72 Hours in Isles of Scilly - a local's guide
Just 25 miles off the southwest Cornish peninsula lies one of Britain’s best kept secret – the Isles of Scilly - a small cluster islands lined with white sandy beaches and translucent turquoise waters. It’s packed with rich history, rare wildlife and an unparalleled quintessential charm, but this isn’t all that makes the Isles of Scilly so appealing. In recent years it’s become something of a mecca for adventure seekers and outdoor lovers who flock there for everything from open water swimming and snorkelling with wild seals to paddle boarding and hiking.
I travelled to the Scilly’s earlier this year when domestic travel was allowed across England. It was part of Visit England’s campaign ‘Escape the everyday’ and I spent three days exploring, paddling and eating my way round these magical little islands, uncovering some of the finest spots that exist our doorstep. To be honest, it was exactly what I needed after months in lockdown and with the new covid guidelines created by Visit England the entire experience felt safe.
It’s not my first time on the Isles of Scilly. I’ve spent countless summers on the islands growing up and even having lived there for a few months in my early 20s, I still discover something new every time I go back.
I have always championed the UK as an adventure destination. We’re so fortunate to have such varied terrain and the unpredictable weather is all part of the fun. There’re some pretty spectacular places peppered around England (remember when I visited Lancaster last year?), it just takes a bit of effort and planning to find them.
In this blog I’m going to share my Isles of Scilly highlights. The places I love best - focusing mostly on St Mary’s (the largest habitable island) with some ideas for Tresco and St Martin’s. It’s full of practical guidance as well as handy tips and ideas that you can choose to cram into a short 72-hour getaway.
HOW TO GET TO THE ISLES OF SCILLY:
There are a few options when it comes to getting to and from the islands. The Sky Bus leaves daily from Penzance, Exeter and Bristol and takes around 20 minutes depending on your route. The boat – known as the Scillonian – also leaves daily and costs around £70 return. If you’re camping, the boat accepts freight so you can add more baggage to your journey whereas there is a strict limit on the plane. The quickest option taking just 20 minutes is the helicopter.
WHERE TO STAY ON ISLES OF SCILLY:
You can go five-star fancy at the Star Castle Hotel, or you can ‘rough it’ at one of the islands campsites (Bryher, with its hilltop position and ocean views, is a favourite of mine). On my last visit I stayed at Mincarlo, a quaint but modern bed and breakfast on St Mary’s owned by Bryony and Nick who also run Adventure Scilly – the islands adventure retreat (more to come on that!).
WHAT TO EAT ON ISLES OF SCILLY:
The islands aren’t short of quality dining experiences. St Mary’s Hall, an elegant townhouse is just a short level walk from Hugh Town, has an ambient dining space serving up locally caught lobster linguine among other delicious dishes. Overlooking the pristine Porthcressa beach is Dibble and Grub, a Mediterranean style bistro. Nibbling tapas with the crisp glass of wine whilst watching the sunset across the ocean is one of the finest foodie moments on Scilly. Other restaurants include On the Quay. It’s location? The clue is in the name, and a lovely location to watch the world go by. The award-winning Juliette’s Garden is situated above Porthloo beach and serves up its renowned fresh crab sandwiches. And that’s all just on St Mary’s. There’s The Ruin Beach Café on Tresco where you can devour fresh stone baked pizza on the beachfront and in the distance catch a glimpse of The Old Blockhouse, also known as the Dover Fort, a 16th-century hilltop fortification. Over on St Martin’s you’ll find Polreath Tea Rooms and its fresh baked scones. Jam first, or cream?
THINGS TO DO ON ISLES OF SCILLY:
GET ON THE WATER
Being in, on or around the water is my happy place and given the Isles of Scilly is made up of lots of tiny islands, it’s a haven for watery adventures. It was very first place I ever paddle boarded around five years ago. It’s soared in popularity since and in my book, Paddling Britain, I dedicate the first two routes to the spectacular Isles of Scilly.
It’s possible to swim, paddle or kayak between a few of the neighbouring islands and Adventure Scilly organise swim and yoga retreats throughout the year for anyone that wants a guided experience. Otherwise, it’s easy to rent equipment at Sailing Scilly on St Mary’s and enjoy a sheltered paddle round Porth Mellon beach. St Martin’s Watersports and Hut 52 on Bryher also have rentals, or for more intrepid and experienced paddlers it might be worth take your own. That way you have more flexibility if you want to explore longer routes or get out for sunrise or sunset and watch the raspberry ripple skies from the water.
Scilly is also one of the only places in the UK to swim with wild seals out on the eastern isles.
The entire experience is fully controlled with only one boat a day visiting and it’s been this way for more than 20 years. Feeding or coercing seals is strictly prohibited. Everything is on their terms so if they are in a playful mood, they will interact and if they aren’t then they won’t.
Other tours include dolphin and puffin spotting as well as other migrating birds (run by the same company that does the boat trips), but these are all seasonal.
WAYS TO GET AROUND
Rented golf buggies are commonplace as a mode of transport on these islands as are electric and standard bikes on St Mary’s. These are also available on Tresco and a brand-new hop on electric bus service is also under development and will be ready to service visitors from 2021. Taking this approach is ideal if you’re doing an off-island day trip (recommended for a 72-hour break) as it means covering more ground in less time so you can get a much fuller experience.
Talking of day trips, Scilly Boating has services that run daily serving all the islands. It’s important to check tides and timings as this change frequently (the website is updated with this info). St Martin’s is my favourite island, and it has some of the world’s (yes, world’s) most beautiful beaches.
STEP BACK IN HISTORY
There’s a huge amount of history attached to Scilly as it played a key role in the English Civil War back in 1600s. Take a stroll up to the extensive coastal fortification – known as the Garrison - on St Mary or head to the remains of Cromwell’s Castle on Tresco which looks out on the channel towards Bryher. On a spring tide you can walk across.
STRETCH YOUR LEGS
Over 50% of Scilly is looked after by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, giving nature the space to thrive and visitors to enjoy. That’s 678 hectares There’s countless island walks to enjoy and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust has been working hard to make routes both accessible and beautiful. Throughout the islands you will stumble across unmanned shops and stalls selling local goods. The tradition here is to pay honestly by leaving money equal to the value of goods at the stall. Honesty shops continue to be a big part of island life and this trusting relationships between tourists and locals is what makes this place so special.
There’s also the Tresco Abbey Gardens to stroll around and overload the senses with some of the rarest flora and fauna found in England thanks to the islands position on the Gulf Stream and its generally milder climates.
ADDED EXTRAS:
BEST VIEW: Sunset the top of the Garrison on St Mary’s.
LOCAL INSIGHT: Pilot gig racing is a heritage on Scilly and remains a big part of island life. Watch the locals compete every Sunday evening from the Quay on St Mary’s.
WI-FI: Although this place is best enjoyed without the distraction of technology, the Isles of Scilly island is very well connected and in July 2020 was one of the first regions in the UK to pilot 5G.
