The Gurnard's Head

St Ives, Cornwall
Inn
+44 (0)1736 796928
Visit owner's website

From
£167 - £348
per night

This fine old inn stands in blissful peace, a field or two back from the coastal path, with cosy rooms, delicious food and a rustic style

Bedroom

8 rooms

Sleeps

Rooms sleep 2

Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome

£167 - £348 per night

The Experience

This quirky inn is one of the best – the sort of place a hiker hopes to find. Outside, the wild west coast weaves up to St Ives; secret beaches appear at low tide, cliffs tumble down to the water, wild flowers streak the land pink in summer.

Inside, it’s earthy, warm, stylish and friendly, with rustic interiors and fires at both ends of the bar. Logs are piled high in an alcove, maps and art hang on the walls, books fill every shelf; if you pick one up and don’t finish it, take it home and post it back. Comfortable, cosy bedrooms have views over the Atlantic or the moors.

A short, fresh and seasonal menu that changes daily will suit walkers who need a quick fuel stop as well as serious foodies and is served in the bar, dining rooms, or in the garden on sunny days.  Choose from three hand-pulled Cornish ales, a choice of good ciders and more than 20 wines by the carafe.

The Gurnard's Head - Gallery

We think you'll love

  • Walking the coastal path in either direction from here
  • Staying in such a beautifully wild spot
  • The menu that changes daily - try the freshest Newlyn fish
The Gurnard's Head - Gallery

You should know

  • Bedrooms might be a tad noisy until closing time
  • It is quite a remote place to stay unless you are happy exploring by foot

Essentials

  • EV charger
  • Swimming pool
  • Hot tub
  • Garden
  • Open fire / woodburner
  • Breakfast included
  • Breakfast available
  • Meals available
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Parking on premises
  • Free parking nearby
  • Accessible by public transport
  • WiFi
  • Spa
  • Central heating
  • Limited mobility
  • Wheelchair access
  • Mobile reception
  • Hob
  • Bar
  • Barbecue
  • Licensed premises
  • Paid parking nearby
  • Air conditioning
  • Relaxation areas
  • Tennis court
  • No smoking
  • Credit cards
  • Working farm
  • Owner has pets
  • Pets welcome

Family friendly

  • Baby monitor
  • Books and toys
  • Children welcome
  • Babies welcome
  • Stair gates
  • High chair
  • Fire guard
  • Cot available

Nearby

  • Pub/bar within 3 miles
  • Restaurant within 3 miles
  • Shop within 3 miles

Activities

  • Bikes available
  • Food courses
  • Kayaking
  • Other courses
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Wild swimming

Accommodation

Pricing

Nightly price
from £167
Surcharges
Extra sofabed available £40 per person per night.
3 Twin/doubles
From £192
5 Doubles
From £167

Information

Booking information

Check in
From 3pm
Check out
By 11am
Other details
Singles from £142.
Closed
Christmas.
No smoking
Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Dogs

Doggie biscuits, blanket, towels, advice on walks, black bags and dog bowls. Very friendly staff too.

Large back garden. Beautiful coastal path, and a sandy beach if you time the tides right.

Meals
Lunch, 2-3 courses, £20-£25. Sunday lunch, 2-3 courses, £32-£38. Dinner, 2-3 courses, £40-£48.

Reviews

At long last we have eaten at the Gurnard. Homely atmosphere and good food. But with an interesting but eclectic wine list, I think there should always be somebody on hand who knows the list well and can also relate the wines to the better known varieties. I would have been interested in trying a Turkish wine but I had no idea of how it would taste and so we played safe.

David, St Agnes

Memorable in every way! Staff were lovely, rooms were beautiful and food was excellent. The perfect base for walking along the coast, exploring the surrounding villages and relaxing around a fire. An absolute gem. Would highly recommend for everyone - solo travellers, couples, families, dog lovers and hikers alike.

Stefanie, Penzance

A beautifully remote location, a warm welcome, a lovely room and great food! What more could you ask for?! What a lovely laid-back place to stay with dogs, bowls, biscuits and poo bags provided too! The bed was so comfortable and the little touches of Cornish tea and proper coffee along with shortbread biscuits were really appreciated. We ate there twice in the evenings and the food was fantastic as were the breakfasts. A really great place to go for a relaxing break.

Tracy, Bristol

Amazing place to stay. Food faultless. Great walks. Loved the local Cornish band on Monday evening. Enjoyed cows walking past window on way to milking. Would definitely return as staff made us feel very welcome.

Jayne, Ely

Read more reviews

Location

The neighbourhood

The Gurnard's Head is on the north coast of Cornwall between St Ives & St Just, surrounded by moorland and overlooking the Atlantic on a stunning stretch of coastal path. The nearby village of Zennor is approximately three miles away and sits above Pendour Cove where it is said you can hear the lover of the mermaid of Zennor singing. The village has one pub, The Tinners, the famous St Senara Church, where you can see ‘the mermaid chair’, and also one small cafe. The Gurnard’s Headland lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Local points of interest from Charles & Edmund Inkin

  • Some of the world’s most awe-inspiring coastline is right on our doorstep. Wander out of the back door and be on top of the cliffs in little more than five minutes. Stirring stuff, we promise.
  • The Newlyn and St. Ives schools, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Alfred Wallace, Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton. The names from yesteryear roll off the tongue but the inheritance remains in good hands.
  • From the more famous Tate St. Ives and Hepworth galleries, to independents such as Penlee in Penzance, Essex Tyler in Mousehole, Kurt Jackson in St. Just and Yew Tree Gallery in Morvah, there is enough to keep the art lover busy for days on end.
  • Just north of Land’s End, Sennen Cove is the best known beach in the area. Long, sandy and popular with surfers, it has a great café.
  • If you’d like to go mackerel fishing, we can try to organise it for you, although it will depend on the weather and the steadfastness of your collective tummies.

Introducing

Charles & Edmund Inkin

Edmund and Charles Inkin run The Felin Fach Griffin, The Old Coastguard and The Gurnard's Head. An idyllic upbringing on the family farm in Wales, with its dairy herd and kitchen garden, was formative for the brothers, who later fell in love with West Cornwall. They value first class ingredients, with menus shaped by the seasons, served by likeable staff.