The sun-kissed archipelago on your doorstep
Dramatic coastlines, superb food and a bit of horseriding: Robin Murray takes a tour of the Isles of Scilly
It’s one of those real bucket list places,” says the lady behind the check-in desk to Rachael and I as we prepare to board the plane to the Isles of Scilly. It’s a little hyperbolic, we both agree once we’ve said goodbye to her, but it doesn’t take us long to realise that we were wrong to doubt her. Perhaps the reason we met her claim with a sense of derision was that, like a lot of mainlanders, the archipelagos are something of an unknown to us; a faraway land not often ventured to despite the fact they’re only 30 miles on from Land’s End. Maybe Scillonians work hard to keep their idyllic home a secret and if that’s the case then, well, I apologise for writing this. Our journey begins at Exeter Airport where we board a minuscule Skybus plane, which is an experience in itself. With just 15 seats and a clear sight through to the cockpit where you can see the pilot’s every move, it’s a thrilling ride and one which offers breathtaking views of the dramatic Cornish coastline, as well as the seemingly never-ending mass of Dartmoor. But the real showstopper is when the isles first come into sight, namely the crystal clear waters which bare breathtaking resemblance to those of the Caribbean. the landing is a fairly hairy experience, though, so those who aren’t the biggest fans of flying might want to consider taking the ferry over instead. While the landing is far from the smoothest we’ve ever enjoyed, the rest of the experience at St Mary’s Airport couldn’t be any less hassle. As soon as we set foot inside the tiny arrivals lounge we’re greeted by a helpful assistant from Skybus who asks us and our fellow passengers where we’re all heading, before leading us all out to the fleet of transfer buses which are ready and waiting to take us to our respective accommodation. We instantly feel at home and relaxed. Our accommodation is tregarthen’s, the last stop on the mini tour of the island and one of the longest-running hotels on the isles. Soon after being shown to our room we discover that it boasts stunning views out to tresco and St Martin’s, two of the other main inhabited islands, and that it is in the perfect location with numerous restaurants, pubs and shops just a stone’s throw away. While it could quite conceivably be argued that it’s also dated in appearance, the staff are absolutely superb throughout our stay and it acts as the perfect base from start to finish. One of its main advantages is that it’s a short walk to the quay, from where boats take people across to the other four inhabited islands which make up the isles at certain times throughout the day. We manage to make it to two other islands during our stay, the aforementioned tresco and St Martin’s, and quickly discover that each have their own unique characteristics and charms. St Mary’s, being the most populated island by some distance, is where the majority of the isles’ food and drink options are based and the first restaurant we visit is possibly our favourite over the whole weekend. Dibble & Grub offers unparalleled views across the stunning Porthcressa Beach and serves food equally as pleasant. Basking in the midday sun and savouring the view, we thoroughly enjoy our grilled mackerel sand-
wiches and side of fried halloumi, washed down with some ice cold glasses of Peroni. It’s safe to say we’re spoiled for choice over the weekend and also enjoy meals at Atlantic Inn, the thriving hub of Hugh town, and the Mermaid Inn. And St Mary’s isn’t just a foodie’s haven, it’s also home to a host of fun activities to interest all ages. Embracing our wild side, we opt for a spot of horse riding during our first full day on the island and don’t regret it. the staff at St Mary’s Equestrian Centre immediately make us feel at ease with our respective horses, which is just what I need as it’s my first time riding and I’ve been given the biggest horse on the island. Grace, my trusty steed, is 17 hands. Yes, seventeen. Needless to say the first 15 minutes are a little daunting, but I soon feel more at ease and enjoy the simply breathtaking views of the island on horseback. We’re then led into the sea by our two wonderful guides and it’s a magical moment which neither of us will forget in a hurry. Our two horses take pleasure in dunking their heads into the sea to cool down, but thankfully we manage to stay in the saddles. the following day we take a boat out to tresco, which takes around 15 minutes, and as soon as we step onto land it really is peace personified. With no cars on tresco, all that can be heard is the sound of birds chirping above and distant chatter from others who have made the journey over. As advised earlier that day by a helpful member of staff at tregarthen’s, we head over to the Abbey Gardens which are home to 17 acres of more than 20,000 sub-tropical plants. It is an absolute paradise and our two-hour visit doesn’t feel like long enough. From there we take a short walk to Appletree Bay to rest our legs and enjoy the pure white sands and crystal clear waters – somehow even clearer than that of the other beaches we’ve visited. But St Martin’s steals the show on the final day. Again, we find that the lack of cars makes everything so wonderfully tranquil, and the reason we prefer it slightly to tresco and St Mary’s is as it’s slightly rougher around the edges, with a maze of jagged paths leading off to various different beaches. We choose a path at random that leads us to Great Bay, which we soon discover is very aptly named. It is simply beautiful and we later find out that it’s regarded as one of the UK’S finest beaches by some discerning beach bums – an accolade we are not surprised by in the slightest. For lunch on St Martin’s, we make the trek to the other side of the island to the Seven Stones pub, which proudly boasts to having the best beer garden in the UK. It’s a bold statement, but after being proved wrong by the check in attendant just three days prior we’re happy to go along with it. Sure enough, they might just have a point as the view from the benches at the top of the track which leads to it is utterly breathtaking, and its food offering is nothing short of exceptional too. I’ll admit, Rachael and I didn’t know what to expect before embarking on our long weekend to the Isles of Scilly. Neither of us knew much about it and we weren’t sure how much we were going to enjoy our time there, but it exceeded our expectations by some way from start to finish. From the countless tropical, deserted beaches to the superb restaurants to the warm welcome from the locals, it truly is a place like no other and should be a firm fixture on everyone’s bucket list. If only there had been someone to tells us this before we boarded the plane…