Considering how much of the United Kingdom I’ve travelled through over the years, there are surprisingly few corners of the country that remain a mystery to me. The Isles of Scilly, scattered across the Atlantic off the coast of Cornwall, are one of them.
Perhaps I’d always assumed there wouldn’t be enough to keep me occupied, but these days the idea of slowing down, breathing in the sea air and spending a few days walking, island-hopping and discovering quiet beaches sounds increasingly appealing.
The Isles of Scilly are made up of more than 140 islands and rocky islets, although only five are inhabited: St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes. Each has its own character, and part of the pleasure of visiting is being able to move between them by boat.
My introduction to Scilly came through travel professional Shubhra Halliday, who travelled there and shared her experiences with Just One For The Road. Her journey took her across several of the islands and completely changed her expectations of what a holiday so close to home could offer.
Arriving in the Isles of Scilly
For most visitors, St Mary’s is the gateway to the islands and the natural place to begin exploring.
There are several ways to reach Scilly from mainland Cornwall and southwest England. The Scillonian ferry sails from Penzance to St Mary’s during its operating season, while Skybus flights connect the islands with Land’s End and, seasonally, other airports. Helicopter services also operate from Penzance to St Mary’s and Tresco.
Shubhra chose the Scillonian from Penzance, allowing the journey across the Atlantic to become part of the experience. Arriving by sea provides a lovely introduction to the islands as St Mary’s gradually comes into view and the pace of mainland life begins to feel increasingly distant.
St Mary’s is the largest of the inhabited islands, although at a little over six square miles it is hardly enormous. Hugh Town is its main settlement and provides the greatest concentration of shops, cafés, restaurants and accommodation, but it doesn’t take long before you are walking beside beaches, headlands and open countryside.
For Shubhra, St Mary’s became the base from which she could explore the other islands, heading down to the quay each day to see where the boats would take her next.
Island-Hopping Around Scilly
Island-hopping is one of the great pleasures of an Isles of Scilly holiday. Regular local boats connect St Mary’s with the other inhabited islands, while wildlife and sightseeing trips venture amongst some of the many uninhabited islands and rocks.
Shubhra joined a cruise around the Eastern Isles, where the attraction wasn’t simply the scenery but the wildlife inhabiting these quieter corners of the archipelago.
Atlantic grey seals can be seen around the islands, alongside an impressive variety of seabirds. Shubhra remembers seeing dozens of seals during her trip, an experience that demonstrated just how quickly you can leave the inhabited islands behind and find yourself surrounded by a much wilder Atlantic landscape.
Boat schedules inevitably depend on weather, tides and the time of year, so Scilly rewards a slightly flexible approach. Rather than trying to organise every hour before arriving, it can be more enjoyable to see what is operating and allow the conditions to shape some of your plans.
🛥️ Island-Hopping Tip: If you’re hoping to visit several islands, allow enough time in your itinerary to be flexible. Each island deserves more than a hurried walk around the quay before catching the next boat.
St Martin’s and Its Beautiful Beaches
One of Shubhra’s day trips took her to St Martin’s, an island that immediately challenged any idea that beautiful white-sand beaches required a long-haul flight.
St Martin’s is known for its wonderfully clear water, sandy beaches and peaceful atmosphere. Walking is one of the simplest ways to explore, following quiet lanes and paths between beaches, flower fields and small settlements.
The island’s red-and-white Daymark is one of its best-known landmarks and has guided sailors approaching Scilly for centuries. From the surrounding high ground, the views across the neighbouring islands provide a wonderful sense of just how scattered the archipelago really is.
What Shubhra particularly noticed was the quietness. With a small permanent community and no need to rush between major attractions, St Martin’s encourages you to slow down and simply enjoy where you are.
A coastal walk, a swim if the weather cooperates and a leisurely lunch can quite easily become the day’s itinerary.
St Agnes and Gugh
St Agnes has a different character again.
Situated on the southwestern edge of the archipelago, the island combines rocky coastline, sheltered coves, flower fields and farmland. At low tide, a sandbar known as The Bar connects St Agnes with neighbouring Gugh, allowing you to walk between the two islands when conditions permit.
For Shubhra, St Agnes was particularly memorable for its wildlife and sense of being somewhere genuinely unspoilt. She was even fortunate enough to spot the tiny Scilly shrew, a creature that isn’t exactly known for conveniently appearing when somebody wants to photograph it.
The island is ideal for exploring on foot, with the landscape changing noticeably as you make your way around the coast. There are exposed rocky sections facing the Atlantic as well as much gentler coves and beaches.
A good island walk should always include somewhere to stop for lunch, and Shubhra found hers at the Turk’s Head, enjoying a traditional ploughman’s before continuing her exploration.
Tresco and the Abbey Garden
One of the highlights of Shubhra’s trip was Tresco, perhaps the best-known of the islands after St Mary’s.
Tresco combines beaches, historic ruins and beautiful coastal scenery, but Shubhra particularly wanted to visit the famous Tresco Abbey Garden.
The garden was established during the 19th century and has developed an extraordinary collection of plants from around the world. Scilly’s mild maritime climate allows species to grow here that would struggle outdoors across much of mainland Britain.
Wandering through the garden can therefore feel distinctly un-British, with subtropical plants creating a landscape that seems slightly at odds with the knowledge that you’re still technically in England.
Elsewhere on Tresco, historic remains including King Charles’s Castle provide another reason to explore on foot, while the island’s beaches and coastal paths could easily occupy the rest of the day.
This is perhaps what makes island-hopping around Scilly so enjoyable. The distances between the islands may be small, but each day’s experience can feel noticeably different.
Wildlife, Walking and Life Outdoors
The Isles of Scilly aren’t really about rushing from one major attraction to another. Their appeal comes from the landscape and the freedom to spend much of the day outdoors.
Walking is one of the easiest ways to explore. Coastal paths circle the inhabited islands, beaches invite long detours and the lack of enormous distances means you don’t have to be a serious hiker to enjoy the scenery.
The surrounding sea also opens up opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and wildlife trips, while birdwatchers have long been drawn to Scilly by the variety of resident and migratory species.
For Shubhra, the wildlife cruise was a highlight, but some of her strongest impressions came simply from wandering around the islands, noticing the flowers, beaches and clear water and enjoying the slower rhythm of life.
That simplicity is part of the attraction. A successful day in Scilly doesn’t necessarily need an itinerary containing ten things to do.
Food From the Islands and the Sea
With the Atlantic surrounding you in every direction, it isn’t surprising that seafood plays an important part in eating around the islands.
Fresh fish, crab and lobster appear on menus alongside produce from island farms and small local producers. There are cafés, pubs and restaurants spread across the inhabited islands, although choice and opening times inevitably vary with location and season.
Shubhra was particularly impressed by the emphasis on fresh produce and also managed to include a visit to a local gin distillery, purely in the interests of thorough travel research, of course.
One of the pleasures of island-hopping is being able to combine food with the journey itself. A boat across to another island followed by a walk and a leisurely pub lunch feels rather more memorable than simply choosing the nearest restaurant to your hotel.
Where to Stay in the Isles of Scilly
St Mary’s provides the greatest range of accommodation and makes an excellent base for a first visit, particularly if you intend to spend several days island-hopping.
There are hotels, guest houses, self-catering properties and smaller places to stay across the islands, while Tresco and the other off-islands offer alternatives for those looking for an even quieter experience.
Accommodation is relatively limited compared with mainland destinations, which means booking ahead is sensible, particularly during the busiest periods. The official tourism organisation recommends arranging accommodation before travel where possible because properties can fill months in advance.
I’d personally be tempted to base myself on St Mary’s for a first visit and use the local boats to explore, simply because it provides the greatest flexibility. On a return trip, staying on one of the smaller islands and experiencing it after the day visitors have departed would be equally appealing.
When to Visit the Isles of Scilly
Scilly changes with the seasons, and the best time to visit depends largely on what you want to do.
Spring is particularly associated with flowers and walking, while summer brings longer days and plenty of opportunities for beaches and watersports. Autumn can be wonderful for walking and birdwatching, with fewer visitors than during the peak summer period. Winter is much quieter and some services are limited, so it requires rather more planning.
The islands have a mild maritime climate, but this is still the Atlantic and the weather deserves respect. Even during summer, I’d pack a waterproof and something warm alongside the shorts and sunglasses.
In some ways, slightly changeable weather is part of the Scilly experience. These islands don’t need endless sunshine to be beautiful.
Why the Isles of Scilly Surprised Shubhra
Before travelling, Shubhra knew the Isles of Scilly would be beautiful, but she hadn’t expected them to make quite such an impression.
It wasn’t one particular attraction that changed her mind. It was the combination of island-hopping, wildlife, white-sand beaches, subtropical gardens, fresh food and the relaxed pace of everyday life.
She spent time talking to islanders and discovered how much affection there was for the independence, community and slower way of life that Scilly provides. By the end of the trip she was already thinking about returning, particularly because she hadn’t yet explored Bryher or seen everything she wanted to see on St Mary’s.
I can understand why.
The older I get, the less I feel that a good holiday needs to involve racing around trying to see everything. Sometimes walking along a beach, catching a boat to another island, finding somewhere good for lunch and breathing in some Atlantic air sounds just about perfect.
Perhaps it’s time I finally made it to Scilly myself.
About This Isles of Scilly Experience
This article is based on the travels of Shubhra Halliday, who originally shared her experiences of exploring the Isles of Scilly with Just One For The Road.
Her original contribution has been updated to remove the temporary travel information and promotional material surrounding her 2020 visit, while retaining her experiences of island-hopping, wildlife watching and discovering St Martin’s, St Agnes and Tresco.
