Lelant is a quiet seaside village lying at the heart of St. Ives Bay and our gardens run down the hillside in tiers with lawns, shrubs, herbs, flowers and pond.
Turn left out of the garden gate for the coast path and the ten minute stroll to the village beach, Porthkidney sands. A mile of soft golden sand backed by dunes with sweeping views across St. Ives bay. One of the quietest beaches in Cornwall, continue on the coastal footpath for the 45 minute walk into St. Ives.
Turn right out of the garden gate for Lelant's little branch line station perched on the water's edge. It's one of the rare 'request stops' on the UK railway network and the eight-minute, cliff-top journey into St. Ives is said to the most scenic train journey in the British Isles. Enjoy the five beaches and numerous galleries and workshops before hopping on the train for the journey home.
Climb Trencrom Hill behind Lelant, one of the few places in Britain where the sun rises from and sets into the sea. Explore this ancient hilltop settlement which dates from the time of Stonehenge. The ruggedly beautiful Penwith Peninsula has the greatest concentration of ancient sites in Europe, in a landscape changed little since the Bronze age. Ancient castles, standing stones, granite cliffs and sandy beaches. This is the narrowest part of Cornwall, the South coast is only 7 miles away, with its tree-lined, sailing estuaries.
With 172 beaches, from rugged, coves amid towering cliffs to wide bays of golden sand, West Cornwall is renowned for crystal turquoise waters and excellent surf. Cornwall's longest beach, the 5.5km sweep from Hayle Towans to Godrevy Point, lies some 2 miles away.
An important part of contemporary art making for over 120 years, there are historic collections in Tate St. Ives, the Barbara Hepworth Museum, the Bernard Leach Museum and the Newlyn Art Gallery.
Today the area is home to a vibrant community of artists and craftspeople and their work can be seen and purchased at numerous galleries and workshops. In summer enjoy performances at the stunning, cliff-top setting of the open-air Minack Theatre. Spring brings a series of classical concerts across the peninsular by the International Musicians Seminar based at nearby Prussia Cove.
The Firs, Edwardian villa in Lelant is the birthplace and childhood home of author Rosamunde Pilcher, OBE.