Find My Activities

At the moment you’re seeing all our itinerary suggestions for a school trip to St Ives; to refine what you see please click the relevant filters. To save your search download a pdf and keep it on your desktop as a reference.

Please note that all prices are for guidance only and are subject to change. If you’d like more detail on anything do get in touch with the relevant supplier or email us on hello@stayatcohort.co.uk.

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Storytelling at Cohort

An evening of performance storytelling at Cohort with acclaimed St Ives storyteller Shanty Baba. The perfect way to spend a winter evening.

From Cornish folklore to Greek myths, from ghost stories to everything in between, Shanty will enthral you with his engaging performance which can be adapted for all ages (KS2 – KS4).

The evening can then be extended to include a storytelling workshop culminating in performances by the pupils, either individually or in groups.

Shanty will happily work with you to tailor the evening to specific themes.

£100 for 1 hour storytelling or £150 for storytelling & workshop

Melodies of Cornwall

Join singer songwriter Nicole Tesseyman for a fabulous musical session on site at Cohort.

Nicole will sing and play some of her own, St Ives/Cornwall-inspired songs and sea shantys explaining the meaning behind them and how she came to write them. She will then teach the group a couple of Cornish songs to sing together; finally leading the group to write their own Sea Shanty.

This will encourage them to reflect on what they have learned about St Ives, build new creative skills, gain in confidence and – more importantly – have fun with music.

Great for all ages and a perfect take away from any trip to St Ives. Sessions last between 90 – 120 minutes depending on the size of the group.

£150 for groups of 30 students or less; £180 for groups of 31 students or more (staff excluded)

Nick Baker – Talks & Seminars

Experienced geography / geology tutor and published author Nick Baker offers a number of different talks and seminars which can be conducted on site at Cohort. Each talk is 40 – 60 minutes and is followed by a Q&A, discussion & guided seminar.

A Rural Legacy Lost (1 hour)

The story of a largely forgotten culture, lifestyle and dialect associated with net fishing for salmon at the village of Stoke Gabriel on the River Dart in Devon. When all fishing licences were eventually bought out with climate change threatening sustainability, this impacted the ingrained social, economic and cultural history of the settlement illustrating how global changes can be felt at a local level.

The story of the Providence mines of Carbis Bay, St. Ives (45 – 60 minutes)

Surface evidence of these mines is now virtually non-existent, smothered under a carpet of modern development. Dealt with chronologically, with an underpinning geological rationale for its existence, it harnesses the rapidly fluctuating financial and human fortunes of this enterprise through optimism, trial, tragedy and ultimate abandonment.

Carbis Bay: Then and Now (30 – 40 minutes)

This talk looks at the rapidly expanding impact of tourism on Carbis Bay and how it has changed in response.

£100 / talk

Cornwall: A Geologist’s Perspective

Cornwall: A Geologist’s Perspective will send you on a virtual journey through Cornwall’s geological past. Venture through Cornwall’s story of plate tectonics, and how the rocks beneath our feet can tell us about a time when Cornwall was at the bottom of an ocean and then centre of a giant mountain range.

Understand how the geological evolution over the last 400 million years has shaped the landscape around us today, influencing modern industries that define the county’s history, present day, and future.

Dr. Sam Hughes is a lecturer at Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) and a St Ives local; his fascinating and engaging talk will last 1 – 2 hours including a Q&A session and takes place at Cohort.

A must-do evening activity for all geographers and budding geologists.

£120/talk

Country Skittles

Set in beautiful rural surroundings a couple of miles out of Hayle (15 minutes by coach / minibus from St Ives) you can spend the evening at this unique venue where students can play a couple of games of old-fashioned 9-pin skittles and have a great meal.

It’s a brilliant way to spend the evening and a real break.

Approx £15/person for a meal + 2 games of skittles

Bodyboarding (hire)

Hire body boards (and wet suits if you need them) from St Ives Surf School for up to 2 hours and have a great time in the water.

Provided students stay within the allotted area for bodyboarding then they will be well looked after by RNLI lifeguards.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed

£10/2 hours + £10/2 hours for wet suit hire. Discounts available for educational groups.

Kidz R Us

If you’re staying with us over the summer months or during part of the school holidays a trip to see the ‘show of the moment’ at the Kidz R Us theatre next door is a must.

They are an award winning theatre company who have spawned talent such as the recent The Voice winner Molly Hocking.

Performers ages range from 6 – 21 and the quality of production is incredible.

£10-12 per person

De Chirico & the Metaphysical Dreamscape

A perfect evening activity at Cohort for art students.

Come and explore the hugely influential paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, the grandfather of Surrealism, in this quirky animated arts documentary (55 minutes), by local St Ives animator, Shanty Baba.

Paintings full of deserted streets, shadows, passing trains and enigmas yet abounding with meaning.

Shanty will then lead a discussion afterwards on some of the issues raised, such as influences, plagiarism and fakes.

£60 for Film & Discussion

St Ives eBikes

2-3 hour guided eBike rides exploring the wilds of West Cornwall, cycling on a combination of quiet lanes and bridleways. Tours are fully customisable and can include stops at viewpoints, megalithic sites and old mine works.

Guides are qualified ride leaders and participants must be 14yrs+, able to ride a bike and have a modest level of fitness.

Groups of <21 participants including staff. All equipment provided.

£35 per person

Self-led Beach Clean

Pick up leaflets and bags from staff at Cohort who will give you a quick introduction to beach cleaning and tell you what to look out for. Head down to one of our 5 amazing beaches for an hour of beach cleaning. It’s weirdly addictive and also hugely beneficial to the communities in St Ives.

Free

Walk to (or from) Lelant Saltings

Leave the hostel and head to Porthminster Beach. From the far end of the beach outside the restaurant pick up the SW Coast Path towards Lelant / Hayle. Follow it through Carbis Bay, over the dunes at Porthkidney Sands (dipping down the beach if you like) and on to St Uny Church where you can walk 1km of super quiet road / path to Lelant Saltings station.

Pick up the train to come back to St Ives (£1-2).

Allow 90 minutes with good walkers and no stopping or 3 hours for slower walkers with lots of stops.

Free

Foxes Fair

3-piece traditional folk band available to hire for an evening’s entertainment at Cohort. Suitable for all ages.

Inspired by the deep well of traditional folk music, tailoring songs and melodies to fit their own unique musical style, Foxes Fair’s playful string arrangements provide a delightful backdrop to their natural and effortless harmonies. Their sound as timeless as their topics, they tell stories of death, nature and love.

Foxes Fair’s live performances are permeated by a warmth and comradery rarely seen to this extent in musical groups, friendship clearly binding these ladies as much as the love for the music they make.

Please note that bands can only be booked if the group has exclusive use of Cohort.

£200 (2 x 45 minute sets or equivalent)

Beach Clean with Beach Guardian

Beach Guardian, an award winning social enterprise, aims to engage, educate and empower against plastic pollution. They can organise an engaging session on the beach where the group will not only clean but learn what plastics to look for, why they are so dangerous, where they have come from and what they can do when they leave St Ives.

Suitable for all ages.

Free

Lantern Ghost Story Walk

As an eerie darkness falls over St Ives, come with the acclaimed storyteller, Shanty Baba, as he lights his hurricane lantern, to show you “the darker side of St Ives”. A great ghost walk for all ages and a fab way to spend an evening.

75 minutes. May start as late as 9.30pm in the summer. Private bookings available.

£5 per person, staff go free

Du Glas

Du Glas, Cornish for ‘black’ and ‘blue’ offer their own brand of acoustic folk combining influences from Americana and country rock. Born out of the vibrant Cornish music scene their sound is inventive and energetic and you can’t help bop around in your seat or get up and dance.

They will deliver an awesome 2 hour set (including an interval) for the group and it’s a great way to spend an evening. If the weather is good they’ll perform outside in the courtyard otherwise it will be up in the lounge – Wesley Hall.

A fab evening’s entertainment. Only suitable for those groups with exclusive use of the hostel.

£200 for a 2 hour set with interval

SK8 St Ives

Join the fabulous SK8PZ for a roller skating session at the Island Centre in St Ives. SK8PZ is a roller skating CIC who provide fun and fitness on skates for ages 5 and up.

A 90 minute session will start off with safety information and fundamental techniques, progressing on to skills and tricks which are then reinforced through fun and games. There’s always time for a bit of disco at the end too!

Roller skating has been shown to improve anxiety and loneliness through a pressure-free social activity. Skating facilitates neuroplasticity and reduces stress, which helps pupils overcome adversity and maintain a positive mindset. In short, it’s a great way to spend an evening in St Ives. The Island Centre is a 10 minute walk from Cohort.

SK8PZ has all the relevant risk asessments, safeguarding, DBS checks and insurance in place. Maximum group size 30-35 but larger groups can be accommodated by staggering sessions.

£160/90 minute session (allow 2 hours). All skates included.

Merlin Cinema

Pop over the road (literally) to our local cinema where they are happy to take advance, group bookings. You can even hire a whole cinema screen if you want to go to town. Merlin Cinemas are across Cornwall and very affordable. They show all the latest blockbusters as well as live screenings from the Royal Ballet, RSC and National Theatre.

See their website for more details.

£5-7 per person

It’s a Hard Rock Life – Talk

Join Cornishman Clint Hosking and friends to gain a colourful overview of Cornish mining culture and history and why it is important enough to have received World Heritage status.

Clint will bring rock samples, photographs, tools, mining equipment, clothing, etc which form part of Geevor’s handling collection. Pupils can explore the artefacts for themselves so it is a very hands on interactive session.

This engaging talk can be conducted on site at Geevor Tin Mine or at Cohort and can be adapted for any age group or curriculum focus. It can take place during the day or evening and is highly recommended for all groups looking to understand a little more about Cornish culture.

Duration: 1 hour. Maximum group size: 60.

£65/session

Minack Theatre (performances)

The Minack is a unique open air theatre perched on the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an extraordinary place to visit and during the summer months (May – September) they have a great programme of theatre performances, both evening and matinee.

Check what’s on to see if you can organise watching something during your trip.

£5-10/person