Carbis Bay in Cornwall

Lat 50.1940° N, lon 5.4740° W●Cornish village

Carbis BaySt. Ives

Carbis Bay is a seaside village on the western shore of St Ives Bay, about a mile south east of St Ives.

Where to stay

Carbis Bay at a glance

Carbis Bay and Lelant: a mile of St Ives Bay sand, branch line stations and the Hayle Estuary

Carbis Bay is a seaside village on the western shore of St Ives Bay, about a mile south east of St Ives. Lelant lies about a mile further south east, on the west bank of the Hayle Estuary and about a mile west of Hayle. Both are in St Ives parish, and the A3074 links them to the A30 at Rose-an-Grouse.

Carbis Bay beach is a stretch of sand about a mile long, backed by dunes. The bay runs from Porthminster Point in the north to Hawk's Point in the east. The beach is privately owned by the Carbis Bay Hotel, and RNLI lifeguards patrol it daily in the main summer holiday season.

The St Ives Bay Line runs 4.25 miles from St Erth to St Ives, with stations at Lelant Saltings, Lelant and Carbis Bay. It opened in 1877 and follows the Hayle Estuary and then the coast, with views over dunes and cliffs. The trip takes about 10 minutes. Carbis Bay station sits just above the beach and every train calls there.

The Carbis Bay Hotel stands on the seafront. It was built in 1894 by the architect Silvanus Trevail and hosted the G7 summit in June 2021. Today the estate includes a spa, several restaurants, beach lodges and cottages.

Lelant was once a seaport and market town, but it lost its trade to St Ives when the estuary silted up. St Uny's Church stands on the edge of the dunes, overlooking the West Cornwall Golf Club, which was formed in 1890 and is the oldest golf club in Cornwall. The St Michael's Way pilgrim trail starts at the church and runs 12.5 miles to St Michael's Mount.

Planning questions

Frequently asked questions about Carbis Bay

Can you take dogs on Carbis Bay beach?

Dogs are not allowed on Carbis Bay beach from 15 May to 30 September, between 10am and 6pm, under Cornwall Council rules. Outside those dates and times dogs are allowed. RNLI lifeguards patrol the beach daily in the main summer holiday season, and watersports on the beach are restricted.

Is Carbis Bay beach part of the Carbis Bay Hotel?

Yes, the beach is privately owned by the Carbis Bay Hotel, which backs onto it. The hotel describes it as a Blue Flag beach. The hotel was built in 1894 by Silvanus Trevail and hosted the G7 summit in 2021. It has a spa, restaurants, beach lodges and cottages.

Where is Carbis Bay station?

Carbis Bay station is on the St Ives Bay Line, just above the beach. Every train on the line stops there, and the ride to St Ives takes only a few minutes. The station is unstaffed. Parking near the station is very limited, so arriving by train is the easiest way to reach the beach.

Is there still a park and ride at Lelant Saltings?

No. The park and ride at Lelant Saltings closed in June 2019 and moved to St Erth station. St Erth has more than 500 spaces across two car parks, open 24 hours, with trains to Carbis Bay and St Ives. Lelant Saltings station still exists but has only one train each way per day.

What is the St Ives Bay Line?

It is a 4.25 mile single track branch line from St Erth to St Ives, run by GWR. It stops at Lelant Saltings, Lelant and Carbis Bay, and the full trip takes about 10 minutes. The line follows the Hayle Estuary and then the coast, passing dunes, cliffs and two viaducts. It opened in 1877 and was the last broad gauge passenger line built in Britain.

Where can I park in Carbis Bay?

Porthrepta is Cornwall Council's long stay car park in Carbis Bay, with 180 spaces on a hard core surface. It is open 24 hours, but motorhomes cannot park there between 11pm and 8am. For St Ives, many visitors use the St Erth park and ride and take the train along the bay.

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