porthminster & Into St Ives

Skirting behind Porthminster Beach, the path dropped toward the town with postcard views of fishing boats and granite quays. Rounding the corner, St Ives Harbour unfolded, backed by galleries and slate roofs, with The Island and St Nicholas Chapel standing guard on the far headland.

St Ives is one of Cornwall’s most celebrated seaside towns, famous for its golden beaches, turquoise waters, and unique light that has long inspired artists. Once a major pilchard port, its narrow streets and old harbour still reflect its fishing heritage, while the Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum highlight its artistic legacy. The town’s beaches—Porthmeor, Porthminster, and Harbour Beach—offer everything from surf to sheltered sands, and its lively streets are filled with galleries, cafés, and seafood restaurants. For walkers, St Ives provides both a rewarding destination and a dramatic gateway to some of the most rugged stretches of the South West Coast Path.

We dropped down to the beach to give Roxie a run off the lead. Thinking she might want to paddle or swim, I took off her coat. Well, it was brightened up, wasn’t it!

After Roxie’s run, we climbed back onto the harbour wall and carried on, circling St Ives Head and on to Porthmeor Beach, where we planned to call it a day and pick up the Coast Path again next year. Of course, that’s exactly when the skies decided to unleash. With no cover in sight, we were caught in a torrential downpour — Roxie, now coatless, was soaked in seconds, while my “waterproofs” proved to be anything but. By the time we splashed back into town, we were as wet from the gutters spilling over above us as we were from the rain itself.

Determined not to let a soaking spoil our celebratory pint, we ducked into The Sloop Inn, already crammed with plenty of equally drenched people. As we had our drink and chatted to people at the bar, we realised it was raining inside as well — water was dripping steadily through the ceiling. But then, what else can you expect from one of Cornwall’s oldest inns, dating back to around 1312?

A Wet Ending to a Wonderful Year on the Path!

We trudged back up the hill to the car park, where I may have raised a few eyebrows as I wriggled out of my soaked clothes beside the car.

And then came the long drive back to the Midlands. It was an earlier return than usual, the stage being shorter despite all its little adventures along the way. Even with the soggy finale, we felt proud — another year on the South West Coast Path completed, and another set of memories added to the journey.

Walk Summary: Hayle to St Ives

• Distance: 11.9 km (17.4 miles)
• Elevation gained: 212 m (697 ft)
• Difficulty: Easy – tarmac, sandy paths with a short cliffside track
• Moving Time: 3:31 hrs | Elapsed Time: 3:48 hrs
• Highlights:
  • St Ives Harbour & The Island – iconic harbour finale with chapel-topped headland
  • Hayle Harbour & Estuary – tidal channels and Brunel’s viaduct at the start
  • Lelant & St Uny Church – dune-side church where St Michael’s Way meets the coast
  • West Cornwall Golf Club – path skirts fairways with dune and estuary views
  • Porth Kidney Sands – wide, dune-backed beach with views across St Ives Bay
  • Carbis Bay – sheltered curve of golden sand beneath rising clifftop paths
  • Porthminster Beach – balcony-style approach with superb views into town