Camping in St Ives

Camping around St Ives puts you within cycling or walking distance of some of Cornwall's finest beaches, without the summer premium charged by the town's hotels. Several long-established touring parks sit on the fringes of St Ives itself, on the gently rising ground between the town and its surrounding farmland, giving pitches a rare combination of rural quiet and a short hop into the harbour and beaches on foot, by bus or by bike.

Facilities across the local sites range from simple, well-maintained touring pitches to fuller holiday parks with heated pools, on-site shops and family entertainment, so the choice largely comes down to how much you want built into your stay versus how much you plan to spend in town. Dog owners are well catered for at all three parks below, each of which welcomes well-behaved pets, and all offer electric hookup alongside modern shower blocks.

Because St Ives itself has limited flat ground and no camping within the old town, every genuine camping option sits a mile or two out, connected to the centre by the frequent local bus, a coastal footpath, or in one case a private bus service laid on by the site. Booking ahead for the school summer holidays is strongly advised, as the best-positioned pitches are claimed early each year.