Isle of Scilly Excursions
St Mary’s
St. Mary’s is the largest inhabited island in the Isles of Scilly measuring just 2 over miles wide by 2 ½ miles long. There are 9 miles of ‘road’ and the coastal path walk is just short of 11 miles.
Hugh Town is the main shopping area on the islands with numerous shops, cafes, and services based there. This is where the Tourist Information Centre, 2 banks, cash point and post office are located.
All passenger tenders arrive and leave from the Quay in St. Mary’s Harbour which is conveniently positioned just ¼ mile from Hugh Town.
There are numerous galleries, craft studios and artist workshops on St. Mary’s, and ‘roam-alone’ gallery and studio walking leaflets can be picked up for free from the TIC. Alternatively let us arrange an artist and gallery guided walk for you, with plenty of stops at cafes for local produce and a proper cream tea!
Tours on or around St. Mary's
ISLAND SEA SAFARIS
Click here to download pdf brochure
WHO Mark & Susie Groves
PHONE 01720 422732 and 07747 615732
WEB www.islandseasafaris.co.uk
E-MAIL info@islandseasafaris.co.uk
ISLAND ROVER BUS TOUR
Take a scenic bus tour around St. Mary’s in a 1948 vintage coach or open-top tour bus with humorous commentary by guide Glynn Lucas and Fred Elms. The tours take visitors to sites of interest including Harold Wilson’s house, Old Town, to studios and show locations of past ship building industry on Scilly. The tours last approximately 1hr 10mins and are a super way to see the whole of St. Mary’s in a morning. The tours can commence from the Chemist which is particularly close to the quay, so passengers don’t have far to walk. For more information and prices contact
WHO Glynne Lucas
PHONE 01720 422131
WEB www.islandrover.co.uk
E-MAIL island.rover@btinternet.com
ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDED WALK
Take a walk around the Garrison or around St. Mary’s with local archaeologist Katharine Sawyer. Her expert knowledge brings to life the historical buildings and sites of interest on St. Mary’s and allow visitors to get to some of the most fascinating places on the islands. An ideal walk for cruise passengers would be ‘Hugh Town and the Garrison’ which lasts between 2-3 hrs. For more details and to book please contact Katharine direct.
WHO Katharine Sawyer
PHONE 01720 423326
WEB www.scillywalks.co.uk
E MAIL katharine.sawyer@which.net
GUIDED WILDLIFE WALK
The Isles of Scilly are teaming with marine and bird therefore what better way to make the most of this than with a guided wildlife walk, looking at all things natural. After inspecting the town beaches of St. Marys for sea and shore birds, Will’s guided walks end the morning in Lower Moors. Tours can be tailored to particular itineraries and for further details please contact Will direct.
WHO Will Wagstaff
PHONE 01720 422212
WEB www.islandwildlifetours.co.uk
E MAIL will@islandwildlifetours.co.uk
GUIDED MUSEUM TOUR
The Isles of Scilly Museum is centrally located in Hugh Town and presents a fantastic array of island artefacts. Displays include Bronze Age pieces, shipwreck treasures, a fully rigged gig, rare birds and quite unique pieces from Harold Wilson’s time as British Prime Minister. Curator Amanda Martin offers fascinated guided group tours around the museum giving an excellent insight into the islands.
WHO Amanda Martin
PHONE 01720 422337
WEB www.iosmuseum.org
E MAIL ajmnornour@btinternet.com
GOLF ON ST MARYS
You can play golf at the most southerly golf course in Great Britain, the sea is visible from every tee and the panoramic views are some of the best you will find on any golf course in the world. Green fees and club hire are available along with great food; the local agent can arrange packages to suit any visitor.
PHONE 01720 422692
BOATING TOURS
The Boatmen’s Association are an association of 10 independently owned boats, operating together from St. Mary's to provide a comprehensive boating service within and around the Isles of Scilly.
Association trips are designed to provide an unrivalled service to all the main off-islands together with a selection of circular trips to view seals, seabirds etc. These are also the tender vessels cruise passengers use to transfer top the islands.
Trips which may be of particular interest…
Eastern Isles – one and a half hour cruise around this idyllic group of a dozen uninhabited islands nestling in the Eastern corner of Scilly, is our most popular circular trip. The Eastern Isles are one of the best places for viewing the Atlantic Grey Seals as well as offering a wonderful variety of seabirds. This trip has the option to land at St. Martins.
Annet is a bird sanctuary, closed for landing throughout much of the year because of the large number of breeding seabirds. The main attractions of Annet are the puffins, but you can also expect to see a wide variety of other seabirds. The trip lasts about one and a quarter hours and can be combined with a visit to St. Agnes. The trip is done in the afternoons and in the mornings when conditions are not good enough for the Bishop Rock trip and will only be done until late July.
WHO Jeremy Phillips / David Badcock
PHONE 01720 423999
WEB www.scillyboating.co.uk
E MAIL enquiries@scillyboating.co.uk
Tresco
Tresco is the second largest inhabited island in the archipelago with a population of approximately 200. It is home to the world famous Tresco Abbey gardens a must see on everyone’s itinerary. The island is privately owned and populated with many mature sub-tropical species which only flourish on the Isles of Scilly
There are two quays on Tresco and transport can be arranged from New Grimsby to the Abbey Garden for the infirm. Tresco also offers bike hire and a superb delicatessen and post office.
TRESCO ABBEY GARDEN
A visit to Scilly isn’t complete without a look at the world famous Tresco Abbey Garden on the island of Tresco. The gardens present one of the finest international collections of sub-tropical plants in the UK and are often referred to as ‘Kew with the roof off’
They are also home to ‘Valhalla’– a shipwreck figurehead museum where visitors can see carved figureheads, cannons and lighthouse relics from across the islands.
A tour with curator Mike Nelhams can be tailored to your itinerary and is a great way to make the most of a short time on the islands.
WHO Mike Nellhams Garden Curator
PHONE 01720 424108
WEB www.tresco.co.uk/see/abbey-garden/group-bookings.aspx
E MAIL mikenelhams@tresco.co.uk
1. The gardens are open daily and although the general opening hours are 10 am – 4 pm we are happy to open early or late to accommodate cruise ship calls.
2. Carn Near Quay has undergone a ¾ million pound upgrade and improvement over the winter so that passengers can disembark from the tenders in a safer and more convenient way.
3. Tresco can receive the ship’s own tenders as well as the local boats. All boats are met at the quay by the gardeners. For local tenders the ship needs to contact the local agent David Badcock on dpbsmbascilly@btinternet.com or 07799355885.
4. We offer free transport to and from the quays for those less able to walk.
5. Our Garden Visitor Centre has a well stocked licensed café offering hot and cold snacks and a range of beverages and cakes with a garden seating area and indoor seating for inclement days. The Gift Shop has a wide range of souvenirs and gifts, many with garden themes. There is an information room detailing the history of the garden where there are also facilities for slide shows and exhibitions.
6. For the disabled visitor we have a wheelchair, an electric scooter available for hire and disabled WC facilities. Most of the garden is accessible by wheelchair; there are slopes to the upper terraces for those unable to ascend the steps.
7. We offer guided tours led by our knowledgeable and friendly gardeners at reasonable rates, the tours generally last about an hour but can be tailored to suit the needs of the passengers, i.e. special interest tours. Free garden maps are handed out to all the visitors.
8. The gardens are also home to a large variety of birds; lucky visitors will encounter a golden pheasant or catch a glimpse of the rarer birds that stop off on their migration.
9. Near to the garden are several white sandy beaches with views across the islands or there are plenty of woodland walks. A 25 minute walk away is the village with an island store and the renowned New Inn.
St Martin’s
First impressions of St. Martin’s last forever as crescents of white gold sand stretch out of the sea to a lush long island. St. Martin’s is the third largest island, closest to the Eastern Isles and is an excellent choice for those looking for a day visit with a difference. The island has an excellent café, pub and luxurious hotel, not to mention general store and post office, bakery, vineyard and flower farm. A few hours on this island complements the Eastern Isles boat trip and is a great way to see Scilly.
ST. MARTIN’S VINEYARD
St Martins Vineyard is the most south-westerly vineyard in England, enjoying a mild climate and favourable position, near Higher Town Quay Val and Graham Thomas started the project in 1996 and now produce a delicious array of wines with light fruity flavours influenced by the black granite soil, pure sea air and above average annual hours of sunshine. Tours take in all processes from checking the vines to the visiting the winery and can be tailored to your time frame on St. Martins.
WHO Val and Graham Thomas
PHONE 01720 423418
WEB www.stmartinsvineyard.co.uk
E MAIL graham@stmartinsvineyard.co.uk
SCENT FROM THE ISLANDS FLOWER FARM TOUR
Churchtown Farm is a small family farm on St. Martin’s who specialise in growing scented flowers outdoors all year round thanks to the island climate. The winter crop is Scented Narcissi, which are unique to these islands, whilst in the summer they grow superior Show Pinks. A flower farm tour talks visitors through the process of feeding and growing flowers right through to selecting and wrapping lastly to delivery of beautiful island bouquets. A very interesting tour totally unique to the islands and a unique opportunity to see daily workings of a flower farm and Scilly’s oldest industry. Tours can be tailored to specific group requirements.
WHO Zoe and Ben Julian
PHONE 01720 422169
WEB www.scillyflowers.co.uk
E MAIL info@scillyflowers.co.uk
St Agnes & Bryher
St. Agnes and Bryher are the smallest of the inhabited islands but certainly make a big impression, stop off at St. Agnes after seeing the puffins on Annet and visit the church at Periglis. Sit down for a delicious cream or look for beads in Beady Pool at Wingletang. St. Agnes is the perfect antidote to modern life.
On Bryher the pace of life is just the same. Take time to walk to Shipman Head Down looking at the superb views across Tresco Channel, visit the old gig shed- now a thriving artist studio feed the pub’s resident goat or walk to Rushy Bay overlooking the uninhabited island of Samson.
If you wish to have further details about guided walks on either of these islands please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01720 424047 or the Tourist Information Centre direct on 01720 424031
www.simplyscilly.co.uk