Cornwall


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Close to St Ives but accessible enough to escape the summer madness, Carbis Bay is a great place to live, rated highly by the locals who are mainly young families and older retired folk, with a suburban / countryside vibe and a host of lovely properties looking out over the sub-tropical beach. Carbis Bay has drawn visitors and the well-heeled since the Victorians, with the village still accessible by train. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="480" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay-720x480.jpeg" alt="cocktails at walters on the beach carbis bay" class="wp-image-24224" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay-720x480.jpeg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay-787x525.jpeg 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/08/cocktails-walter-on-the-beach-carbis-bay.jpeg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Walter&#8217;s at Carbis Bay Hotel</figcaption></figure>



<p>Up on the main road there’s a cute little Italian restaurant called Romanos and Yvette&#8217;s Pantry, which is a new-ish deli, and there’s also The Gannet pub (and a chippy, a necessity even for locals!). Down by the beach is the Muddy Award winning <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/carbis-bay-estate-st-ives-cornwall/">Carbis Bay Hotel</a> where you’ll find the Beach House and Walter’s, plus Adam Handling’s fine dine restaurant, Ugly Butterfly. The stylish bistro <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/self-catering/una-st-ives-cornwall-review/">Una Kitchen</a> is just inland, and there is also CARGO, their poolside grill and BBQ open during the summer.</p>



<p>The arty town of <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/the-muddy-guide-to-st-ives/">St Ives</a> (just three miles away) has more options to suit all tastes and budgets &#8211; we liked newly opened <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/review-ardor-st-ives-cornwall/">Ardor</a> and One Fish Street both on Fore Street, SILCO on the harbour wall, or Porthminster Beach Kitchen, plus Seven, Muddy Award winning bar. In town is Host, which in the winter does a great roast, and over by Porthmeor beach is the café/restaurant on the top floor of the Tate with sea views.&nbsp;Head the other way, and locals rate the Badger at Lelant, and <a href="https://www.theoldforgelelant.co.uk/">The Old Forge</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>Only the essentials in Carbis Bay itself (Tesco, Costcutter, pharmacy), but there’s plenty on offer in St Ives &#8211; catch the train one stop along the little branch line, or make a day of it and walk on the south west coast path. Just inland at Hayle at the A30 is a retail park where you’ll find more essentials such as M&amp;S, Next and Boots.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/06/Carbis-Bay-Hotel-St-Ives-Cornwall-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-June-2024-2024_06_CarbisBayEstate_Summer_Lodges_54-1000x667.jpeg" alt="beach at Carbis Bay Hotel St Ives Cornwall" class="wp-image-34198" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/06/Carbis-Bay-Hotel-St-Ives-Cornwall-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-June-2024-2024_06_CarbisBayEstate_Summer_Lodges_54-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/06/Carbis-Bay-Hotel-St-Ives-Cornwall-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-June-2024-2024_06_CarbisBayEstate_Summer_Lodges_54-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/06/Carbis-Bay-Hotel-St-Ives-Cornwall-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-June-2024-2024_06_CarbisBayEstate_Summer_Lodges_54-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/06/Carbis-Bay-Hotel-St-Ives-Cornwall-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-June-2024-2024_06_CarbisBayEstate_Summer_Lodges_54.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Carbis Bay beach</figcaption></figure>



<p>Visitors and residents alike love the subtropical sandy beach with its watersports centre. But the beaches don’t stop there, this coast is home to miles of sandy beaches, including Porthkidney and the St Ives beaches, right round to national winning Hayle Taverns and the National Trust beach of Godrevy. Gwithian is in the middle, and all are popular with families, surfers and seals. It was Virginia Woolf’s view of the lighthouse at Godrevy from her stay at Carbis Bay Hotel that inspired <em>To The Lighthouse</em>.</p>



<p>Families with kids love Paradise Park, and the area is within easy reach of Newquay, St Agnes, St Ives and Penzance as well as the Lizard. At Christmas, the riverside lights at Angarrack draw crowds from across Cornwall. Wild swimmers wanting a new location can take a dip in a freshwater lake fed by the stream that becomes the River Hayle at <a href="https://pengellyretreat.co.uk/wild-swimming/">Pengelly Retreat</a>. Sessions run fortnightly and include a hot outside shower and refreshments round the fire pit.</p>



<p>Hayle Estuary and Copperhouse Creek RSPB reserves provide unique habitats – Hayle is the most southerly tidal estuary in Britain and the water never freezes, so in the winter it becomes a haven for migrating wildfowl (and the accompanying ornithologists). The National Trust Trencrom Hill is 175m, not mega high, but high enough to get a great view, and makes a lovely walk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>The multi-award-winning <a href="https://www.carbisbayhotel.co.uk/spa">C Bay Spa</a>, with year-round heated pools and peaceful treatment rooms, offers Bamford Spa Treatments – so exclusive, it is the only spa in Cornwall which does. Hairdressers include the <a href="https://cbaysalon.co.uk/meet-the-team">C Bay Salon</a> based at The Gannet, or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maxphillips_hair/">Max Phillips</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>Richmond Gardens Play Park has a lovely sea view and is due a huge smart revamp starting later in 2024, with the park now under the ownership of St Ives Town Council. Ocean Sports run a Saturday kids club with paddle board, kayak and snorkel.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023.jpg" alt="barbara hepworth garden" class="wp-image-30933" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/06/barbara-hepworths-sculpture-garden-st-ives-Cornwall-UK-RB-image-May-2023-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Barbara Hepworth&#8217;s Sculpture Gardens</figcaption></figure>



<p>Carbis Bay has drawn writers and artists for generations. Alongside Virginia Woolf, the waterside hotel was the inspiration for Rosamund Pilcher’s ‘The Sands Hotel’ in her novels <em>The Shell Seekers</em> and <em>Winter Solstice</em> – she was born in Lelant, just one village over. Also living in Carbis Bay in the 1890s was Edith Mary Oldham Ellis, the writer and women&#8217;s rights activist &#8211; she went on to own various properties that she let out to London friends including Somerset Maugham<em>.</em></p>



<p>Renowned local sculptor Barbara Hepworth and artist Ben Nicholson made their home in Carbis Bay, arriving at the residence of art critic Adrian Stokes (Little Park Owles) later belonging to the artist Peter Lanyon. In 1942 Ben and Barbara moved to their own residence, Chy-an-Kerris which had a garden and sea view (and you can now rent for a holiday).</p>



<p>You can view the work of Barbara, Ben and Peter Lanyon at <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives/">Tate St Ives</a> and of course St Ives is also home to <a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives/barbara-hepworth-museum-and-sculpture-garden">Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture Garden</a>, where you can see her work and studio as it was when Barbara died in a fire in 1975. For more arty goings-on head to the Muddy Award winning Penwith Gallery on Back Street West. St Ives hosts an annual <a href="https://www.stivesseptemberfestival.co.uk/">music</a> festival, and the celebrated <a href="https://stivesfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk/">food</a> festival is due to return in 2025.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left">Properties in Carbis Bay sold for an average price of&nbsp; £490,145. The majority of sales were detached, selling for an average price of £551,975. Flats sold for an average of £437,000, with semi-detached homes fetching £512,333. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts.jpeg" alt="A rare opportunity to snap up this grand 5 bed frontline house with private gardens. On the market for £2.5m. Carbis Bay Cornwall" class="wp-image-34959" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts.jpeg 1600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts-1000x563.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/Carbis-Bay-Humberts-1536x864.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A rare opportunity to snap up this grand 5 bed frontline house with private gardens. <a href="https://www.humberts.com/property/pannier-lane-carbis-bay-2/">On the market for £2.5m</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p>Children aged 2 – 5 yrs have been going to <a href="https://www.montessoricornwall.co.uk/">Cornwall Montessori</a> Nursery Schools based in Carbis Bay and Hayle for the past 25 years. St Uny C of E Nursery is attached to the local primary on Polmennor Drive offering term time early years education for three and four year olds. Other options locally are the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Thebarndaynursery/?locale=en_GB">Day Barn Nursery</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090418808651">Daisy Fays</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.stivesschool.net/web/">St Ives School (Secondary</a>) is actually on the edge of Carbis Bay, and caters for students from St Ives and all the surrounding villages. <a href="https://www.stuny.org.uk/web/home/357274">St Uny C of E Primary</a> is the local state primary, rated Good by Ofsted in 2022. Also nearby are St Ives Junior and Infants. Just further afield, there’s an outstanding state primary <a href="https://www.penpolschool.co.uk/">Penpol School</a> in Hayle and a ‘Good’ secondary, <a href="https://www.hayleacademy.net/">Hayle Academy</a>. If you’re after private, <a href="https://www.stpiranshayle.net/">St Piran’s School</a> is in nearby Hayle, then it’s into Truro where you’ve got the choice of <a href="https://www.polwhelehouse.co.uk/">Polwhele House School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/truro-school/">Truro School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/muddy-guide-to-the-best-schools-2-truro-high-school-for-girls/">Truro High School for Girls</a> and <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/truro-prep-school-review/">Truro Prep</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>The railway line from St Erth to St Ives passes through Carbis Bay, and may be the most scenic line in the Duchy – sit on the right-hand side for the best views out over St Ives Bay as you approach from St Erth. The Wheal Providence mine was the discovery site of the rare blue mineral connellite, as well as more common minerals and metals such as copper and quartz.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>You’ll need to travel up to St Erth on the branch line, which takes eight minutes, for the mainline from Exeter St Davids to Penzance, from which you can head up to Exeter, Bristol and London Paddington with ease&nbsp; – it takes around 5 hrs 30 mins to reach Paddington. St Erth is also served by Cross Country trains heading up to the north of England. Hop aboard the Night Riviera service to London at just before 10pm and emerge meeting-ready at 6.45am the next morning in Paddington. Driving to Truro is a whole lot faster – around 30 mins – as Carbis Bay is conveniently near the A30.</p>



<p><em>View the full&nbsp;</em><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/"><em>Top 300 Best Places to Live</em></a>.</p>


Carbis Bay

See more in Cornwall