The Ultimate Guide To St Ives – 13 Best Things To Do In St Ives, Cambridgeshire
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St Ives is a quaint little town in the county of Cambridgeshire, 5 miles (8 km) east of Huntingdon and 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Cambridge. Guided busway connects St Ives directly to Cambridge, making travelling between them very convenient. This town is perfect for everyone who wants to spend a pleasant afternoon in a serene and picturesque place. With its beautiful views, historical buildings, nature reserves, walking trails, great food and drink, culture, and much more, St Ives offers many things to see and do. In this article, I’ve summarized some of the best things to do in St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
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How to get to St Ives, Cambridgeshire
The easiest way to get to St Ives, both from Huntingdon or Cambridge, is by bus. Travel takes anywhere between 20 to 40 minutes and allows you to enjoy stunning views of the local countryside as you go. You can see plenty of wildlife and even spot alpacas at some point, if you’re lucky.
Interesting fact: The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway is the longest guided busway in the world. Its own tracks that lead from Cambridge to St Ives allow The Busway to avoid roads and traffic jams, making it the fastest and most reliable way of travelling.
The nearest train station is located 10 miles (16 kilometres) away in Huntingdon, and you can get there in a mere time of 30 minutes.
Are there two St Ives in the UK?
Yes! One of them is located in Cornwall, and another one is in Cambridgeshire. Be careful during your research, as most of the websites point to St Ives, Cornwall. And before you ask, that’s the only St Ives with access to the sea. St Ives in Cambridgeshire can boast a glorious view of the river Ouse, though.
Top 3 places to stay in St Ives, Cambridgeshire
The Golden Lion Hotel
This pet-friendly, three-star hotel is located in the heart of St Ives. It offers a wide selection of rooms to choose from, as well as a range of various foods on its restaurant menu. The hotel has free Wi-Fi available. You can find this hotel at 17 Market Hill, St Ives, PE27 5AL.
Dolphin Hotel Cambridge
The Dolphin Hotel Cambridge is a luxury 3-star hotel that is located by the river, just a few minutes from the town centre. It offers a range of en-suite rooms to choose from. Some of them offer river views or a balcony. The hotel is pet friendly and has a restaurant, bar and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. You can find it at London Road, Saint Ives, PE27 5EP.
Slepe Hall Hotel
Slepe Hall Hotel is an elegant 4-star hotel located in St Ives, just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. It’s perfect for someone who wants to spend the weekend in a more peaceful setting. The hotel has a range of contemporary and simple decorated rooms to choose from. The hotel is pet friendly and offers free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, and a bar. You can find it at Slepe Hall, St Ives, PE27 5JW.
Top 3 places to eat in St Ives, Cambridgeshire
St Ives is abundant in restaurants, pubs, bars, and cafes, with many of them having a spectacular view over the river.
There are plenty of places to eat and some of them also offer a delivery. Here are my 3 favourite picks.
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell is one of many hidden gems in St Ives. Besides its great location, the pub has an interesting menu, including dishes such as tempura fishcakes, ramen, steak, and nasty donuts. You can find it at Wellington St, Saint Ives, PE27 5AZ.
Welcome Chinese Restaurant
Fancy Chinese tonight? Welcome Chinese Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the town according to TripAdvisor. Unquestionably, the place is highly recommended and serves up some great food. It’s located at 6 East St, Saint Ives, PE27 5PB.
The River Terrace
The River Terrace is one of my favourite restaurants in St Ives. It’s got a great location with stunning views of the river, a cozy atmosphere, and delicious food. You can find it at Manor Mews, 1-2 Bridge Street, Saint Ives, PE27 5UW.
13 things to do in St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Cambridge Guided Busway
The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, or The Busway, connects Cambridge, Huntingdon and St Ives. It’s the longest busway in the world, overtaking the O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide, South Australia.
Guided bus is a bus capable of being steered by external means using physical or remote guidance. In Cambridgeshire, a physical guidance system is in use – you can spot the kerb guide wheel on the side of every guided bus. Guided buses use a dedicated track that excludes any other traffic. Thanks to that, they’re almost always on time, even during rush hours.
It’s worth going on a ride, not only because it’s the fastest way to get from St Ives to Cambridge, but also because you can see beautiful landscapes you wouldn’t see from the car.
St Ives Bridge
One of the most well-known tourist attractions in town is the St. Ives Bridge. It was built in the 15th century to replace a previous crossing over the River Great Ouse. It is one of four bridges in the country to keep a chapel, and one of two that also incorporates a crypt. You can get a key at either the town hall or the Norris Museum.
The Norris Museum
The Norris Museum is one of the most popular attractions in St Ives. This small, independent museum houses almost 33,000 historic artefacts, as well as smart interactive displays and information boards for children.
Dinosaur fossils, a mammoth tusk, Roman pottery, Bronze Age tools, and spearheads are the most interesting items you can find there. You can also find Huntingdonshire-specific paintings, textiles, and furniture in this location.
Visiting the museum can be a great activity, especially during foul weather. It’s something I recommend.
Historic monuments and statues
There are three historical monuments that are worth seeing. The Statue of Oliver Cromwell is the first one. Why is the statue here, though, when Cromwell wasn’t born in St Ives?
The statue was supposed to be built in his birthplace of Huntingdon. An appeal for funds didn’t come through though, so they organized the fundraiser in St Ives, where Cromwell lived for a couple of years. It was a success, and the statue was unveiled some time later.
Second statue is St Ives World War Memorial and is located a few meters away from the Statue of Oliver Cromwell. It’s a stone cross of sacrifice with the names of those who died during the First and Second World Wars engraved in black lettering. It’s very easy to spot when you come to the town from the Park & Ride.
A short walk away, you’ll find the Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Memorial on the tiny roundabout on The Broadway. It was constructed in 1897 to honor Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 2012, there was another plaque added to commemorate the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
Go shopping
St Ives has an abundance of small shops, many of which are independent stores. You’ll find everything from antiques to fashion, books to bric-à-brac.
Don’t leave St Ives without visiting Hyperion Auctions if you like antiques, and if you’re into vintage clothing, don’t forget to check out the Vintage Market. The shop is open on Saturday and Sunday and it’s the only place where you can buy used clothes. You can find it at 23 North Hill, St Ives, PE27 5JT.
There are also well-known chains like New Look, Fat Face, or Boots, so everyone will find something for themselves. The town has three supermarkets – Waitrose, located by the bus station, and Morrison’s and Aldi, both located further away from the town centre. There are also hairdressers, florists, jewellers, estate agents and even wedding shops.
Monday and Friday mornings are the best time to visit St Ives for shopping. The town centre is full of market stalls, which sell all sorts of things, from fresh fruit and vegetables to clothes. Street markets have existed in the district for 700 years. They have been happening in St Ives since 1312 (and since 1205 in Huntingdon!)
On the first and third Saturday of every month, there is a farmer’s market taking place. There are also food and drink festivals and continental markets held throughout the year.
Wander around the town
St Ives offers a great mixture of local shops, well-known chains like New Look or Fat Face, bars, coffee lounges and other amenities so everyone will find something they like here. It can be fun to wander around the town. I love the vibe of the town centre and believe that you won’t be disappointed once you get there. If you’re short on time, going for a walk at least along The Quay and Wellington Street is a must. You can’t miss the view of the colourful buildings and the bridge, you know?
Walk in and around St Ives
Going for a walk is one of the best activities to do with your family. If you are more of a cyclist, the town has a network of paths that will make the experience better. Historic town centre, the Great Ouse river, pretty and narrow alleyways and parks… There’s a wide range of walks in and around the town. You can read more about them here.
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One of the best places to go for a walk in nature is the Thicket Path that starts by the Holt Island footbridge. It travels through Berman Park and the Thicket to the village of Houghton. As you walk along the path, you will find yourself surrounded by the trees of Berman Park, which turn into the Thicket. If you are lucky, you might see a lot of wildlife animals like foxes, squirrels or green woodpeckers.
The Nobles Field, located opposite the Berman Park, is a great place to walk the dog or sit by the river and watch the sunset.
Look around the village of Houghton
One of the most successful flour mills in the region back in the day was owned by the National Trust in the village of Houghton. The building you can see today was built around the 1600s and extended 200 years later. After being decommissioned in the 1930s, the mill was bought by the local residents and handed over to the National Trust.
The visit to the Houghton Mill takes 1.5 hours, with an hour spent on a tour, followed by a 30-minute live milling experience, and a chance to see the full grain to flour process.
You can go for a walk by the river, or on the footpath that leads into the meadow. An open space is available for people to relax and have a pleasant picnic.
Don’t forget to take your camera with you, because the village of Houghton is picturesque. There is a hidden gem that is also camera-worthy – the alpacas. Don’t forget to check out Houghton Hall Alpacas, an independent farm with high-quality pedigree alpacas. You don’t see them all the time, do you?
St Ives Golf Club
The St Ives golf club is located on the outskirts of the town, 1.6 miles (2.6 kilometres) from the town centre. It’s an ideal setting for an afternoon of golf, with beautiful views of the Cambridgeshire countryside. Venue is also a perfect place to organize weddings or other private functions.
Holt Island Nature Reserve
The Holt Island Nature Reserve is one of the hidden gems of the area. This beautiful green and serene island used to be a thriving osier bed. They were abandoned just after the Second World War, which led to become a habitat for foxes and many birds like kingfishers or reed warblers.
Tip: Footbridge leading to the island is a brilliant spot for a photoshoot.
Holt Island is open on weekends and Bank Holidays between April and the end of September. You can also request a key from the Norris Museum and One Leisure, if you want to visit it another time.
Boat cruises on the Great Ouse
Would you be interested in doing something more memorable? Take a cruise on the river. Between Easter and late Autumn, the Electric River Boat Company offers several trips. You can choose a chauffeured or a self-drive cruise. Choose the latter if you feel adventurous and want to make unforgettable memories.
There are many animals in the element, like herons, sparrow hawks, and grass snakes. If you are lucky, sometimes you can spot seals too.
Fen Drayton Lakes
Fen Drayton Lakes is a RSPB nature reserve and bird sanctuary that -can be found just around the corner. It’s a complex of twelve waters that comprises lakes, lagoons, ponds. Fen Drayton Lakes are located by the River Great Ouse, in the area of Fen Drayton, Holywell and Swavesey. It was created on the former gravel excavation site by allowing the unused pits to flood naturally.
There are 10 miles of walking trails, as well as footpaths along the river. It makes the nature reserve a perfect place to spend an afternoon with your family or walk the dog.
St Ives Lakes Fishery
One of my favourite places to go in St Ives is St Ives Lakes Fishery. It’s a natural bird reserve and an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). It’s a highly rated fishery and a beautiful spot for evening walks and admiring spectacular sunsets over the Lagoon. Fishery is located south of St Ives, around the Park & Ride.
Things to do in St Ives, Cambridgeshire – Summary
Even though it is a small town, there are lots of things to do in St Ives. It’s a great place to take a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of a city or to spend an afternoon with your loved ones. Thanks to its proximity and fast connection to Cambridge, the possibilities are endless.
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