Cornwall Accommodation

SCILLY ISLES

INTRODUCTION

The Isles of Scilly are made up of five inhabited islands amongst hundreds of smaller uninhabited ones. For a holiday of peace and tranquillity with white beaches and sub-tropical plants then you don ’ t need to go as far as the Caribbean. Head for the Scilly Isles and enjoy a quality of life that is hard to find in this day and age.

The climate there is a considerable improvement on the UK, being in the middle of the Gulf Stream and warmed by the North Atlantic Drift. Not only does this make it more pleasant for visitors, it also creates a haven for flora and fauna and a resting place for migrating birds. For birdwatchers the islands are a paradise, with numerous species of seabirds that live on the rocky islets and uninhabited isles.

The landscape of the Scilly Isles is stunning, exposed granite outcrops, and heather strewn expanses contrast with sheltered gardens that burst with southern hemisphere plants. Garden lovers can enjoy the beautiful displays of flowers in spring and the stunning fields of narcissi that are farmed there. They have been growing narcissi on the islands since the 19 th century and the farming has characterised the landscape that you see today. See the small box like fields burn with a glorious profusion of yellow and orange as early as Christmas thanks to the mild climate.

If you are looking for a more active holiday then The Scillies is for you. The islands are a veritable playground for watersports including sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, diving and snorkelling with ideal locations all around the islands. The crystal clear water tempts anyone willing to have a go. Explore island studded bays and white sand bars and view the Scillies from a different perspective. Enjoy the colour and beauty of the world underwater, you might even find yourself coming face to face with a seal colony! Then again one of the many wrecks that sleep under the waters around the islands may catch your eye as you explore the reef dives. You might find yourself swimming alongside the HMS Association that sank in 1707! Alternatively you can take things easy and climb aboard one of the many boat trips and explore the hundreds of islands at your leisure and take possession of a white sand beach for a picnic lunch.

The Scilly isles also contains the highest concentration of prehistoric sites in Britain. There are Neolithic standing stones, burial chambers and Bronze age villages to see as well as Roman and early Christian sites. You can wander the sites on your own or if you need some help and want to learn as you go, then why not go on one of the guided archaeological walks and boat trips. As well as archaeological sites you can hardly move in The Scillies without tripping over an historical monument. With memorials, graves, medieval forts and castles to choose from you wont be short of cultural expeditions that will each play a part in telling the history of this fascinating place. A visit to the Scillies really means getting away from it all. With only nine kilometres of road, you can forget traffic jams and pollution! You can visit the islands by bike, horseback or on foot or take the community bus for a hop on hop off tour of the islands. There are 60 miles of footpaths that take you around the magnificent coast. guided walks are available which take in sites of specific interest for archaeology or wildlife. However you choose to travel just don’t forget to take your camera and capture the magic of your holiday on film.

St Mary ’ s

St Mary’s is the largest island in the group and so a good place to start you holiday. If you travel to the islands by ferry it is here that you arrive and from here you can take one of the inter-island launches in the summer season. The island only has nine miles of roads which offers some good terrain for walking and cycling or you can take one of the many trails that are dotted about the island and discover woodlands, heaths and rocky headlands! Keep a look out for unusual plants such as marram grasses and wild agapanthus flowers from Africa. Old Town Bay has a sheltered beach, village shop, pub and cafes. The tiny Old Church is still lit only by candles for its services!
Accommodation on St Mary’s varies from hotels in and around Hugh Town, to guest-houses, self-catering and camping. There is something to suit all tastes and budgets. Hugh Town, at the hub of daily life, offers the greatest choice, but there are guest-houses and self-catering properties all around the island and on farmland tucked away for those seeking that little extra peace and solitude.

TRESCO

Tresco is an island of exotic plants and flowers that grow in luxurious abundance. The plants found their way to Tresco via ship ’ s captains and Scillonian master mariners who brought back seedlings from distant and exotic lands. Tresco also boasts two freshwater pools, the Abbey Pool and the Great Pool, both of which attract birds such as Dunlins, Plovers and ducks such as Mallard and Teal. In the autumn, rare migrants can also be spotted.

Visit some of the Island’s magnificent beaches. The names on Tresco conjure up images of its past, such as Appletree Bay, Tobaccoman´s Point and Racket Town. In the Shipwreck Museum at Valhalla in the Abbey Garden, are the poignant and beautiful figureheads and sternplates from some of the many wrecks around the island. The collection of nearly 60 relics includes brass signal guns, bronze cannons and magnificently restored busts and nameplates.

Bryher

Bryher is the smallest community of the Isles of Scilly and is a place of peace and tranquillity. In springtime the island is alive with flowers, daffodils and narcissi in every hedgerow and field corner. In autumn, watch the many migratory birds use Bryher as a resting place and be awe inspired as gales lash the western coast at Hell Bay.

There are dramatic rock formations at the northern tip of the island, whilst at the southern-most point the small, but beautiful beach known as Rushy Bay looks out towards the uninhabited island of Samson. Admire one of the best views in all the islands from the top of Watch Hill where the islanders would have kept watch for ships in distress.

St Agnes

The beautiful island of St.Agnes houses the most south-westerly community in the British Isles. Enjoy a stress free holiday as you follow footpaths along the coastline to see sandy coves, granite outcrops and freshwater pools. Look out for rare species of butterflies and moths as well as the American migrating birds and wild lichens. You have a range of accommodation to choose from including b and b’s guesthouses and campsites with magnificent views out to sea.

St Martins

The island of St Martin's has some of the best beaches in the British Isles, with coastal pathsdown to wide expanses of beach. There are wonderful opportunities for swimming, snorkelling or simply relaxing. The Eastern Isles and the distant sight of Land's End, offer a dramatic backdrop, to Scilly's most Easterly inhabited island.

The island has a growing reputation for arts and there are several galleries as well as opportunities for sketching and painting courses. There is also a Vineyard where you can taste some locally produced wine.

Uninhabited Islands

You can’t come to The Scilly Isles without making a trip to the uninhabited islands; the Western Rocks, the Norrard Rocks, the Eastern Isles, Tean, Samson and Annet. These islands provide endless opportunities for photographs of crimson sunsets and golden beaches. The ruins of the oldest Christian building in the Islands is on St Helen’s and the remains of St Elidius, a British Bishop and the son of an English King is alleged to be buried on the Island.
The Western Rocks are famous for being the graveyard for innumerable shipwrecks through the centuries. Above water you can see colonies of seabirds that have made the exposed rocky outcrops their home. The Eastern Isles, near St Martin’s have grassland than the other uninhabited Islands and important discoveries of habitation from around AD 69 have been found on Nornour and may be seen in the Museum on St Mary’s. Sea birds and seals live there in great numbers and may be seen at close quarters when sailing around the islands.