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Isles Of Scilly Accommodation

Off Shore Island Views from St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Isles of Scilly - Off Shore Island Views from St Mary's

Sailing and Boat Trips around St Mary's and the Scilly Isles

Book Scilly Islands Boat Trips around the Harbour at Hugh Town, St Mary's

Hugh Town, St Mary's - the Largest of the Islands

Off Shore Islands - Panoramic Views from Hugh Town, St Mary's

Palm Trees on the Scilly Isles. Tropical Plants survive well here too!

Bird Watching Holidays & Walking Holidays on the Isles of Scilly

Tourist Information St Agnes Annet Brhyer Tresco Samson Isles of Scilly

Exploring all the islands in the Scilly archipelago is a sublime experience, and easily done via boat trips - with the most frequent boat trips running from St Mary's. Tresco, the second largest of the Scilly Islands and inhabited, is famous for it's subtropical Abbey Gardens. You can fly direct to Tresco via helicopter from Penzance. St Agnes, the most South Westerly of the islands, has a laid back pace, with ample opportunity to view it's many birds, flowers and butterflies. Great coastal walking on St Agnes too, with it's well marked coastal path and selection of fine beaches.

Bird watchers ahoy - take a day trip to Annet to view the puffins which nest on this bird sanctuary island in April. St Martin's is superb for diving and snorkelling, and also has magical beaches, particularly around St Martin's Flats and Lawrence's Bay. More beautiful beaches abound on Bryher at Rushy Bay, plus sublime views of all the Scilly Isles from Watch Hill (considered the best viewpoint on the islands!). Other uninhabited islands easily accessed via boat trips include Samson with it's two hills, little St Helen's and Tean and the Western and Eastern rock outcrops.

Tresco & Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly

There aren't any cars on Tresco - you'll notice the peace and quiet! Tresco is the biggest of the off islands at two miles by one mile. Tresco is particularly sheltered, largely due to it's position between St Martin's and Bryher, and is one of the most popular Scilly Isles for day trips. You can see why, Tresco has a stunning subtropical garden - Abbey Gardens which is spread around an equally notable Benedictine Priorty. The gardens date back to 1834 and contain a huge collection of exotic plants from around the world. Discover some rare palms and cactus here, which just couldn't survive on the UK mainland. It's all in the Augustus Smith design! He build tall wind breaks to protect the plants. For more information check the Tresco Abbey Gardens weblink right! Plants in the Tresco Gardens include Bananas, Yuccas, Chinese Paper Plants, and the striking red-flowered Xeronema callistemon which first flowerred here on Tresco in 1999. Look out for the great bronze carvings by David Wynne. Abbey Gardens are open daily from 10am to 4pm and there's a shop and cafe on-site.

The 12th century priory of St Nicholas on Tresco has little remaining original buildings, however some ruins remain for viewing. Tresco Abbey was built much later by the Duchy of Cornwall in 1834 and serves as the home of the Dorrien Smith family today, who actually own the Tresco estate - Tresco remains in private hands and was originally purchased by Augustus Smith from the Duchy of Cornwall in the mid 1830s, and so it remains in the hands of the Smith family, and needless to say it's not cheap the accommodation here, hence is popularity as a day trip. Abbey Pool, adjacent to Abbey Gardens is popular with bird watchers, as is also adjacent and larger Great Pool which has a hut hide. Shipwreck enthusiasts should check out the Vallhall exhibition near the entrance to Abbey Gardens where you'll find a selection of salvaged figureheads and artefacts from shipwrecks.

For the best beaches on Tresco head to Appletree beach and bay and Pentle Bay, both of which are covered in pretty shells. Other popular settlements on Tresco include New and Old Grimsby, with Gallery Tresco situated in New Grimsby and offering a choice of local art and art courses. (see weblink right). To the North of Tresco is Cromwell's Castle, a sixty foot round tower dating from 1651 and nearby King Charles's Castle built between 1550-4. Coastal walking in North Tresco is superb along the cliffs around Piper's Hole. Piper's Hole itself is a renowned smugglers haunt, there's a cave here with a freshwater pool. Famous suffragist Ethel Smyth was moved by her visit to Piper's Hole, and the site features in her opera, 'The Wreckers' (1903).

Several helicopter flights run daily from Penzance to Tresco (taking only about 20 minutes). Check the Isles of Scilly Helicopter website right for full details of summer and winter timetables.

St Martin's Isles of Scilly

One of the most popular of the off islands is stunning St Martin's, the most easterly of the inhabited islands. Many think it the most beautiful of all the islands. As flower growing is one of the main industries on the island you can see why. Lots of colour is on the menu here, plus beautiful beaches (some of the best in the UK), dramatic landscapes and sublime views - for example from St Martin's Head to the north east. Clear waters around St Martin's offer excellent conditions for diving and snorkelling.

Other delights on St Martin's include a thriving arts and crafts vibe, with a selection of galleries across the island. There's a vineyard here too, open to the public, where you can sample and buy some of St Martin's very own wine. St. Martin's Vineyard, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly, TR25 OQL. Tel: 07712 295 330.

St Martin's - oh what a beach. Check out Par Beach near the main quay. This beach offers delightfully clear and clean waters with fine white sands. Lawrence's Bay, otherwise known as the St martin's Flats, is an endless sandy beach - a secluded spot is guaranteed here, plus a wide selection of shells. For good views of St Helen's and Tean, both uninhabited small Scilly Islands, move up towards Lower Town.

Also of interest around St Martin's are the numerous Bronze Age and pre-historic sites, including burial grounds around St Martin's Head, Bronze Age stone wall remains at Par Beach, and the remains of a Bronze Age statue at Chapel Down.

St Agnes & Gugh, Isles of Scilly

Beautiful St Agnes, with it's own distinct character - covered in flowers and renowned for it's fishing. St Agnes is the most south-westerly in the archipelago, with the most south westerly pub in the UK - The Turks Head, situated just off the main St Agnes quay. Fine real ales, evening meals and B&B are available here. Boats arrive and leave from the Quay at Porth Conger.

Coastal walking around St Agnes is made easy with the well marked, indented coastal path. St Agnes has some stunning sandy coves along the coast, as well as rugged granite outcrops, meadows, heathland and freshwater pools. A sand bar connects St Agnes to Gugh, and this can be walked across at low tide (careful not to get stranded!). Both Porth Conger and The Cove offer glorious sandy beaches for swimming. Watch for when the Bar is sea covered however, as swimming during this time is dangerous.

Butterflies and birds abound on St Agnes. Neighbouring Gugh is particularly famous for it's 9 foot standing stone - 'The Old Man of Gugh', believed to be a ritual Bronze Age stone. Move upto Kittern Hill on Gugh for further Bronze Age burial sites including Obadiah's Barrow.

Back on St Agnes, take time to view the oldest lighthouse in Britain, dating from 1860. Now a private residence, replaced by Peninnis Lighthouse on St Mary's, this stunning lighthouse is still maintained and painted white as a day time warning to shipping off the coast! From St Agnes campsite on the west side of the island, watch out for views of the marvellous Bishop's Rock Lighthouse dating from 1858. (the second lighthouse to be errected here west of the archipelago - the first was crushed by the sea in 1850). You can take boat trips from St Agnes quay out to view Bishop's Rock Lighthouse (see weblink right for details on Bishop's Rock). Staying on the western side of St Agnes near pretty Periglis is the Troy Town miniature stone maze, thought to date from 1729. The southern area of St Agnes around Wingletang Down is mostly heathland with some stunning coastal scenery further south, especially around Beady Pool. Look out for the extraordinary Giant's Punchbowl rock formation - consisting of two mammoth indented boulders which create a 3 foot basin.

Bryher, Isles of Scilly

Bryher is particular popular with bird watchers, especially around Great Pool to the south of Bryher. Migratory birds head here to rest in Autumn. Bryher is Celtic for 'place of hills' and is less popular than the other off islands. However, a trip to Bryher is highly recommended, taking in it's rugged and wild beauty. Fine bathing is to be had at Rushy Bay to the South, a beach which is considered to be one of the best on the Isles of Scilly! There's a campsite on Bryher too, near Norrard.

Move up towards Hell Bay for superb coastal walking. You'll see some pretty big Atlantic rollers crashing against the shore on windy days. Move inland to Watch Hill for sublime panoramic views of the archipelago, one of the best on the Scilly Islands! A 2000 year rold sword was found at this site in 1999 and can now be viewed in the Isles of Scilly Museum on St Mary's. Bryher is renowned for having the longest cave on the Scilly Isles - High Rock Cave. Visitors are advised not to enter this cave as the sea runs into it's entrance. It's dangerous except at low water with a spring tide and very calm seas. For good views of the Western Scilly archipelago head up towards Shipman Head.

Walking and beaches are on the menu at Bryher, and various cafes, restaurants, hotels and self catering accommodation are scattered across the island. The gentler east side of Bryher offers superb conditions for diving and snorkelling.

For boat trips contact Bryher Boat Services, Jenford, Bryher, Tel: (01720) 422886 and Bennett Boat Hire, South Hill, Bryher offering Rowing, Motor and Sailing Boats, Dan. Bennen Tel: (01720) 422411.

Annet & Uninhabited Isles of Scilly

To the west of St Agnes is the bird sanctuary island of Annet and the cluster of Wester Rocks. Annet, a bird sanctuary and designated area of outstanding beauty with restricted access, is renowned particularly for it's puffin's, who breed on Annet annually in April, and nest in burrows in the cliffs. The Puffins, or Auks, have usually all disappeared by July. They are prayed upon by the huge Great Black-backed Gull common on the Scilly Islands. Numerous boat trips and birdwatching holiday tours are available on the Scilly Isles, usually incorporating a boat trip to Annet. Check the Scilly Birding weblink right for details.

Adjacent to Annet are the outcrop of Western Rocks, where many a ship has come a cropper! You can hook into a choice of boat trips around the Western Rocks - particularly on-route to view Bishop's Rock Lighthouse. The Eastern Isles of the archipelago are steeped in legend, with one islet - around the Great Arthur area thought to be the possible grave site of King Arthur in the 6th Century AD. Bronze Age graves anyway are situated here. The Eastern Islands see some puffins and seals too, but for the best viewings of Puffins head for Annet in April! Other points of interest on the Eastern Islands include findings of Roman jewellery and house foundations at Nornour.

The largest of the uninhabited islands is Samson, famous for it's two hills which are connected by a sandy isthmus. Samson was once inhabited, until Augustus Smith evacuated the residents in 1855. What a nice chap! You can view the ruins of 9 cottages near the centre of Samson where residents once lived. Check out too the nearby ruins of Webber's Cottage, thought to be mentioned in Armorel of Lyonnesse, the 1890 Walter Besant novel. This popular historian and novelist had a famous sister in law too - Annie Besant. Check out the stunning beach on Samson below North Hill as well as notable pre-historic remains in this area. Here at North Hill there is a kistvaen or sepulchral stone-box with stones here shaped to get into each other.

St Helen's and Tean to the west of St Martin's are popular for day trips. On St Helen's view the 10th century oratory. There are annual pilgrimages to this building at the beginning of every August. Also on St Helen's are the 18th century remains of a granite and brick pest house. It was supposed to have been used to house suspected plague suffers on passing ships, but was never used. Tean too can be visited via a boat trip and offers some glorious sandy beaches.

Off Island Boat Trips

Off Islands Boat Trip providers include, for Bryher & Tresco, Firethorn, Faldore, Cyclone (David & James Stedeford) 01720 422886. For St Agnes Spirit of St Agnes (David Peacock) 01720 422704 (see website to the right), and for St Martins - Voyager, Enterprise, Lightening (Terry Perkins) 01720 422814.

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