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INTRODUCTION

‘Somewhere among the note-books of Gideon I once found a list of diseases as yet unclassified by medical science, and among these there occurred the word Islomania, which was described as a rare but by no means unknown affliction of spirit. There are people, Gideon used to say, by way of explanation, who find islands somehow irresistible. The mere knowledge that they are on an island, a little world surrounded by the sea, fills them with an indescribable intoxication.’

Lawrence Durrell, Reflections on a Marine Venus

Of all the British Isles, the Isles of Scilly are the most blessed. Basking in sunshine, rising green and pleasant from the blue Atlantic Ocean, fringed by rugged cliffs and sandy beaches, these self-contained little worlds are a joy to explore. They are as close to a tropical paradise as it is possible to be in the British Isles, with more sunshine hours than anyone else enjoys. There are no tall mountains, but the rocks around the coast are as dramatic as you’ll find anywhere. There are no extensive moorlands, but you’ll forget that as you walk round the open heathery headlands. The islands may be small in extent, but the eye is deceived and readily imagines vast panoramas and awesome seascapes.Views to the sea take in jagged rocks that have ripped many a keel and wrecked many a ship. The islands are clothed in colourful flowers, both cultivated and wild, and attract a rich bird life, including native breeding species and seasonal migrants. And always, there is the sea.

The Isles of Scilly form the smallest of Britain’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and their historic shores have been designated as Heritage Coast. The surrounding sea is protected as a Marine Park of great biodiversity. Archaeological remains abound, not only on the islands, but also submerged beneath the sea. The Isles of Scilly are special, revealing their secrets and charms to those who walk the headlands, sail from island to island, and take the time to observe the sights, sounds and scents of the landscape. While the walks in this guidebook could be completed in as little as a week, a fortnight would allow a much more leisurely appreciation of the islands, and leave memories that will last for a lifetime.

Granite is the bedrock of the Isles of Scilly, seen at its best around Peninnis Head (Walk 3)

Location

The Isles of Scilly lie 45km (28 miles) west of Land’s End: a position that ensures they are omitted from most maps of Britain, or shown only as an inset. There are five inhabited islands and about fifty other areas that local people would call islands, as well as a hundred more rocks, and more again at low water. The islands are not part of Cornwall, perish the thought, but a self-administering unit; you could think of this as the smallest county in Britain (see www.scilly.gov.uk). The total landmass is a mere 16km2 (6¼ square miles). The waters around the Isles of Scilly, extending as far as the 50m (165ft) submarine contour, form a Marine Park of around 125km2 (50 square miles). Despite the small area of the islands, walkers can enjoy up to about 80km (50 miles) of truly remarkable routes around one of Britain’s most charming and intensely interesting landscapes.

Geology

The geology of the Isles of Scilly can be summed up in one word – granite. The islands are the south-western extremity of a deep-seated granite mass, or batholith, that reaches the surface of the earth around Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and Land’s End. Granite is the bedrock of the Isles of Scilly, and it breaks down to form a stony, sandy or gritty soil, as well as bright white sandy beaches. In some places around the coast and occasionally inland, the granite forms blocky cliffs and tors, rounded boulders or tilted slabs that have such a rough texture that they provide excellent grip for walkers. In other places chemical weathering of less stable minerals within the granite causes the rock to crumble, or peel away in layers. As a building material, granite has been used for centuries, but only in relatively recent times has it been possible to split the rock into squared blocks more suitable for substantial buildings.

While the Isles of Scilly escaped the Ice Age that affected much of Britain, it didn’t escape the permafrost conditions that pertained south of the ice sheets, breaking up the granite tors and forming a stony, sandy soil. Nor did the islands fare too well as the ice began to melt and sea levels began to rise. It is thought that Scilly became separated from the rest of Britain around 10,000 years ago. It may well have been a single landmass for a while, but a combination of rising sea levels and coastal erosion produced the current pattern of five islands and a bewildering number of rocks and reefs. Before the arrival of the first settlers, it was no doubt a wild and wooded place.

Ancient History

Arthurian legend points to the Isles of Scilly as the last remnants of the lost land of Lyonesse; but while a submerged landscape does exist around the islands, it was never Lyonesse. In 1752 the Cornish antiquarian William Borlase discovered and recorded submerged field systems on the tidal flats near Samson. It seems that the first settlers were Neolithic, but a more comprehensive settlement of the islands came in the Bronze Age, up to 4000 years ago. Some splendid ritual standing stones and stoutly constructed burial chambers remain from this time, and excavations have revealed skeletons, cremated remains and a host of artefacts. When the Romans began their occupation of Britain 2000 years ago, criss-crossing the land with straight roads, settlement patterns on the Isles of Scilly were in huddled formations, as witnessed today on Halangy Down and Nornour. No doubt the Romans traded with the islands, as coins have been discovered, but it seems they established no lasting presence. In later centuries the Isles of Scilly attracted Christian hermits, leaving some of the islands blessed with the names of saints. That great seafaring race, the Vikings, also visited the islands. From time to time the Isles of Scilly have been a haven for pirates, their retreat every now and then smashed by the authorities of the day. In the 11th century over one hundred pirates were beheaded in a single day on Tresco!

The Inisidgen Upper Burial Chamber on the coast of St Mary’s is 4000 years old (Walk 3)

Later History

A Benedictine priory was founded on Tresco in the 12th century, and Henry I granted the island to Tavistock Abbey. By the 14th century the islands became part of the Duchy of Cornwall and Edward III gave them to the Black Prince, who was made the Duke of Cornwall. In the 16th century Governor Francis Godolphin was granted the lease of the islands by Elizabeth I. Godolphin built the eight-pointed Star Castle above the harbour on St Mary’s. During the Civil War, in the middle of the 17th century, Prince Charles (later King Charles II) stayed briefly at the Star Castle. Towards the end of the Civil War the islands were occupied by disgruntled Royalists who launched pirate raids on passing ships, causing the Dutch to send a fleet of ships to deal with the problem. An English fleet intercepted the Dutch, preventing wholesale destruction on the islands, and thereby gaining the final surrender of the Royalist force.

The remains of a 12th-century Benedictine priory at the Abbey Garden on Tresco (Walk 10)

The 18th century was a time of great poverty on the islands, but despite their remoteness John Wesley visited them in the course of his preaching around the British Isles. Shipbuilding became an important occupation late in the 18th century and continued well into the 19th century. In the early 19th century the Godolphin family allowed their lease on the Isles of Scilly to lapse, so that they reverted to the Duchy of Cornwall. In 1834 Augustus Smith from Hertfordshire took over the lease of the islands as Lord Proprietor, and developed Tresco in particular, building the Abbey House as his residence and establishing the Abbey Garden.

The successful export of flowers from the islands dates from the middle of the 19th century and has enjoyed mixed fortunes. During 1918 the Dorrien-Smith family gave up the lease on all the islands except Tresco. While fortifications on St Mary’s were strengthened in the First World War, the islands escaped lightly. During the Second World War, however, there was a lot more activity around the islands, as submarines and warships played deadly hide and seek in the waters, and several warplanes were stationed there.

Recent History

In a sudden magnanimous gesture in 1949, the Duchy of Cornwall offered the sale of the freehold on most properties occupied by sitting tenants in Hugh Town. The Isles of Scilly were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1975, www.scillyaonb.org.uk. The Duchy leases all its uninhabited islands and unfarmed wilderness land to the Isles of Scilly Wildlife trust, www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk. The annual rent is one daffodil! The Trust manages this land for conservation and recreation, safeguarding habitats for flora and fauna, while maintaining the network of footpaths over the land. The designation of a Marine Park to conserve the surrounding sea bed and marine life was another important development. The infrastructure of the islands continues to develop and tourism is an increasingly important industry, but always with due regard to the environment and the conservation of nature.

These brief notes can only give the barest outline of the islands’ history, which has been turbulent and colourful and makes an interesting and absorbing study. Be sure to visit the Isles of Scilly Museum, www.iosmuseum.org, in Hugh Town on St Mary’s for a more thorough grounding and to obtain further information.

The Isles of Scilly have a most colourful and turbulent history and heritage (Walk 10)

Getting to the Isles of Scilly

By Road: The A30 road is the main transport artery through the south-west, pushing through Devon and Cornwall, around Dartmoor and over Bodmin Moor, to terminate abruptly at Land’s End. Motorists will have to abandon their vehicles at airports such as Exeter, Newquay or Land’s End for short flights to Scilly, or at Penzance for the ferry. Cars cannot be taken to the islands, nor are they necessary, so enquire about secure long-term car parking, either in Penzance or at the airports. National Express buses serve Penzance from London, Plymouth, Birmingham and Scotland (www.nationalexpress.com).

By Rail: The rail network terminates at Penzance, served by daily Cross Country trains, www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk, direct from Manchester and Birmingham, or, with a simple change at Birmingham, services operate from as far away as Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. First Great Western trains run to Penzance daily from London Paddington, www.gwr.com.

Combined rail/sail deals are available through the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre. Transfers can be arranged between Penzance railway station and Land’s End airport, if you chose to fly and enquire while booking your flight. A short walk around the harbour from the railway station leads to Lighthouse Pier where the Scillonian III sails for the Isles of Scilly. Bear in mind, if travelling on weekends, that there are no flights and rarely any ferries to or from the Isles of Scilly on Sundays.

By Ship: The Scillonian III is a fine little ship of 1250 tonnes, sailing once each way between Penzance and St Mary’s from Monday to Saturday from March to November. There are two sailings on Saturdays either side of Whit week and for the World Pilot Gig Championships, as well as Sunday sailings in July and August. Observe the regulations for carrying luggage, which should always be labelled with your destination, and clearly labelled with the name of the particular island you are visiting. Luggage can be conveyed to your accommodation in Hugh Town, but be sure to follow instructions to avail of this service. The journey usually takes 2¾ hours. Bad weather can cause the schedule to be altered in the winter months. For details contact the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre, tel 01736 334220; www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk

By Aeroplane: All flights to St Mary’s are operated by Skybus, using Twin Otter or Islander aircraft. Flights are available from Exeter, Newquay and Land’s End. Frequency is generally higher on the shorter flights, with those from Land’s End taking only 15 minutes each way. There are no flights on Sundays. Schedules and prices can be checked with the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre, tel 0845 7105555, www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk. Paulgers Transport meets incoming flights and will take passengers directly to their accommodation on St Mary’s.

Penzance harbour in Cornwall, from where the Scillonian III sails to the islands

Getting around the Isles of Scilly

Buses and Taxis: A regular Community Bus service operates in a circuit around St Mary’s, as well as minibus and vintage bus tours around the island. There are also a handful of taxis, should you need to get to any place in a hurry. Most of the buses start from beside a little park near the Town Hall in the middle of Hugh Town, though services can also be checked at the Tourist Information Centre. The off-islands are small enough to walk around on foot and walkers don’t really need any other form of transport. If choosing an accommodation base on one of the off-islands, the proprietor may be able to meet you at the quayside with a vehicle and assist with transferring luggage, but ask if this is possible when booking.

St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association: Run on a co-operative basis, the Association runs several launches from Hugh Town on St Mary’s to the off-islands of St Agnes, Bryher, Tresco and St Martin’s. Launches to Bryher may also drop passengers at the uninhabited island of Samson on request. Details of services run by the Association, plus a wealth of cruises, are advertised on notice boards on The Quay at Hugh Town, as well as at the quaysides on the off-islands. Details can also be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre. The Association operates a small ticket kiosk on the Old Quay at Hugh Town. There are more ferries and cruises to more places in the high season than in the winter months. Bear in mind that the onset of stormy weather can lead to the sudden cancellation of all boat services around the islands. St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association can be contacted at Rose Cottage, The Strand, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0PT, tel 01720 423999, www.scillyboating.co.uk. Other services to and from the off-islands are operated by St Agnes Boating, tel 01720 422704, www.stagnesboating.co.uk; Tresco Boat Services offer services to and from the islands of Tresco, Bryher and St Martin’s, tel 01720 423373, www.tresco.co.uk/arriving/tresco-boats.

Have a look at the noticeboards on The Quay at Hugh Town for details of trips (Walk 1)

Boat Trips

Quite apart from using boats as a means of access to islands and walks, why not enjoy a series of boat trips? Some trips are operated by the St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association, on their large launches, while others are run using smaller boats, which usually limit their passenger numbers to twelve. Classic trips run by the St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association include tours around the Western Rocks, Norrard Rocks, St Helen’s and Teän, the Eastern Isles, and a complete circuit around St Mary’s. There are Seabird Specials for bird-watchers, historical tours, evening visits to St Agnes and St Martin’s for supper, and the chance to follow the popular Gig Races in the high season.

At some point during your visit to the Isles of Scilly, be sure to witness the evening Gig Races. This is the main spectator sport on the islands, when teams row furiously along a measured 2km (1¼ mile) course from Nut Rock, across the stretch of sea known as The Road, to The Quay at Hugh Town. Women’s teams compete on Wednesday evenings, while men’s teams compete on Friday evenings. Boats generally leave The Quay at 1930 on those evenings. The World Pilot Gig Championships (www.worldgigs.co.uk) take place over the May Bank Holiday.

Do you sample some of these boat trips to broaden your experience and enjoyment of the islands, and you should make every effort to include as many of the remote islands and rock groups as possible.

Tourist Information and Accommodation

The Tourist Information Centre in Hugh Town on St Mary’s can provide plenty of information about accommodation, pubs, restaurants, transport and attractions throughout the Isles of Scilly. Annually, around 200,000 people visit the Isles of Scilly, including those on day trips. In August the islands can run out of beds for visitors, so advance booking is always recommended. All the islands except Tresco have campsites, and these can fill too.

Accommodation around the islands ranges from luxury hotels to basic campsites

There are abundant self-catering cottages and chalets, as well as plenty of B&B establishments and guesthouses. There are nine hotels; six of them around Hugh Town on St Mary’s and one on each of the off-islands except St Agnes. For full details and a full colour brochure contact the Isles of Scilly Tourist Information Centre, Porthcressa Bank, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0LW, tel 01720 424031, www.visitislesofscilly.com. Other websites containing useful information and news include www.scillyonline.co.uk and www.scillytoday.com. It is worth listening to Radio Scilly on 107.9FM while you are staying on the islands, www.facebook.com/radioscilly.

A lot of time and effort can be spent trying to tie ferry and flight schedules into accommodation availability on the islands in the high season, and there may be a need to spend a night before or after your trip at Penzance on the mainland. Arrangements can be simplified by letting Isles of Scilly Inclusive Holidays handle all your requirements in a complete package, tel 01720 422200, www.islesofscillyholidays.co.uk.

Maps of the Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly could be explored easily enough without using maps, as the total land area is only 16 km2 (6¼ square miles), but mapless visitors would miss a great deal along the way. Detailed maps reveal alternative routes and other options to the walks in this book. Dozens of near and distant features can be identified in view, and access to all the relevant placenames is literally at your fingertips.

The following maps of the islands are available in a variety of scales and styles. Ordnance Survey grid references indicate the starting point of each walk throughout this guidebook.

Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer 101 – Isles of Scilly. This map gives the most accurate depiction of the Isles of Scilly on one large sheet, including all the rocks and reefs that make up this complex group, along with a wealth of interesting and amazing placenames.

Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger 203 – Land’s End, The Lizard & Isles of Scilly. This map shows the Isles of Scilly as an inset. The map offers little detail of the islands and is not particularly recommended detailed exploration, though it is a useful general map and worth having if you are also considering walking around neighbouring Land’s End and The Lizard in Cornwall.

Free leaflets containing maps of all or some of the islands can be collected from the Tourist Information Centre or picked up from other locations. Some will prove useful, others less useful, and many of them exist to highlight a variety of services and attractions around the islands. Marine navigation charts are for those who sail as well as walk, or for serious marine studies.

The maps in this guidebook are extracted from the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 map and an overlay shows the walking routes. A few of the maps aren’t of walking routes, but show groups of small islands and rocks that can be visited on boat trips and are covered by short descriptive chapters. There are also a few small-scale plans, showing greater detail of Hugh Town, The Garrison and the amazing Tresco Abbey Garden.

The Walks

None of the walks on the Isles of Scilly could really be described as difficult. The only way anyone could make them difficult is by rushing through them, which surely defeats the purpose of exploring the islands when there is so much of interest to see. The walks make use of a network of paths, mostly along the coast, but sometimes inland too. They may also follow tracks and roads, but those roads are likely to be free of traffic. Sensible precautions include wearing stout shoes, possibly boots, when walking along uneven or rocky paths, and carrying a set of waterproofs in case of rain. When stormy weather whips up the waves, you can get drenched from salt spray. In any case it is always advisable to proceed with caution whenever walking close to breaking waves; there is always the chance that the next wave will break considerably higher. Unprotected cliffs also need to be approached with caution, especially in high winds or blustery conditions. The sun can be exceptionally strong, so if you burn easily then be sure to keep your skin covered, either with light-coloured, lightweight, comfortable polycotton clothing or a high-factor sunscreen. A good sun hat is also useful, but ensure it is one that ties on so that it won’t be blown away and lost at sea!

The walks included in this guidebook allow an exploration of the coastlines of the five inhabited islands, as well as some of the smaller islands. With the aid of cruises, walkers can also enjoy close-up views of the Eastern Isles, Norrard Rocks, Western Rocks and even the solitary pillar of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. It all depends how long you stay on the islands and how much you wish to see. Walkers in a hurry could complete all these walks in a week, but two weeks would give a more leisurely chance to explore and include a number of boat trips. Better still, make two or three trips throughout the year to appreciate the changing seasons.

By no means do these walks exhaust all the possibilities for exploring the islands, and there are just as many quiet and unfrequented paths left for you to discover. Apart from the walking route descriptions, there are also short descriptions of small islands that might well be visited out of interest, but where the walking potential is really quite limited.

None of the walks around the Isles of Scilly could really be described as difficult

Guided Walks

Your visit to the Isles of Scilly can be enhanced by taking part in a series of guided walks that are available largely in the high season. These are walks led by knowledgeable local people, with a specific emphasis on wildlife and heritage. By joining one of these walks you have a chance to keep up to date with what is happening in the natural world. Flowers bloom and fade, birds come and go on their migrations, and a good guide will explain what is currently happening around the islands. Furthermore, there is a chance to ask specific questions on the spot. For details of guided walks, enquire at the Tourist Information Office or the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust Office. There are also specific wildlife cruises – some operating during the day and others departing at dusk, depending on what is likely to be sighted.

Island Wildlife Tours offers visitors the chance to appreciate the wildlife around the Isles of Scilly, in the company of a resident naturalist and ornithologist. Contact Will Wagstaff, 42 Sallyport, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0JE, tel 01720 422212, www.islandwildlifetours.co.uk.

Scilly Walks explores the ancient history and heritage of the Isles of Scilly in the company of a resident archaeologist. Contact Katharine Sawyer, Alegria, High Lanes, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NW, tel 01720 423326, www.scillywalks.co.uk.

Walk Scilly is the Isles of Scilly walking festival, taking place in April each year, offering a variety of walks and evening events, organised and led by island residents with outstanding knowledge. Contact the Tourist Information Centre for details.

Island Flowers

There are two broad classes of flowers on the Isles of Scilly: those grown for sale and shipment to the mainland, and those that grow in the wild. Bear in mind that wild flowers do creep into the cultivated flower fields, and some of the cultivated flowers have a habit of hopping out into the wilds! The flower industry started in 1868 when the tenant of Rocky Hill Farm on St Mary’s packed some flowers into a box and sent them to Covent Garden. Within a few years there were fields of daffodils and narcissus being grown. Visitors expecting to see fields of golden blooms will be disappointed, as the flowers are cut before they bloom. A field of wonderful blooms is technically a failed crop! To protect the tiny flower fields from wind and salt spray, tall, dense windbreak hedgerows are planted. Hedging species include pittosporum, euonymus and veronica, though there are also tall shelter belts of long-established Monterey and lodgepole pines. There are flower farms on each of the inhabited islands, and some specialise in posting fresh flowers to British destinations on request. There are also bulb farms, offering a selection of hardy bulbs that are more likely to survive the journey home.

Wild flowers number around 700 species around the Isles of Scilly, making any attempt to list them here a rather pointless exercise. There are some plants that are peculiar to the islands, either growing nowhere else in Britain or being sub-species of plants that are found elsewhere in Britain. Almost 250 species are included on the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust Flower Checklist, which is an invaluable leaflet to carry around the islands, along with a good field guide to flowering plants. Common plants include bracken, heather and gorse on most open uncultivated areas, with bulbous cushions of thrift on many cliffs and rocky areas.

Perhaps one of the most startling escapees from the flower fields are the large agapanthus blooms, which now decorate many sand dunes, growing among the marram grass. Fleshy mesembryanthemums, or Hottentot figs also creep through the dunes. The tropical Tresco Abbey Garden contains 3000 species from around the world, making that one small area alone a very special place for more careful study!

Island Birds