5k Run St Ives: Scenic Loop from Porthminster Beach

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 4.8km loop offers a quintessential Cornish running experience, perfectly blending coastal town charm with rugged cliffside beauty. Starting from the golden sands of Porthminster Beach, you’ll tackle a moderately hilly course that features 125m of ascent, keeping your heart rate elevated as you transition from paved paths to well-trodden trails. The route takes you along the scenic Hain Walk toward Carbis Bay before rounding the dramatic headland of Carrack Gladden at Hawkes Point. Expect a mix of terrain that requires steady footwork, especially on the coastal sections where the sweeping views of St Ives Bay provide a welcome distraction from the steep inclines.

Steeped in artistic and maritime history, this area of St Ives has inspired generations of painters with its unique clarity of light. Running past Carrack Gladden, you are tracing a landscape rich in geological heritage, where the jagged killas rock meets the turquoise Atlantic. Porthminster Beach itself was once a bustling center for the pilchard fishing industry, and as you loop back towards the town, you’ll see the iconic silhouette of St Ives harbor. Local runners recommend timing your run for mid-tide to see the white sands of Carbis Bay at their best, and be sure to keep an eye out for seals often spotted playing in the surf below Hawkes Point.