Hayle (Cornish: Heyl) is a small town, civil parish and cargo port in the Penwith district of West Cornwall. The town, whose name is derived from the Cornish heyl, meaning estuary, is situated at the southern end of St Ives Bay on the estuary of the Hayle River, approximately 9 mi (14 km) south-east of the town of St Ives by road.

Understand

Hayle Estuary

The modern town of Hayle dates from the 18th century but there has been activity on this site since the Bronze Age when traders used the port for its safe anchorage.

Hayle is famous for its association with the Cornish industry of mining and was once an important port for the exporting of copper ore in the 19th century. Equally famous for engineering, the Harvey family had a foundry in Hayle dating from the 1770s - hence the formation of the two distinct sides of town: Copperhouse and Foundry, of which Hayle can still be loosely divided into today.

At the end of the 19th century Hayle's smelting industries went into a slow but steady decline, which would continue well into the 1900s.

During this time, the potential of Hayle as a tourist destination did not go unnoticed. The town's position by the sea and its 3 miles of sandy beaches allowed it to develop into a popular seaside resort. However the combination of warmer weather and cheap flights available to the Mediterranean during the 1980s sent the town into decline once again. Nevertheless, Hayle today remains a popular destination for families with young children.

The townscape of Hayle and its historic harbour were part of the submission of the Cornwall and West Devon historic mining landscape World Heritage bid. On 13 July 2006 it was announced that the bid had been successful and that the historic mining landscape of Cornwall and West Devon would be added to the World Heritage list.

Get in

By car

By road, Hayle can be reached via the A30 (20 miles from Truro; 7 miles from Camborne).

By train

1 Hayle station has no station building and is only regularly served by Wales & West services and occasional Great Western services. Visitors coming into Hayle via Virgin Rail have to alight at 2 St. Erth station (½ a mile from Hayle) or at the main station in Penzance (6 miles away from Hayle). Taxis can be arranged from both stations, and bus services into Hayle are available.

By plane

There is no airport serving Hayle but there is a heliport in Penzance, and Newquay Airport is about 40 miles away (an hour by train).

Get around

Hayle is a relatively small town and most places of interest are easily accessible by foot. In fact, it takes less than one hour to walk from one extreme end of town to the other.

However for the less energetic, there are several local taxi firms to choose from and a number of bus services are available throughout the day which generally run from one end of town to the other via the high street.

See

Hayle is famous for its Three Miles of Golden Sands, so a trip to the long, uninterrupted, stretch of beach is a must (especially during the summer months). The sea in this part of the North Cornish coast is particularly favourable for surfing and body-boarding (which are both popular past-times for the local youths).

• 1 The Hayle Towans. Separating the main town from its long stretch of beach (towans being the Cornish word for sand dunes). Once the location for Hayle's explosives works during the town's industrial peak, this vast area of unspoilt wildlife is a popular site for walks and pic nics - and many of the ruins of the factories remain intact, eerily providing visitors some idea of the town's industrial past.  

The Mill Pond and its surrounding Rope Walk and the remains of Harvey's Foundry (now converted to a public garden) makes the ideal setting for a relaxing summer's day in the country. The pond and its surrounding gardens is also well known for its abundance of natural wildlife, and for its habitat of swans. Paradise Park, a wild bird sanctuary, is a 10-minute walk up the road.

• 2 St. Elwyn's Church. Offers an impressive backdrop to Hayle's townscape, and it is certainly worth a visit.  

Hayle Harbour. Once part of a thriving port (and one of the busiest ports in West England), the harbour today is mostly derelict and awaits future regeneration. However the views across the Carnsew Pool and (its past-rival) Copperhouse Pool can be stunning, especially during a sunny summer's day. On one side of Copperhouse Pool is the garden-lined St. George's Walk which offers beautiful views of the main town across the pool.

Hayle Town Centre, although much improved, remains rather grim and its evident lack of decent shopping facilities means that there isn't really very much for the visitor to do there. However, this is where most of the pubs and restaurants in Hayle are found.

• 3 Godrevy, Gwithian, ☏ +44 1872 552412, godrevy@nationaltrust.org.uk. A stunning mix of long sandy beaches, high cliffs, and smugglers coves.  

Buy

Whilst not exactly a haven for shoppers, visitors will be able to find a great range of surfing-based brands (such as Billabong, Animal, and Quiksilver) in some of the local clothing shops, which should satisfy the needs of surf enthusiasts and those wanting brands that are generally hard to find elsewhere in the country. A number of independent boutiques have also opened up in the last couple of years, although the prices may be rather steep for some.

The Hayle Industrial Park, just outside of town, includes a large Marks & Spencers department store, a Next store, and a Boots store.

Hayle isn't particularly well known for producing any one product, but a range of Cornish souvenirs, confectioneries, and postcards are available from various shops in the town centre. Those wanting to collect some traditional Cornish arts & crafts would be better off having a look in the nearby towns of St Ives and Penzance.

For the fashion-conscious, the county town (and Cornwall's only city) of Truro is 40 minutes away by train and features all the regular high-street brands and designer shops you'd expect to find in a large city.

Post offices, convenience stores, hairdressers, and pharmacies can be found in Copperhouse and Foundry, but most of the town's banking facilities are situated in Foundry. For everyday groceries, there is a Lidl store and a large Co-Op store in the Copperhouse end of town.

Eat

Though perhaps overshadowed by its neighbouring towns of Penzance and St Ives in terms of places to eat, Hayle nonetheless has a more-than-adequate range of great restaurants and eateries and can definitely offer something to suit any taste.

• Curry Leaf. Authentic South Indian & Thai cuisine. 
• Salt Kitchen. Home-made pub meals and sharing platters, generously served in a relaxed & modern setting (outdoor seating available). 
• Thai Chef. Traditional Thai cuisine in an intimate atmosphere. 
• Philp's Pasties. Traditional Cornish bakery offering delicious Cornish pasties with a wide selection of fillings available, as well as an amazing variety of freshly baked products. There are two, one is on a corner of the main road, 100 m or so after the viaduct. Ansum! 
• Balti King. Highly regarded as one of West Cornwall's best Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants. 
• Pizza Patio. Hayle's only destination for fine Italian cuisine. 
• Loggan's Fish & Chips. Some say these are the best fish & chips south of Blackpool! 
• Dylan's Cafe. Great selection of breakfasts and home-made lunches at affordable prices. 
• Trevaskis Farm Restaurant. Delicious food freshly prepared using only the finest local produce, and a fantastic choice of mouthwatering desserts to choose from. Reservations strongly recommended to avoid disappointment. 
• The Old Quay House. Boasts stunning views of the Hayle Estuary along with an extensive food and drink menu. 
• Eastern Empire. Exquisite Cantonese style cuisine, elegantly served. 
• Fresh. Great selection of freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, smoothies and fruit juices - perfect for a quick and healthy lunch! 
• Angarrack Inn. Undoubtedly one of the best Sunday roasts you'll ever experience! 
• Lamb & Flag Inn. Combining excellent value and prime Cornish ingredients served with flair, from a chef with lots of experience and a passion for using local produce. 
• Chomp is a food van that pulls up above Gwithian Beach, serving good grub 5-9PM.

Drink

One thing Hayle certainly does not lack is a place to unwind with a good drink. Some of the most popular spots include:

• The Copperhouse
• Salt Bar
• Bucket Of Blood Inn
• The Bird In Hand
• The Foundry Bar
• The Cornubia
• The Cornish Arms
• Smugglers' Inn
• Duke Of Leeds (In Leedstown)

All of these places also serve great food throughout the day.

Sleep

Hayle has its fair share of hotels and bed & breakfasts, which offer comfortable accommodation at reasonable prices. There are also a number of holiday parks and caravan parks available all year around. Book early during the summer months to avoid disappointment.

• 1 The Penellen Bed & Breakfast, 64 Riviere Towans, Phillack, ☏ +44 1736 753777. (updated Apr 2016)
• 2 Premier Inn Hayle, Carwin Rise, Loggans, ☏ +44 871 527 8506. (updated Apr 2016)
• 3 The White Hart Hotel, 10 Foundry Square, ☏ +44 1736 752322. (updated Apr 2016)

Go next

Hayle has good transport connections with the rest of Penwith and most surrounding towns can be easily reached by bus or train.

The holiday resort of St Ives is 5 miles away and can be best reached by catching the No.14 bus. This beautiful harbour town is famous for its many good seafood restaurants, trendy bars, traditional shops, cobbled streets, stunning beaches and numerous art galleries - the most important being the Tate St. Ives.

Penzance is a thriving market town and can be reached by taking the No.18 bus (although other services are available) or by taking the train, both of which will take about 15 minutes. Whilst you're there make sure to visit St. Michael's Mount and its grand castle in the middle of the bay. Attached to the town's natural harbour is the Penzance Promenade (the UK's only promenade outside of Blackpool) - but watch out for the crushing waves if you happen to be there during a windy day at high tide! Penzance has some of the best transport links in Cornwall and the world famous site of Land's End is best reached by bus via Penzance.

Routes through Hayle

Land's End ← Penzance ←

W  E

→ Redruth → Exeter