AIBU parking in Cornwall

[SeamusMacDubh]

Hi Mumsnetters, hoping some of you will know the answer to help me out!

I’m in Cornwall for the week with my DC, planning on visiting different beaches while we’re here, probably for the whole day (0900-1600). Where can I park without paying through the nose? All of the day parking is £8-£9 a day, I was hoping for half of that or if possible free on street parking?!

I don’t mind walking about a mile... tomorrow I was hoping to go to Gylly beach, will be going to Porth, Fistral bay and any others than you can suggest!!

Update! (If anyone still has any interest whatsoever 😂)

We went to Gylly beach today and parked for free on the road (a very wide road with lots of space and I made sure not to park directly opposite anyone’s driveway) on Boscawen Road. We had a lovely day, the beach is lovely, the toilets were spitting distance and the ice cream was delicious. Instead of paying £8 for parking I spent it on ice creams 👍🏻👍🏻

WTF - £8 for ice creams!

We pay significantly less than that wherever we go in Cornwall. Sometimes we get given them for free. Sounds like you’ve been ripped off there OP !!

WTF - £8 for ice creams!
Ridiculous comment. Why does it matter and how do you know how many ice creams the OP purchased?

With regard to the National Trust thing, as long as you have your sticker you can park for free. The scanning the card part of the membership isn't technically required, it's just a nice thing for that property/car park to have you do because it will then get a proportion of your membership. E.g it's like £1 a visit or something

No, you can’t park free at National Trust carparks just because you have a badge. You have to scan your membership card to get a free car parking ticket.
In the Lakes recently, we watched a National Trust warden ticket a car which had a badge but no car parking ticket.

It’s an easy scam to get extra National Trust badges and sell them on eBay. The badge only shows that you are a supporter of the National Trust

A National Trust sticker in your car doesn’t qualify you for free parking. You have to scan your membership card in the machine.
We don’t use our car sticker but no one has ever asked for one!

So for a week's holiday that's 6 days of parking, at £8 a total of £48. Given what you will spend on accommodation, the use of local services you will have, and what you will spend on food, why are you being so penny pinching?

There’s so much negativity and judgement about my holiday!

For those so interested in my finances, the accommodation is an Airbnb, costing me less than £250 for the week and it’s actually a nice one rather than something grotty. But yes holidays are expensive and so I try to save money where I can. I hate paying for parking anywhere - even when I’m at home and rarely do it, I’d much rather walk another 500 yards and park for free. It’s just being thrifty! I can’t afford to just throw money at everything like some people on MN. I am planning a train trip out to St Ives for the day, £9 ish return for myself and the DC and I won’t be using fuel so less emissions!!

Glad you enjoyed Gylly - you had cracking weather compared to the last week or so .

Ridiculous comment. Why does it matter and how do you know how many ice creams the OP purchased?

@FrenchSchnoodle

My post was light-hearted, based on OPs post about the cost of parking. Save money some way and there is someone else ready to take it away, kind of thing.

For us locals they hike the prices up over the summer then put them down again in the off season. So places like Falmouth where I go on a regular basis become more expensive per a trip.

Please don’t park on roads near beaches otherwise emergency services and the very rare buses can’t get by.

Apart from national trust places if you have the car sticker you might be able to plead with the attendant that you forgot your card. Other wise I’m afraid your just going to have to accept that your hard owned cash is just going to have to be spent in our local
Economy. Have a lovely holiday. Sorry I can’t off the top of my head tell you where the cheapest beaches are

Oh for at ives park at st Erth and get the train in. Don’t even attempt to park in the town itself

Oh god, DEFINITELY don’t try to drive into St Ives at the moment. I had to drive down there for a meeting a few days ago, and the roads are so clogged with tourists that it took me over an hour and a half to drive from Falmouth to St Ives.

Looe beach is nice, but park in liskeard at Rapsons car park for £1.50 per day and get a return on the train. It is cheaper this way than paying to park in Looe

The money goes to the local councils no? Therefore the money is going back into the local community just as much as if you were spending it in local businesses. As one of the most deprived counties in the UK, I’d reckon the revenue from car parking was really bloody important. £9 is not a lot of money compared to parking where I am. Not at all. I’m sorry OP but yes YABU. £9 for a day at a stunning beach is not at all bad. That money is also often going towards maintaining toilets and showers for the beach as well. I’d find somewhere else to scrimp.

I was going to point you to Boscawen, OP, so I am glad you found that.

Maenporth usually have a field open if the car park is full, and if I remember right, it is £4 for the day - come and go as you wish. That's a nice beach.

For St Ives I always park and ride. It's not cheap, though.

Hope you have a lovely holiday! The weather is on the up, now!

I do get that it is frustrating when you live in a touristy area and can't park outside your own house but I'm afraid that if people pay road tax then they are free to park anywhere and it is sadly a price you have to pay when you don't have a driveway!

I live in an area where parking is a nightmare and I often have to park away from my house but I just accept that living in a popular city means people will park outside my house. Frustrating? Yes. Legal? Yes!