The seaside train journey that only takes 10 minutes but might be the UK’s best
A beautiful train line between seaside towns in Cornwall is the perfect way to stave off the winter blues.
A train between St Erth and St Ives offers a picturesque sojourn along the Cornish coast that covers spectacular sea views in just 10 minutes.
The St Ives Bay Line is a 4.25-mile route from the village of St Erth, the penultimate station on the main line between London Paddington and Penzance, and the sandy beaches and fishing harbours of St Ives - which has been a favourite spot of tourists visiting Cornwall for years.
Often described as the most beautiful branch line in Britain, it winds a scenic path to the seaside town, anticipating the hustle and bustle of Cornwall’s busiest train station with quiet and awe-inspiring sweeping scenery.
The route, which costs £4 per passenger for an off-peak day return - meaning as many repeat trips as you like - was opened in 1877, making it the last broad gauge passenger route to be built in Britain.
By the late 19th century, it had been changed to standard gauge and was primarily used to transport fish from St Ives and ferry Victorian tourists to and from the seaside.
It attracts hundreds of thousands of passengers each year and grew in popularity by 68% between 2001 and 2011 - but its future wasn’t always a sure thing, and it nearly closed in the 1960s after the rise of motor vehicles saw a drop in footfall over the two decades before it.
It was proposed for closure in the Reshaping of British Railways report laid out in 1963, but was saved by then-Transport Minister Barbara Castle, with passenger numbers boosted by the construction of the St Ives Park and Ride in 1978.
The modern-day Park and Ride is conveniently based at St Erth station, offering easy access to the pretty route.
The journey, which is especially popular during summer months but operates seven days a week all year round, offers passengers glimpses of Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve, an RSPB site and site of special scientific interest (SSSI) home to a range of wetland birds including egrets and winter wigeon.
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It also passes the beautiful seaside resort of Carbis Bay, an internationally renowned beauty spot described by visitors of TripAdvisor as a “piece of paradise” perfect for taking in a gorgeous sunset, and Porth Kidney Sands, a north-facing beach flecked with rare wildflowers and migratory birds at the mouth of the Hayle Estuary.
Visitors keen to take a dip once arriving in St Ives are also in luck, as the station sits right next to sandy Porthminster beach - a multi Blue Flag-winning stretch that’s just an eight minute walk from the town centre.
The St Ives Bay line runs two trains an hour every day of the year except December 25 and 26.
