The warm water of the Gulf Stream makes the peaceful Scilly Isles, off Cornwall, so mild that you can walk through tropical plants by turquoise sea, writes SORCHA HAMILTON
NOT LONG after take-off, one of the pilots turns around and asks if we want him to turn up the heating. The five of us who are the passengers on this 18-seat aircraft can see right into the cockpit, with its blinking buttons and dials. We all nod enthusiastically over the din of the engine and the buzz of the propellers. We’ve just flown through howling wind and rain from Bristol, but the weather, the co-pilot assures us, “gets better the further south you go”.
And it does. The clouds begin to clear and we can see down to the turquoise waters of the Scilly Isles, off the southwestern tip of England. We can also see, somewhat terrifyingly, the approaching runway through the cockpit window. As the plane wavers a little in the wind, we touch down smoothly.
Flying by small aircraft is certainly a more exciting way to travel. It’s also much more relaxed. Before you know it we’re off the plane, have said goodbye to the pilots and have picked up our luggage.
“Welcome to St Mary’s,” an official says as we make our way into the airport, which is more like a big hall. He then asks where we’re staying. “Right, then: that’s passport and customs out of the way.”
The first thing you notice about St Mary’s, the largest of the Scilly Isles, is how quiet it is. It feels as if there are half a dozen cars on the entire island – most people cycle or walk. After all, it’s only four or five kilometres long.
The Scilly Isles, which are part of the Duchy of Cornwall, the income-generating estate of the prince of Wales, are a collection of five main islands and more than 100 smaller, uninhabited ones. Because of their location in the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, about 45km off Cornwall, they have a mild climate that supports subtropical and even tropical plants.
The capital of St Mary’s, and of the Scilly Isles as a whole, is Hugh Town, where you’ll find a strip of cafes, a supermarket, a pirate shop, numerous restaurants and a small green surrounded by stone cottages. St Mary’s Harbour is quietly busy, with pleasure boats, fishing boats and small ferries coming and going, and stocking up with flowers, one of the island’s main exports.
It’s easy to while away the hours by strolling around, admiring the flowers and plants, eating fresh crab sandwiches or Cornish ice cream, or sampling local bitters in the pub. We rent bikes and cycle around the island, stopping at coves and gardens.
We also wander around the rocks, looking for the famous Scilly shrew, which lives only on these islands, where it sniffs around the beaches, looking for sandhoppers, or “caravans” – which is when a mother leads up to six younglings in a line, each holding on to the next, nose to tail. After about an hour we give up and go into the wildlife office at the harbour, where a woman tells us that the Scilly shrew is notoriously difficult to spot: she has seen just one.
At the harbour we catch an Island Sea Safari boat for a relaxed spin around the islands, to see guillemots, terns, gannets, puffins and, lazing on rocks in the sun, huge silvery seals.
We also take a boat to the tropical gardens on Tresco island, which are home to giant cacti, flame trees and other plants in flamboyant shades of green, pink, yellow and orange. The gardens have more than 4,000 specimens, divided into Mexican, South African and Australian zones, among others.
Then we catch a boat back to St Mary’s for a traditional evening walk around the Garrison. This starts at the Star Castle, an Elizabethan fort built as an eight-pointed star, with ramparts six metres thick. It is now a fantastic hotel that has kept many of the original features – and even has a tiny pub in the old dungeon.
The walking route takes you down little green paths by the Garrison wall, past a spectacular viewing point – a great spot to watch the traditional gig races between islands that take place most weeks – through a wooded lane and up a winding road lined with fiery pink and red flowers and the occasional Hottentot fig, a fleshy, cactus-like plant that is coloured a fabulous purple.
On our final evening we buy fish and chips and sit on a bench at the harbour. Sipping on local honey ale, we look out over the rocks, the sun just beginning to set, as a woman walks her dog along the shore and the last of the fishing boats returns home, a few hungry seagulls hovering above.
- Sorcha Hamilton was a guest of simplyscilly.co.uk
Where to stay, eat and go in the Scillies
Where to stay
- Star Castle Hotel. St Mary's, 00-44-1720-422317, star-castle.co.uk. This lovely hotel has rooms both in the main building of the castle and in the Garden Rooms, with views of the sea, a quiet pool, tennis courts and friendly staff.
- Garrison Campsite. St Mary's, 00-44-1720-422670, garrisonholidays.com. This family-run business, the main campsite on St Mary's, is located in a quiet spot, with full facilities. You can find out about other campsites at simplyscilly.co.uk or by calling the Scilly Isles tourism office on 00-44-1720-424031.
- Self-catering. The islands have a range of beach cottages, bungalows, seafront flats and family houses. You can search for somewhere suitable on simplyscilly.co.uk or by calling the Scilly Isles tourism office on 00-44-1720-424031.
Where to eat
- Star Castle Hotel. St Mary's, 00-44-1720-422317, star-castle.co.uk. The hotel has two restaurants: the Conservatory, which specialises in seafood, and the Castle. Be sure to try the beetroot gazpacho.
- The Galley. The Parade, St Mary's, 00-44-1720-422602. Buy fish and chips to take away (until 7pm), or eat upstairs, in its restaurant, which has a huge range of fish dishes.
- Blues Restaurant. The Cornerhouse, Hugh Street, St Mary's, 00-44-1720-422221, bluesrestaurantscilly.co.uk. Try the fantastic crab sandwiches for lunch. Be warned, though: this and many of the other cafes and restaurants on the islands stop serving lunch at 2pm.
Where to go
- You can take a boat trip to do everything from spotting puffins to snorkelling and diving down to old wrecks. You can also make day trips to the other islands – Tresco is a must, as its gardens are spectacular. Make sure to get there early, so you can take your time looking around. Boats leave from the pier at regular intervals, although be prepared for them to be very busy during the summer.
- Renting a bike is a great way to explore St Mary's coves, beaches and nature trails. The lack of traffic makes it a very leisurely expedition. Expect to pay about £7 (€8) per day.
Go there
Skybus (skybus.co.uk) flies to Scilly from Bristol, Exeter and Newquay. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Bristol from Dublin and Knock. Aer Arann (aerarann.com) flies to Bristol from Cork. Flybe (flybe.com) flies to Exeter from Dublin and Belfast. Air Southwest (airsouthwest. com) flies to Newquay from Dublin and Cork.