Carbis Bay Beach

Carbis Bay curves along the western shore of St Ives Bay, a mile or so south-east of St Ives, tucked into a fold of the coast that shelters it from the worst of the Atlantic swell. That natural protection, together with the clean, shallow water, gives the bay its famously calm, turquoise feel – the sea here looks almost Mediterranean on a bright day.

The beach has been a seaside favourite since the Victorians arrived: the St Ives branch railway opened in 1877 and still runs along the cliff behind the sand, while the Carbis Bay Hotel followed in 1894. The branch line is one of the most scenic in the country, and many visitors still step almost straight from the train onto the beach. In 2021 the bay drew the world’s attention when it hosted the G7 summit, putting this quiet Cornish crescent briefly at the centre of global affairs.