A GREAT ESCAPE

isles of scilly travel

The operator of the Skybus (plane) and Scillonian III (passenger ferry). Flights to St Mary’s from Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter airports, from £92.50 one way. www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk

penzance helicopters

These brand-new choppers (the AW139 only launched on 17 March this year) operate from Penzance Heliport and fly to both St Mary’s and Tresco year-round, six days a week, from £130 one way. www.penzancehelicopters.co.uk

star castle hotel

Book one of 38 guestrooms – 11 are in the castle (some in former guardrooms) and the remainder are new garden suites. Meals are served either in a sunny conservatory, with a vine-covered ceiling, or in the stone-walled restaurant; lobster lunches are also offered in the vineyard with wine tastings. The hotel has a small indoor swimming pool, too. www.star-castle.co.uk

tanglewood table

This tiny, award-winning restaurant seats eight people on the former sorting table – still covered with memorabilia under a glass top – at the back of the Hugh Town post office on St Mary’s. The owner and chef, Euan Rodger, also prepares delicious ready-made meals, as well as picnics with chilled wine. Be sure to try his chicken and mushroom pie, and bread and butter pudding. www.tanglewoodkitchen.co.uk

troytown farm

This working dairy farm, on the west coast of St Agnes, has a campsite and self-catering cottages. Its delicious ice-creams, milk and meat are for sale in the farm shop. www.troytown.co.uk