A drive through the historic town of St. Ives…Facts about the enchanting town…

It was dark and dreary as we drove through the town of St. Ives.

Also, the town was packed with end-of-summer tourists, and we couldn’t find a single parking spot that didn’t require us to walk for 15 minutes up steep hills to reach the center of town and all the sites. 

Narrow roads and historic buildings created a fascinating view of the small town with approximately 12,000.

Our raincoats were packed deep inside our luggage, plus we didn’t feel confident in leaving our bags unattended in the car, which included all of our digital equipment and laptops.  

St. Ives Parish Church.

Thus, we could only drive through the town at a slow pace as we worked our way around tourists with umbrellas and raincoats and an endless parade of vehicles. We can only imagine how much busier it must be during the warmer summer months.

Many towns, villages, and countries throughout the world have these colorful buildings lining the streets.

The quality of our photos was hampered by the crowds and the rain. I could only get out of the car once for photos when Tom parked for a few minutes in an illegal spot in front of a hotel. I got soaked attempting to capture a few ocean shots.  

Old and newer structures are built into the hills to take advantage of the scenic views of the ocean.

With check-in time at 2 pm at our new location, we didn’t veer from our course when we wanted to stop for lunch which was impossible in St. Ives but would have been fun.  

Note the surfers at a distance.

Instead, we stopped at a cute cafe, Pots, in the center of town in Bodmin and had a nice lunch, as shown in the photos below. We were able to park on the street and quietly enjoy our meal.

We love little cafes like Pots, extensive menus, freshly made food, and loads of playful ambiance.

My grilled chicken salad at Pots.

Tom’s spaghetti bolognese. Notice the buttered bread to the right. He devoured his bread and then mine. He never ate another bite the rest of the day, bypassing dinner since he was so full.

Here are some facts about St. Ives:

• 
  St Ives is home to one of the oldest inns in Cornwall. The famous Sloop Inn, which sits on the Wharf overlooking the harbor, dates back to circa 1312 and has welcomed fisherman through its doors since the 14th century.

• The branch train line from St Erth to St.Ives is deemed one of the most picturesque railway lines in England and takes in the sights of Hayle Estuary, Porthkidney Sands, Carbis Bay, and St Ives.
  

  The narrow, tightly packed roads made driving through the pretty town slow and tedious but well worth it.

• St Ives is home to one of only four Tate Galleries in the UK – Tate St Ives. The others are Tate Britain & Tate Modern in London and Tate Liverpool. The artist movement in St Ives has gained world acclaim, with masterpieces created by Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, and Alfred Wallis, who were all residents.
  

  The rocky shoreline in St. Ives.

• St Ives September Festival takes place for two weeks every year and has been running since 1977. There is something for everyone, with over 200 events over two weeks relating to music, dance, fine arts, poetry, arts, crafts, and theatre.
• Of only eight Blue Flag beaches in Cornwall, three are in the St Ives area – (Carbis Bay, Porthmeor, and Porthminster). The Blue Flag Award is an independent recognition of environmental excellence run by the non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Worldwide there are over 2,000 Blue Flag beaches in 36 countries.

May your Sunday be a day of rest and contentment.

Photo from one year ago today, September 8, 2018:

This baby elephant appeared to be no more than a month old. For more photos, please click here.