The postcard this week comes from Carbis Bay, near St. Ives. This beach is often bypassed on the way to St. Ives, which is a shame as it is a beautiful spot.

The day before the picture was taken I was at the lovely Carbis Bay Hotel photographing a wedding and it had rained all day. The following morning the sky was blue and the sun was out. The light at St. Ives is always stunning and the sea looked a tropical turquoise colour.

Carbis Bay is located between Hayle and St. Ives, next to the village of Lelant. The original Cornish name of the bay is 'Barrepta Cove' after one of the local farms. The beach is set around a steep wooded cliff, and was awarded EC Blue Flag status for water cleanliness in 2006 and 2007. The beach is owned and managed by the Carbis Bay Hotel. There is a tiny railway station served by the St. Ives branch line, one of the most scenic in the country.

The Carbis Bay Hotel occupies a dramatic waterfront location with direct access to the beach. Nestled above 25 acres of golden sands with spectacular sea views the hotel is steeped in over 100 years of tradition and history. The Carbis Bay Hotel was built in 1894 by the famous Cornish architect Sylvanus Trevail and quickly gained popularity as a result of the boom in seaside holidays, which had been made possible by the expansion of the railways. The Carbis Bay Hotel has been immortalised by the author Rosamunde Pilcher and appears as The Sands Hotel in her novels 'The Shell Seekers' and 'Winter Solstice'.

Andrew Trenoweth 12th July 2009.