UKC

We’re going to the Scillies for a week mid-May. No climbing or bouldering planned, but interested in flora and fauna and gardens. Boat trips obviously are inevitable - which are the best for scenery and sea life? We are keen to hire an expert for a couple of days - there are 8 of us in total. Any recommendations and not-to-be-misseds are welcome. We’ll be based in St Mary’s at Hugh Town.Thank you.

How to upset the locals, "Scillies" and "Scilly isles"

🤣🤣🤣

Unless you find out something to the contrary, I'd go for spring tides to give the best chance of rockpooling fun.

We camp each year on St Agnes. A truly special place. You can get the boat over there from Hugh Town. 

If the weather is calm you can hire kayaks or paddleboards on the beach at Troytown, and if you are up for it, paddle out to Annet for sensational views of the puffins. Last time I was there, and just staying quiet, they came to within about 6ft of the kayak. 

Troytown also sells the best ice cream in the world. Just saying.

The Isles of Scilly. Been twice with my sea kayaks, as others have said, this is a truly special place.

If you have good settled weather and light winds definitely hire some kayaks, the Western Rocks in the evening sunshine makes you feel you are in a place and time long forgot...

I could get more whimsical...I even have the Admiralty chart framed on my bedroom wall.

Tresco gardens are good, the island itself not so

The Salted Caramel.........

I enjoyed a week sea kayaking amongst the Scilly Isles in 2023. Didn’t see much wildlife, but the quantity and quality of cafes for coffee and cake was outstanding

When I went there were snorkel with seals trips. I went as a diver (based out of St Martins), but can say the seals were very friendly and an amazing experience. The snorkelling and diving is very good too, with great visibility. You can hire canoes I believe. 

The wildlife was easy to spot, raptors. sea birds, marine mammals, some lucky friends saw basking shark too. On the ferry out you can see stuff too, though its a bit of a trip. 

Enjoy. 

Don't forget the seasickness tablets, the ferry over is renowned for being very unstable in rough weather. 

Thought you might get a few more suggestions,  other highlights we think....

Juliets Gardsn restaurant,  on St Mary's.

Hire bikes on St Mary's and visit some lovely gardens and beaches on the way around the island. Lazy version, book one of the Carts which are basically big golf buggies.  Great fun.

Bryher, walk around the island, swim on the W side and drink lovely beer at the very nice Hell Bay Hotel. Also on Bryher, Island Fish Co cafe,  just up from the boat landing. Best (only!) lobster and wedges I've ever had.

Have a great time. We are back this year and after I was one of the 41% who didn't finish the Scilly60 race, I'm in the fun run Scilly60% this year. Can't wait!

That’ll be Mrs Wilko you’re talking to there. Never been travel sick yet myself, despite various rough crossings of the Channel, Irish Sea, Bass Strait, and Fair Isle gap.But I guess nothing’s impossible.

Thanks for all replies. Don’t do kayaks - I’m top heavy, and always topple over.

I don’t understand this post.

The Scillies or Scilly isles are not the preferred terms for the Isles of Scilly. 

A bit like Peaks for the Peak District.

Just to add, it is one the most amazing places I've been.

Also my mum and grand parents lived there many years ago, as my grandad was a customs officer stationed there.

Thank you

The Isles of Scilly are wonderful. Since you're staying in Hugh Town, it'll soon become apparent, but watching the sunset from up by Star Castle on Garrison Hill is lovely (apparently a good place to see the green flash, though I never have). Swimming off Porthcressa is nice too. 

If you are wondering whether to get the boat or fly, boat out, flying back is one good options lots of people do. I think the boat is definitely worthwhile, especially if you're interested in wildlife. Last time I went I saw petrels, sunfish, dolphins, puffins, a minke whale - all in one sailing. Very shallow draft though, so the roll can be pretty bad! 

Yes, I believe Isles of Scilly or just Scilly are acceptable.

We stayed on Bryher for a week and loved it. My wife hired a dinghy and had a wonderful time sailing most days. I went bouldering, snorkelling, kayaking. The water is cold - it doesn't get much above 15C, even in September when we were there - so I wore a wet suit if I wanted to stay in the water for a while.

There was a low spring tide one day when it was possible to walk over to Tresco. There was a small fair on the sands between the islands. The gardens on Tresco are lovely but the rest of the island felt a bit manicured and sanitised compared to Bryher. The views from the tors of Bryher over the western rocks out into the Atlantic are spectacular.

https://www.turksheadscilly.co.uk/
 

worth a trip! 

I can’t wait! Looks idyllic.

Last time they went Mum was totally prepared to pay the extra to upgrade to flying home after a very unpleasant ferry journey out. As it was though, all fights were cancelled due to fog and they had a calm crossing.

can’t you see those in Lancashire?

We’re committed to boat both ways. It was the frequency of delays and cancellations due to weather which put us off flying.

The boat has a very shallow keel, so rolls terribly compared to most ferries. If you are remotely prone to travel sickness drug yourself up (usually 2 hrs prior to travel) as a precaution, Stugeron (only available over the counter) is my drug of choice. 

The infamous vomit comet.

Thanks for the advice - I’ll tell Debbie. I expect the nightmare of hidden rocks which characterises the Isles of Scilly necessitates a shallow draught.

We were there in February for a week some years ago, full moon and huge tide range at low tide the "taxi" from St Agnes back to St Mary's was aground at least twice on the sandbanks and only just got off. I'm not sure how tide critical it is for the Scillonian to get into St Mary's.

Amazing in place. It feels so remote despite being in sight of the mainland. It being February and really quiet with no Scillonian probably helped.