A changing coast

From quiet bay to seaside destination

The railway changed Carbis Bay

The St Erth–St Ives branch railway opened in 1877, helping transform this once relatively undeveloped stretch of coast into a seaside destination. Carbis Bay station remains unusually close to the beach.

Historic accounts also associate Hawkes Point with Victorian pleasure grounds. The wider landscape carries traces of Cornwall’s long mining history.

Carbis Bay coastline
A modern moment

Carbis Bay gained international attention when it hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021.