Jaws Sea Safari RIB
New for 2024! Offering a variety of family fun trips. Trips include the popular visit to the seals and includes all the speed & fun from a RIB ride.
Cornwall’s coastline is full of stories, and thanks to Great Western Railway’s Line to Legend Land campaign, visitors are being encouraged to explore the legends that shape this remarkable part of the country.
One of the most enchanting places to start that journey is St Ives, easily reached by train along the spectacular St Ives Bay Line, where the railway runs beside golden sands and turquoise waters before arriving in the heart of the town.
But beyond the harbour and beaches, St Ives has a lesser-known coastal secret — the Mermaid Pools.
Hidden among the granite rocks and revealed only at the right tides, these natural sea pools are known to locals and adventurous swimmers who enjoy seeking out quieter corners of the coastline. When the sea is calm and conditions are right, the pools offer a striking place to pause and watch the Atlantic swirl through the rocks.
They also feel like exactly the sort of place where a legend might begin.
Just along the South West Coast Path from St Ives lies Zennor, home to the famous story of the Mermaid of Zennor. According to Cornish folklore, a mysterious woman regularly attended services at St Senara’s Church, captivating the congregation with her singing. One day she disappeared with a local man, and sailors later claimed to see a mermaid asking them to move their anchor from the doorway of her home beneath the sea.
The Mermaid Chair - Zennor Church
Today, visitors can still see the beautifully carved Mermaid Chair inside the church.
For walkers, the St Ives to Zennor stretch of the South West Coast Path is one of the most spectacular in Cornwall, following rugged cliffs and sweeping Atlantic views. It’s a landscape that perfectly suits stories of sea legends and hidden mermaid pools.
Arrive by train, explore the town, follow the coast path, and discover the folklore woven into this stretch of Cornwall’s shoreline.
Because here in St Ives, legend is never far from the sea.
The Pools can be found under the Coastal Watch Tower on The Island. Only approach in low tide.
Explore the full story in the marvellous “Line to Legend Land” and other stories by Michael Morpurgo by clicking HERE
Book your ticket with GWR when you CLICK HERE
