Have you been to Scilly?
That’s what I’ve asked everyone I know recently. I’m obsessed with this British archipelago which is 28 miles of the coast of Cornwall.
I’m not surprised when many say the Isles of Scilly are on their travel bucket list. The gulf stream ensures it never frosts, creating a climate where subtropical plants thrive. On a sunny day, when the clear Atlantic waters turn turquoise blue and the white sand beaches sparkle, you may think you are in the Caribbean. That’s a teeny bit of a stretch, but think of a warm Scottish Hebrides. And you are so far from the British coastline, even Apple devices get confused about time zones.
Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson holidayed in Scilly in the ’70s and I imagine holidays there aren’t much different now. Days are filled with boat rides, long seaside walks and cycle trips discovering secluded beaches and bays. Only locals have cars, so there is hardly any traffic. Life is governed by the tides and weather. It’s good old-fashioned, Famous Five fun – the only exception being super fast wifi is now included! There’s no scheduled travel to or from Scilly on Sundays — and that just adds to the retro feel!
We stayed on St. Mary’s – the largest of the 5 inhabited islands and the defacto hub – at Tregarthen’s Hotel. The hotel was perfectly placed to enjoy all the Scilly has to offer. Read on for our suggested list of activities – and let us know if you have any favourites of your own!
Life in the Scilly Isles revolves around the daily boat schedules to and from the main Islands. Just turn and pick which one you want to visit! No need to book!
Taking the “bus” home from St Martins.
Scilly: 12 awesome suggestions for families
1. Island hop. This is THE thing to do while you are in Scilly. It involved taking the local boat service and “hopping” from island to island and exploring what each has to offer. St. Mary’s is the largest, Bryher is wild and rugged, Tresco has its subtropical gardens, St Agnes has the Turk’s Head (most south-westerly pub in the UK) and St. Martin’s is known for its white sand beaches.
2. Bike ride. Rent a bicycle and cycle around St Mary’s. Our hotel organised a day bike hire and gave us a map – and off we went!
3. Tour the tea rooms. There are so many cute cafes and tea rooms on all the islands you could try them each one – and rate the cookies and cakes on a scale of yummy to out-of-this-world good.
4. Have a Picnic. Take a boat out to one of the island and have a picnic. Picnic tables seem to be everywhere – and placed picture-perfect places. We found one on a deserted beach. It was quite memorable.
We preordered a picnic from our hotel and took it on a day out on Tresco. Then we found a deserted beach to have lunch! #idyllic
5. Hire a golf cart. Too tired to cycle? The favoured way to get around on Scilly is on a golf cart. Only locals have cars – so there isn’t much traffic. There’s even golf car parking areas. Who knew?
6. Try Tregarthen’s Treasure trails. Kid’s will love Tregarthen’s Treasure Trails, cleverly created pirate treasures for kids to find. The hotel gave us “Treasure Trail’s” to do while on the St Mary’s. We followed a map and found hidden pirate treasure. It’s a great way to get a tour of the island.
7. Collect shells. Gather shells, then paint them, stack them, take them home as souvenirs. Seashells are plentiful and everywhere!
8. Make Scilly jokes. We had fun making up as many as we could. That’s a scilly mistake! Oh you scilly cow. You scilly sausage. The possibilities are scintillating (sorry).
9. See Puffins or Seals. April through late July, between 100 and 200 Puffin pairs come and nest on eight of the uninhabited islands around the Western Rocks, including Annet and numerous boat trips allow you up close views (and pics). You can also snorkle with seal – some get so close they can nibble on your fins!
10. Relax and be kids. Climb on rocks. Make a sand castle. Have a Famous Five adventure. Or pretend you are Michael Morpurgo, who writes from the islands and has made Scilly his home away from home.
11. Quay jump. Kids will love quay jumping in the evening on St Mary’s depending on tides. Lots gather on the small quay to hurl themselves off!
12. Have an ice cream. Scilly has it’s own ice cream, made atTroytown Farms on St Agnes. You can visit or just sample the ice cream, it’s available at most shops and cafes.
13. Buy from an honesty box. They are everywhere – offering everything from local produce to handmade trinkets and art. It must one of the few places left where people are trusted to pay for what they take.
Boarding the Skybus Twin Otter, which seats 16 people!
Getting there: Skybus & Scillonian II & III
The Skybus, operated by Isles of Scilly Travel, is the fastest way to Scilly. Your holiday will start as soon as you board the 19 seat Twin Otter plane or 8 seat Islander seats. You sit within arm’s reach of the pilot, and have views straight ahead through the cockpit and on all sides. The flight is full of spectacular overhead views over Cornwall and Scilly. Flights go from Lands End (15 – 20 minutes), Newquay (30 minutes) and in season from Exeter (60 minutes). Make sure to check the luggage requirements, as they are different from other commercial airlines, especially when it comes to hand luggage. Alternatively catch the Scillonian ferry from Penzance Harbour. It’s 2 hours 45 minutes depending on tides and weather conditions.
The view over the Harbour from our room at Tregarthen’s Hotel on St. Mary’s
Where we stayed: Tregarthen’s Hotel
Part of Tregarthen’s secret is location, right on St. Mary’s Harbour and perched high enough to command some of the best views of Scilly. Life on the islands revolves around the many boat trips that launch from this harbour. It takes all of about 5 minutes from dropping off your room key at reception (old-fashioned and I love it) to stepping on your boat.
Service and family friendliness are other reasons to love the hotel. Tregarthen’s concierge service will recommend and arrange adventures based on your family requirements. Fancy a picnic on the beach in Tresco? Or a cycle around St Mary’s looking for hidden treasures? Kids bored? Collect shells, paint them and add them to our shell wall!
But food quality is always a litmus test. When you come home each evening, tired from a day of Famous Five exploring, you want to enjoy a high quality, leisurely meal. With just-caught seafood just steps away and lots of fresh local produce, the restaurant serves excellent dishes, which can be adapted to suit your children’s tastes too.
When you finally make it to your room and make a cup of tea adding fresh local milk, you’ll start planning your return. We did!
There were loads of quiet corner at Tregarthen’s Hotel the sit and enjoy the sea views.
Our accommodation and some meals were provided by Tregarthen’s for the purpose of this review. The flights were donated by Isles of Scilly Travel. We paid for all activities. All opinions are my own and my family’s.
About Susanna Scott
Susanna Scott founded the BritMums social network in 2008 after a career in marketing. She wanted to create a space for parent bloggers to network, and share ideas and opportunities. She is often quoted as a pioneer in the UK Mum Blogging space, and has been named a top female entrepreneur. She has been featured in The Times, The FT, The Independent, The Guardian, The Sun, Technorati, She, Primo Baby and Red magazine, amongst others. She speaks frequently about blogging, social networking and the BritMums community at industry events. Her blog A Modern Mother ranks in the UK’s top 10 Family Tarvel Blogs. Follow her on @amodernmother.
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