Isles of Scilly family holiday

Located 28 miles off the Cornish coast lie the Isles of Scilly. The archipelago is made up of 140 islands, only 5 of which are inhabited. The largest of them St Mary’s is your main landing point if arriving by sea or air. We chose the Scillonian ferry, taking 2.45 hours from Penzance quite comfortably. It is known to get choppy so if you have a tendency for sea-sickness then my advice is to fly. Skybus flights depart Newquay, Exeter and Lands’ End (or you can splurge and take the helicopter from Penzance which takes just 15 mins)

Although still part of Cornwall, these wild islands feel a world away. Unspoilt and naturally beautiful, each island has its’ own character and feel. It was fun finding our favourite one. The main islands are; St.Marys, Tresco, St.Agnes, Bryher and St.Martins.

We chose to stay on the main island St.Mary’s and take day trips from there. Nothing is too far away the island measuring just 3 x 2 miles. Forget about bringing your car here, leave it back on the mainland. Modes of transport are golf buggies and bikes which you hire and good old shank’s pony. Daily ferry’s depart St Mary’s (times advertised that morning as dependent on tides) to the other islands, no need to pre-book. Just make a note of your last departure back which is usually around 5pm. They do have supper boats that bring you back on certain evenings so you can dine on other islands. You can opt to stay in B+B’s, hotels, apartments or sleep under canvas. We camped as wanted to give our 5 year old his first experience sleeping underneath the stars. It didn’t disappoint.

St.Mary’s has a variety of restaurants, galleries, shops and pubs and even a pop up cinema during the summer months. There are plenty of lovely coastal walks and white sandy bays to explore. St. Martins, the furthest to reach (30mins) has stunning beaches and the best bakery around, it was the best lobster roll I’ve ever tasted. You can get a pair of hand-made shoes from ‘The Island Shoemaker’ and send flowers from the florist on Churchtown Farm, Scilly’s postal flower service. There are small honesty shops/stalls dotted around, that’s how they roll on the Isles of Scilly. You can also arrange a trip to snorkel with seals here which is something we have to return for when our little boy is a stronger swimmer.

St.Agnes is all about rugged beauty. We enjoyed making stone towers on the beach, walking around the stone maze, exploring the different shaped rocks that define the island and tasting the Troy Town ice cream made with thanks to the St Agnes cows. The sand bar which separates St Agnes from Gugh was fun to relax on as, at certain times of the day it completely disappears making Gugh a separate island. The water around here is crystal clear and perfect for swimming and paddle-boarding.

Bryher was wild, small and dotted with private little coves, we hired paddleboard and kayak and enjoyed the calm waters overlooking Cromwell’s castle on the neighbouring island; Tresco.

Tresco, is the only privately- owned island, we left until our last day ended up being our favourite. Stylish with a touch of the cosmopolitan. It’s knock yourself out beautiful; amazing beaches and home to the world-famous Abbey gardens. Set in the ruins of a Benedictine Abbey you find over 20, 000 plants that won’t grow anywhere else in the UK thanks to the sub-tropical climate.

We often commented on how we felt like we were in the Mediterranean. Thanks to the sub-tropical climate and looking at the crystal clear turquoise blue waters it was hard to accept you were still in the UK. You discover a slower pace of life, where people don’t lock their doors and it’s safe to leave your bikes by the roadside without need for locks. There are many honesty stalls dotted around the islands, with home crafted trinkets, home grown veg and home-made chutneys/jams for sale, you pop your money in the box or simply use pay device via a QR code scanner- don’t be fooled they’re not moving with the times!

If you like wild natural beaches, coastal hikes, wildlife, star gazing and getting close to nature I can highly recommend a visit. It just needs a little careful planning which is where I come in! Contact me for more details. We have already booked our next trip!