By Niki Macdonald, Forever Cornwall. Photography by Frankie Thomas, Between Tides.
Picture a Christmas where the biggest decision of the day is which way to walk along the beach. A long, empty stretch of golden sand, a wood burner waiting when you get back, and an Atlantic that puts on a show whatever the weather. That's Christmas in Gwithian, and it might just be your best one yet. Stay on through New Year and you get the best bit of all; that long, blurry stretch in between when nobody knows what day it is.
Why Gwithian is made for winter
Gwithian is best known as a summer surfing spot, but in winter the crowds melt away and the place feels like it belongs to you. Miles of golden sand run along the eastern side of St Ives Bay, backed by the dunes of the Towans, with Godrevy Lighthouse standing out across the water.
The beaches face west, so the sunsets are incredible. In December the sun drops early, which means you can watch it slip behind the lighthouse and still be back by the fire before tea. If the forecast turns wild, that's half the fun; Gwithian and Godrevy are made for storm-watching, and the Towans are dog-friendly all year round.
Cosy up in a Gwithian beach chalet
The best way to do a Gwithian winter is from a beach chalet on the Towans. Tucked into the dunes, just a short stroll from the sand, they put the beach on your doorstep: the day starts with a walk by the sea and ends with a hot drink in the warm. Think big windows and decking facing St Ives Bay, a cosy corner for watching the waves roll in, and a table large enough for everyone to squeeze around on Christmas Day.
Bring the whole family, the friends you only see at Christmas, or just the dog. The Towans are dog-friendly all year round, so sandy-pawed walks are part of the plan. Then it's back for hot chocolate, board games and a film while the weather does its thing outside.
We have a choice of beach chalets and holiday homes in Gwithian with dates still available over the festive period, including New Year. Browse them all on our Gwithian holiday homes page, or see our wider collection of Christmas stays in Cornwall.
The long, lazy stretch between Christmas and New Year
Every year there's a week when nobody knows what day it is, the fridge is full of cheese and the only plan is to have no plan. Gwithian is a very good place to lose track of time. Walk the beach at low tide, watch the light change over St Ives Bay, and come back to a chalet where the biggest decision is whether it's too early for something fizzy. Then see the old year out with a lighthouse sunset and a quiet night in, and start the new one with a long, clear-your-head walk on the sand.
How to spend Christmas and New Year in Gwithian
Walk off the roast. Head along the dunes towards Hayle Estuary, or the other way to Godrevy Head. Keep an eye out for seals: they gather around Mutton Cove all year round, and you can often spot them from the cliff edge.
Visit the lighthouse. Godrevy Lighthouse is said to have inspired Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse, and the grassy cliff above the beach is one of the best places around to watch the sun go down.
Warm up afterwards. Kabyn Café, the horsebox on the beach (formerly the Hungry Horsebox Co.), is a dog-friendly stop for coffee, cake and a hot chocolate that has built a loyal following, with picnic tables right on the sand. Godrevy Beach Cafe, in the National Trust car park, is another good stop after a blustery walk, with a table upstairs overlooking the lighthouse. In the village, the Red River Inn serves hearty meals and Cornish ales, and Trevaskis Farm Restaurant is a couple of miles up the road (it's closed on Christmas Day). Opening times change over the festive period and the beach cafe depends on the weather, so check before you set off.
Take a rainy-day trip. St Ives is a short drive away, with Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum making a good wet-weather outing.
Brave a Boxing Day or New Year's Day dip. Some of our guests swear by it. Check the conditions first, wrap up warm and have a flask waiting.
Bring a little of Gwithian home
If the views have you hooked why not check out Frankie’s Gwithian prints? They make a lovely reminder of a winter by the sea, or a gift for someone who'd rather have the memory than another woolly jumper.
Niki is the Marketing Manager at Forever Cornwall, an independent, B Corp certified holiday letting agency specialising in handpicked coastal homes across Cornwall, including beach chalets on Gwithian Towans. Find your Cornwall stay at forevercornwall.co.uk.