St. Ives Area Guide

St Ives is a charming little market town set on the banks of the River Great Ouse about 12 miles to the north-west of Cambridge. The main street and the old Quay, on the riverside, have many attractive buildings and there are several architecutally important buildings such as the Jacobean manor house, 15^th century All Saints church and the six-arch Barnack stone bridge which incorporates a chapel, one of only four of its kind left in England. The market square has a good range of shops from national chains to small independent stores. The weekly markets are a great place to buy locally produced foods and there are several food and drink festivals and continental markets are held throughout the year. There are plenty choices for the more active with a leisure centre, championship golf club and a plethora of sports clubs from bowls or boxing through to rugby and sailing.

Highlights and Attractions

The Corn Exchange is the heart of the community of St Ives and is used by a wide range of clubs and societies and for various events/conferences.

Boat cruises/tours from the Quay to the Old Riverport are a fun day out during the summer months and luxury boats for private parties are also available.

Holt island is a nature reserve and at the western end is home to the Sea Scouts facility.

There are plenty of places nearby to visit for a family day out such as The Raptor Foundation, Rally Karting and Southlake Aqua Park.

Commuting

St Ives lies a little to the north of the A14 with fast access into Cambridge and links into the M11 and M1 and the national road network. Access to Cambridge city centre is convenient with Madingley Road Park & Ride just 25 minutes’ drive away. The Guided Busway links St Ives directly with Cambridge Science Park on the outskirts of Cambridge and the city centre in one direction and out to Huntingdon in the other direction. Nearby Huntingdon has a railway station which offers fast train links into London King’s Cross in about 50 minutes and train services to the North via Peterborough railway station.

Food and Drinks

Probably one of the most luxurious places to eat in St Ives is Ramsey’s Brasserie at Slepe Hall Hotel. During the summer you can relax on the terrace and in the winter cosy up by the fire in the bar area.

The Italian restaurant, Amore, specializes in seafood. With a warm and friendly atmosphere and beautiful views over the river, Amore is a very popular dining spot.

The Golden Lion hotel offers a relaxed and enjoyable experience where guests are free to dine wherever they wish be it in the main restaurant, lounge, bar or alfresco in the courtyard.

Education

St Ives has a secondary school, St Ivo Academy and three primary schools: Thorndown, Westfield and Wheatfields. Kimbolton School, a well-regarded independent school, is about 30 minutes’ drive away and it offers a dedicated bus service to St Ives.