Bamaluz Beach

The walk down to Bamaluz Beach is half the charm - a proper scramble through coastal vegetation that deposits you on a stretch of sand most St Ives visitors never find. It's small, tucked away between rocky outcrops, and the kind of place where you'll genuinely spot fewer people than you'd expect for anywhere this close to town.

What you get here is genuine seclusion without the wilderness trek. The sand is decent enough, backed by low cliffs that offer some shelter when the wind picks up. It's a swimmer's beach more than a lounger's - the water's cold, obviously, but clears quickly and the swell can be interesting if you're into that sort of thing. Families with young kids will find it manageable; the rocks aren't treacherous and there's enough sand to keep children occupied. Older walkers might find the descent a bit much coming back up, especially if the path's muddy.

Allow a good hour just to get down and back without rushing. Worth going outside summer season when the crowds thin out - May or early September are ideal. You won't find facilities down there, so bring what you need.

If you're based at Polmanter Touring Park or Haven Riviere Sands just down the road, this is absolutely worth a morning. It's the sort of beach that justifies a Cornish holiday rather than just being another tick on the list. Small and unglamorous, but proper atmospheric.