Summer Vacation, Day 14: Hayle

July 24, 2026 · 2 min read

Half an hour’s drive from last night’s stay in Penzance was St Ives. Nadine’s non-negotiable visit this vacation was going there and exploring the town.

The California with the roof up on the pitch between the dunes, the moon above — Picture at dusk from our place in the middle of the dunes.

Alas, Nadine went alone after an hour-long search for a parking spot. I could not have imagined how crowded and overflowing that town is. At times it was like a maze, including reversing out of narrow streets because we could not get through a passage with the California. Eventually we dropped Nadine off and drove out of St Ives to a nearby park and church area: St John’s in the Fields offered parking for a donation of £5. The boys had snacks, played on the lawn and Nadine toured the town. After two hours we picked her up and went to our destination for the day, a holiday park with a campsite attached, right in the dunes. From there we walked on to the beach and stayed for the rest of the day. A lot of it reminds us of our camping experiences in Denmark.

Busy beach in St Ives with a green headland behind — Photo taken by Nadine during her tour through St Ives.

Woman with a rollator sitting at the harbour wall, the pier and lighthouse behind — Photo taken by Nadine during her tour through St Ives.

Hanging flower basket on a lamp post above the roofs of St Ives — Photo taken by Nadine during her tour through St Ives.

Small sandy cove below the St Ives Museum — Photo taken by Nadine during her tour through St Ives.

Juvenile herring gull begging from an adult in front of a kayak rack — Photo taken by Nadine during her tour through St Ives.

Godrevy lighthouse on its island, a surfer carrying a board in the foreground — *Godrevy Lighthouse*

Paraglider over the sea, Godrevy lighthouse in the distance

Aika lying in the sand, Godrevy lighthouse in the distance — Aika is constantly exhausted this vacation and falls asleep everywhere.

Topics: Travel, Photography