cycling

Ebike in St Ives from Wildflower Wood

LEAVE THE CAR BEHIND Part 1

19Jun

NO-CAR WAYS TO GET AROUND

Next time you’re on holiday in Cornwall, take a break from the car, too, and try a few different ways to explore the county.

The fun alternatives to four wheels include pedal power, a set of hooves or a pair of stout boots. Here’s the first instalment of Beersheba’s guide to getting around Cornwall without a car.

Pop on a bike

Kalkhoff Ebike at Wildflower Wood

As you read in our previous blog, Beersheba now has two new hybrid electric bikes, which are available for our glampsite guests to hire. If you’ve never tried an electric hybrid bike before, trust us, they’re awesome. Hills have never been so easy.

If our bikes are booked and you’d rather not bring your own, there are several cycle hire places near St Ives. Try St Ives eBikes or for pedal power, Lands End Cycle Hire has a good choice.

If you want to make a real outing of it, try one of West Cornwall’s beautiful cycle routes, including The Cornish Way.

Take the train

St Ives Rail Line

The closest station to Beersheba is Carbis Bay (near the beach). From here, you can take the branch line train to the main line hub at St Erth, or go in the other direction towards St Ives.

This short stretch of rail is often voted the prettiest in Britain, and you can see why. If you embark at St Erth, it runs right along the coast, taking in Hayle estuary, the sand dunes, and the sweep of tree-fringed beaches towards St Ives. The station in St Ives is just above Porthminster Beach: you couldn’t arrive in a lovelier spot.

Taking the train into town really cuts down on the strain of parking in summertime St Ives.  Find out more on the Devon & Cornwall Rail website.

By water

SUP Image by Brian Tucker from Pixabay

Less of a practical suggestion and more of a fun idea, you can also explore the Cornish coast by sea. Pop down to Ocean Sports on Carbis Bay Beach to hire a kayak or SUP (maybe try the MegaSUP which takes the whole family), and see the bay from a whole new angle.

Learn to surf or brush up your skills at St Ives Surf School on Porthmeor Beach. Prefer to be a passenger? Catch the Dolly P out towards Seal Island.

If you’d like to find out more, or hire a Beersheba e-bike for your stay here, please drop us a line.

Kalkhoff Ebike at Wildflower Wood

Ebike hire at Wildflower Wood

25Mar

ERDF logo Wildflower Wood logo

Wildflower Wood Ebikes overlooking Porthmeor Beach St Ives

E-XPLORE ON TWO WHEELS

How does this sound: setting out from Wildflower Wood for a cycling adventure in the Cornish countryside? We’re so excited to introduce Beersheba’s latest eco venture: electric bike hire.

Wildflower Wood is now the proud owner of two new hybrid electric bikes, available for our glampsite guests to hire.

You’ll now be able to enjoy the gorgeous Cornish cycle routes without having to bring your own bike on holiday, and because you can reserve them straight from us, you won’t even have to find a hire shop.

The two bikes have been funded by the European Regional Development Fund* (ERDF) Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Kickstart Grant Scheme. They’re supplied by the fabulous Top Gear Ltd based in Penryn.

And we’re delighted with the models that Top Gear have provided. The Kalkhoff Endeavour 3 B8 is a hybrid electric bike. This popular model has a large 500w Bosch in-frame battery, letting you cycle for longer on a charge. If you’ve never ridden an e-bike before, get ready for a pleasant surprise when you first cycle up a hill! Extra features include LED lights, a Sports Comfort saddle and a Bosch LCD display on the handlebars.

Bikes in Cornish lane

Even better, the bikes have rack cargo bags so you can pick a picnic before heading out along the lanes and cycle trails. You don’t have to bring any cycling-specific equipment with you on holiday, as we’ll provide helmets and locks, and even local maps.

So, leave your car at Beersheba for the day and explore Cornwall on two wheels for a change. Our new bike hire scheme also makes it easier to travel to Wildflower Wood by public transport (we’re a mile from the bus stop and there’s a branch line train to Carbis Bay).

The beaches at Carbis Bay, St Ives and Hayle are within easy cycling distance. There are also some great dedicated cycle routes in West Cornwall, including The Cornish Way to Land’s End, which is part of National Cycle Network 3.

Pedal power appeals to us at Beersheba. We’ve made sure that everything about our glampsite is kind to the environment; and our new eco-friendly transport is yet another way to take holidays along a greener route.

Just imagine, out in the fresh air after all these long months, travelling through the beautiful West Cornish landscape with a pasty in your saddle bag… Why drive when you can cycle?

Beersheba’s bikes are ready and waiting to be booked by guests (minimum rider age 18 yrs) from 1 May. Hire prices are £30 for one day or £50 for two days per bike. If you’d like to know more about our glampsite’s eco bike hire, please get in touch with us.

Wildflower Wood Ebikes

*European Regional Development Fund

The project has received £4701.66 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more info visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding