Hidden seaside gem quietly sitting beside one of the busiest holiday hotspots
- UK Hidden Gems
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A quieter seaside town has plenty to enjoy, but many people skip past it because they head straight for its much more famous neighbour instead.
This peaceful and beautiful corner of Cornwall has a beach that stretches for around three miles, which is why you can almost always find a quiet spot on the sand for you and your family.
It also has a lovely town centre with lots of independent shops, and its farm shops are especially well-liked by visitors.
Fresh bakery treats, locally sourced meat and vegetables, and delicious Cornish pasties are all easy to find here.
And because the town overlooks Saint Ives Bay, which meets the Atlantic Ocean, you can enjoy freshly caught fish in many of Hayle’s restaurants.
The nearby town of St Ives sits just across the bay and is a huge hit with holidaymakers, but Hayle stays calmer and offers a more relaxed and peaceful feel.
It’s an underrated part of Cornwall with long stretches of golden sand, plenty of wildlife, great surf and a rich mining and fishing past, though recent building work around Hayle’s North Quay has reportedly caused problems for local fishermen.
The sea around Hayle is known for being crystal clear, but swimmers and water sports fans need to be careful because riptides can appear quickly, which is why lifeguards watch over the beach in the summer.
Lifeguards set out safe swimming zones and mark them with red and yellow flags in the water, and people should only swim, surf or bodyboard inside those areas.
Even so, the wildness of the waves is part of what makes this coastline so beautiful, and if you don’t want to go into the sea there are plenty of amazing walks to enjoy along the South West Coast Path.
You can walk from Hayle to St Ives along the coastal route (or the other way round) and the trail is just over six miles, offering incredible views of turquoise water, rolling sand dunes and lovely sunset scenes at the end of the day.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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