Bored in St Ives

[Donaldduck22]

Here until Saturday - came to stay with a family member who has found herself busy with other things. I've wandered round the shops a few times, been for fish and chips, had a crab sandwich on the harbour. I'm not into art galleries or museums. The weather isn't really good enough for whole beach days and I'd be on my own which is a bit sad/boring. How can I fill the time until I go home? I don't have a car here

I loved Barbara Hepworth museum, shame you’re not into art. What do you like?

Swim and lunch up at Ayr

Good heavens. My favourite gravestone in the abbey. Such a sad story. Apparently: https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/places/an-abbey-and-a-sad-tale/

"... dedicated to Sarah Fletcher aged twenty-nine, who died in 1799, a ‘martyr to excessive sensibility.’ I’ve done a little research and discovered that her ghost is alledged to haunt her home in nearby Clifton Hampden. Married to a sea captain, Mrs Fletcher is reported to have hanged herself from the curtain rail round her bed when she discovered that her husband was planning to marry another woman. Revealed as a potential bigamist, her husband, a known philanderer, fled to the West Indies.!"

I'd be so happy to have a few days alone in St Ives. Personally I'd go to the Tate and Hepworth museums but if that's not your thing OP, I recommend long coastal walks and ice cream at Moomaids. If you like shopping there are some lovely independent jewellery shops.

Why not try? If the OP is SO incredibly bored and she has nothing better to do!

Go for it! Bit niche, but hey...

Niche is good. My great grandparents came from Cornwall. They came up to Bristol looking for work so I guess I've got the genes - now for the language!

Just go home - honestly if you are bored in St Ives and can’t get on a bus or train to explore the surrounding area - or have the imagination or oompf to try something new (whether it’s visiting art galleries or museums, or taking a boat trip or a surfing lesson and so on) then just leave early and go home wherever that is.

Beach yoga on at porthmeor on Friday mornings.
walk to zennor, drink at the tinners, bus back.
read a book on the beach.
Truro is alright for a wander round.
catch the train to Lelant and walk back.
Tate is ok- shop and cafe are better.
st Ives museum is worth an hour if you are interested in my town.
I like to walk from man’s head, past porthmeor, round the island, across the harbour front and out to Porthminster for a coffee.

Ha, avoid Silver Origins boutiques. All made at a factory in China, though they tout their 'Cornish' credentials.

Good to know @PeapodMcgee !

You're talking like you think I've never been in a pub.

No busy hostelry in a holiday hotspot is going to be all that happy with one person taking up a table for that long, just sitting there drinking coffee while the landlord is having to turn away other paying customers. And you can hardly sit on a bar stool and get comfy enough to read a book. I know I couldn't - not at my age.

Carbis bay and watch the seals.. Train to St Erth iirc
I adore St Ives, My DiL is from there

Who says you're drinking coffee? Although, I'm not sure that the profit on a cup of coffee as much less than that on an alcoholic drink.
And I was pointing out that you could sit somewhere you're not taking up seats that you don't need to i.e. not necessarily at a table for four or whatever.
At this time of year, it's likely quiet enough that the landlord is not going to be stalking the pub moving people on unless they're sinking a pint every 45 minutes.

I'd do one the art courses.. What a magical place to try that! And yes Mount Zion for coffee and moomaid.. who also do great breakfast but ice-cream sundaes are awesome. Mackerel fishing trip? Or take a kayak off Portminster beach which is the gentle one? Definitely visit to Leach pottery. Support the local cinema? Further afield... Portleven for awesome food options, Coastal boat trips are a great company.. We went around lands end from Penzance. I always go to Jubilee Pool at Penzance when I'm down there... Saltwater thermal pool.. Ace. Penzance easy on train.

How can you be bored? They have bookshops in St Ives, I'm sure, so just buy a few books and plonk yourself down on the sofa/beach/coffee shop. Utter bliss!

Train to Carbis Bay for a change of scenery
Any boat trips ?

Paint some daft, childish picture of the harbour, find some gullible outsider decked out in bling, and try to flog it as a ‘newly discovered’ piece of naïve art — just like Cornish artist Alfred Wallis did. Classic seaside scam, really! Oh and with the money raised have a proper holiday one you need your passport for !!

Why would you feel weird? It's one of my favourite things. Just don't insult the cafe owner by making one coffee last 2 hours!

Unless you’re drinking tap water most drinks are a good profit to the owner, as long as you’re not letting one last for hours. I often sit on my own nursing a drink while waiting or after a tiring day, I find there’s usually plenty of space outside if not inside. I’m not a browsing shops type of person so I like to have a little plan - Google something you’d like to see or place you’d like to go and plan it on Google maps. Or pop to the Tourist Information centre and get some ideas, they’re always really helpful.

St Michael's mount is gorgeous

Tragically, unforgiveably, it has just been axed 😥 The number 7 has replaced it at short notice, but it only goes every 2 hours and apparently is a bit all over the place at the moment.

How can anyone be bored near the sea? - just how!?

The natural beauty before you is awe-inspiring; walking opportunities are everywhere, study the shells/glass on the beach, relish the presence of nature in the raw.

I was brought up near the sea and miss it with a passion, especially as I am too unwell to get there now.

Just find things to enjoy .... you are by the sea FGS!!!

Download the iWalk Cornwall app. Loads of wonderful walks of varying lengths which nudges you every time you need to turn left or right etc.

A good book sitting outside The Sloop with a cider would be a very pleasant way to pass the time. (I used to live in St Ives).

I have my head in my hands from this OP!
Whatever happened to amusing oneself? To finding joy in the things around you? Do you need someone to "amuse" you? Have you no imagination?

Heaven help us, do you not know how privileged you are to be there? A bit of rejigging of priorities needed here! Maybe learn something from this week that you can take forward into the rest of your life.