Found where the Hayle River meets the wide sweep of St Ives Bay, Hayle is so steeped in the unique mining history of Cornwall that it has been designated part of the Cornish World Heritage Site. Hayle is perhaps more famous these days for its incredibly long beach, an enormous stretch of sand that runs three miles northwards from the mouth of the river. The estuary is a paradise for ‘twitchers’ with sightings of rare birds such as avocets and ospreys recorded.