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Scilly Isles anyone?

(9 Posts)
tanith Sat 13-Oct-12 22:44:02

OH and I are thinking of a trip there next year anyone been who could pass on some tips, we'll be going by boat as OH doesn't fly although I am going to try and persuade him to take a very short flight while we are there . How does one travel around while there , is it small enough to walk everywhere? any recommendations as to which Island we should stay on or could we break up the stay on two different ones? We will look to stay in a b&b near the beach/harbour so if anyone can recommend that would be excellent.. I had a look at trains from London to Penzance and nearly fell of the chair at the prices, we'll have to drive down methinks. grin thanks.

tanith Sat 13-Oct-12 22:44:56

That should of course be off the chair..

janeainsworth Sat 13-Oct-12 22:55:14

tanith we have been twice, camping both times.
The Scillies are magical.
The first time we camped on St Mary's, where the Scillonian lands, and the second on St Martin's, to which you have to take a local ferry.
We made day trips to St Agnes, Tresco and Bryher. There's a well-organised co-operative of small boats to take you there.
The best bit was arriving on Bryher at 10.30 in the morning, smelling the Cornish pasties being baked, following our noses to the post office where the post mistress and her young son were just getting them out of the oven.
Oh and Tresco Abbey Gardens, and wandering over St Martin's and seeing all the wild agapanthus growing.
The beaches are amazing, beautiful pale gold sand and turquoise water.
It's all lovely - just go smile

tanith Sat 13-Oct-12 23:06:58

Sounds so lovely jane, I don't think I can persuade OH to camp though.. sounds like there is plenty to do , do you think we can find plenty of things that don't require hours of walking? , I'm ok for a couple of hours on my feet but after that my back will start to protest.. I'm going to make a list of the things people recommend.

janeainsworth Sun 14-Oct-12 09:40:05

Plenty of short walks Tanith. If you stay on one island you can get a ferry to the others very easily and just have a little potter round - stroll to the beach and sit there until the ferry goes back.
Not really things to do in the sense of stately homes etc, just the Abbey Gardens on Tresco which are NT. There are some shops and a little museum on St Mary's, but not many.
I don't know what your budget is, but if I were able to dissuade Mr A from his camping proclivities and I was feeling flush I would love to stay here. I think I am correct in saying the hotel and restaurant won an award from the Radio 4 Food programme, and that it is also owned by the island's baker, whose delicacies we did enjoy when we were camping on St Martin's.

tanith Sun 14-Oct-12 11:57:54

Thanks Jane, pottering sounds like my kind of thing neither of us good on long strenuous walks although I wish I was . We can manage a nice b&b some of the hotels are very expensive so they are out I think. I've found a couple of nice ones so far I'll keep looking..

Mishap Sun 14-Oct-12 19:58:17

We stayed in a self-catering cottage on St Agnes several years ago - it was right on the beach and total magic - we loved it so much. There is something special about small island communities. I wish I were going there again - have a lovely time!

yogagran Sun 14-Oct-12 21:15:17

I got seriously told off by a resident of these beautiful Isles - apparently they don't like people saying "Scilly Isles" - they are "The Isles of Scilly" confused

tanith Sun 14-Oct-12 21:15:18

Thanks Mishap , we hadn't considered self catering , food for thought there...