The Scilly isles – Grace Note Adventures

Agapanthus grow abundantly on all the islands

Having much enjoyed our stay in Padstow, we embarked on the fairly long passage (70nm) to the Scillies at silly o’clock in the morning (0300, to get fuel and over the ‘Doom Bar’) in the pre-dawn dark. Traversing this area in the dark is not recommended as there are many lobster pot bouys in the vicinity, but due to the tide and distance we had little choice and chose the ‘crew on the bow with powerful lamp’ option. This was OK but very uncomfortable in the lumpy sea. However, once we were well passed Travose Head we settled down to 2 hour watches with a fair tide and fine wind on the beam giving us good progress. The passage saw us passing many well known and iconic places on the North Cornwall coast till, after crossing the major TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme) off Cape Cornwall and skidding round the notorious Seven Stones reef (together with its big red lightship) we arrived in the lovely, secluded and deserted ‘Little Bay’ on the North West corner of St Martins island in Scilly.

The Scilly Isles consist of 5 inhabitant isles and over 140 uninhabited isles and islets. They sit 28 miles from Lands End on the Cornish coast. The five islands all have a different feel and identity. In 1975 the islands were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Last year the harbour authority recorded that 70% of visiting boats were French. We have seen American, Spanish, Belgium, Norwegian, Dutch and Irish boats as well, so its a real mix. We have spent a lovely month exploring the archipelago. Below is a flavour of the 5 islands; St Marys, Tresco, St Martins, Bryher and St Agnes – 10 photos of each!

St Marys …..

St Marys is the largest with 40% of the total land. The population is about 1,723 (total population was 2,010 in 2021). The capital is Hugh Town where the main ferry arrives, along with the airport and one of the heliports. 1097 people work and live in Hugh and the secondary school for all the islands is based here. The island is about 2 1/2 miles by 1 3/4 miles. Children from other islands often board on St Marys Monday-Friday. There is a inter island Doctors boat, RNLI lifeboats and an Ambulance boat serving the islands.

Windmill Bay – on NE St Marys, typical with fairly low rocks and sandy bays

These Scilly carts are for hire in lieu of hire cars!

Bants Carn Burial Chamber and Halangy Down Village. The Burial chamber is dating from the bronze age (c2500-800BC)

St Marys community bus, in our experience both friendly and ran on time!

These goats where free range, they tried to nibble Anthonys shorts and kept following us to have a second nibble!

Busy A road junction St Mary’s style!
There are 3 A roads in total covering some of the island.

Tresco

Tresco is the 2nd largest island, it is 2 1/2 miles long and 1 mile wide. Its managed by the Dorrien-Smith Family. 150 people live permanently on the island. All the houses on the island are rented. It is famous for its lovely sub tropical gardens. The second heliport is here. It is primarily a holiday resort and appears a lot more managed and less rugged than the other islands.

King Charles Castle and Cromwells castle were build on a rocky promontory after the conquest of The Royalist Scillies in 1651, they overlook Old Grimsby Sound between Tresco and Bryher

Lovely St Helens Pool anchorage from New Grimsby on the East

The lush Abbey Gardens thrive in the mild climate. Initially planted in 1834, it has mature planting with many interesting varieties.

£65 for a water taxi … This reflects Trescos reputation of being rather expensive!

There is a lovely variety shells and sea glass on the beaches, these have been used to make lovely displays

St Martins

St Martins, is home to one of the vineyards. Scilly flowers is based here. Its the most northerly of the islands and is joined by a tidal causeway to White Island. There is a day mark on the headland which can be seen from the mainland on a clear day. Many believe it has the best beaches in the Scillies …. the light sand being made of granite its quartz sparkles in the sun. Its also the home of Adams fish and chips which won BBC4s Food and Farming award as best takeaway in 2008. Fish is caught daily and the Potatoes are grown on the family farm (was yummy).

White island just visible to the left, GN in Little Bay and great Bay on the right of the picture

Community observatory, built by enthusiastic locals making the most of unpolluted dark skies, one telescope for deep sky viewing at night and one for using during the day

Little Bay on St Martins with sparkly sand (photo doesn’t really show)

White island which you can walk to at low water

Inquisitive Red Ruby Devon Cows who live on St Martins

Chickens, ducks and children all unrestrained throughout the island

Individually made shoes to fit your foot, using traditional methods

The Day mark is a very visible transit within the Scillies built on the highest point. It stands 40 feet (6.4m) high. It was designed by Thomas Ekins in the 16th Century.

Bryher

Bryher is one of the smallest of the inhabited islands. On the exposed West coast is Hells bay, so called because of the infamous waves and swell – and thus shipwrecks – particularly in the 16th and 17th century. On the other side of the island is a popular calm sandy anchorage called Green Bay. The Island Fish is a popular lobster and crab cafe, run by 3 generations of the same family. As with the other islands there are numerous honesty huts, two examples being Veronicas Fudge and Bryher Bake Box which are well worth visiting.

Scillonian *Tattie Cake* made on the island to a secret very old recipe, mainly potatoes with butter, sugar, flour and dried fruit. Keen to try and didn’t check it was in focus.

Honesty fudge shop, so tasty with lots of flavours

Eonium Zwartkop grows freely on the islands

Song Thrush, very common in the Scilly isles, sadly no longer on the mainland

“Anneka quay”, which was built by Anneka Rice (1990 – for those who remember the programme)) and her team to meet the need for some low water access, it was widened and extended by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2007

Catching Shrimps by wading out at low water is a popular pastime on the island.

Flowers growing along pathway on the way to the shop

Views of Green Bay – From Samson Hill looking NE

Looking South with Old Grimsby on the left

Green Bay proved great for sitting out strong winds – but needed GN to ‘take the ground’

Lichen grows abundantly on rocks – just on Bryher a srecent study counted over 50 different types

St Agnes

St Agnes is – technically – the smallest island. It is the most southerly, with the Turks Head pub the most South Westerly in the UK. Day tripper boats bring walkers to St Agnes, Troy Town Farm makes its famous ice cream and is situated at the opposite side of the island, an easy 15 minutes away so not far. The island only has 4 children, 2 of whom are twins, so the school is small!

The main anchorages are two bays either side of a tombolo, called Gugh bar. This is a sand bar that joins St Agnes and Gugh but covers at high water. You choose your anchorage depending on the wind and swell direction.

The Tombolo covers at most High waters. The cove anchorage on the far side and Porth Conger closest, taken from Gugh

Inter island Gig racing is very popular. Wednesday nights Ladies and Fridays Men. TheScillonians are very competitive. The Annual World Pilot Gig championships are held at St Marys each May.

After Gig races boats land on the beach then discuss tactics in the Turks Head the most SW pub in the UK. Its also the landing quay for day trippers.

Bishops Rock lies west of St Agnes, marking the edge of the islands. The Guinness book of records lists it as “…. the worlds smallest island with a building on it”. The lighthouse stands at 49m high equal to the tallest lighthouse in England.

One of the many ancient graves in the islands, It is thought that the dead where buried at the top of the hill so they could watch over the happenings of the living

Sea Holly grows along the pathways on Wingletang Down

An old stone Labyrinth, Made of stone is thought it may be of Viking origin. Unlike mazes Labyrinths have no dead ends

Stone men… the isles of Scilly doesn’t often have snow.

The old light house is now private accommodation. On the old charts of 1680 the isles of Scilly are marked 10 miles north than they actually are …. causing lots of ships to come ashore. Because of this the light house here was the second one built in the UK by Trinity House

The utility boat visits all the islands each day

Bye to the Scilly Isles (St Helens Pool, Tresco)

Having rented our house since spring 2021 (back in the pandemic), we will be regaining procession at the beginning of September. The next blog will be our last as we say bye to the Scilly isles and head back to the familiar waters of the English Channel and our starting point – Portland Harbour.

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