Treasures under our Noses!

I recently visited the Isles of Scilly to take part on a couple of days of our Ramblers Countrywide holiday. We stayed on St Marys, the main island, at the Atlantic Hotel in Hugh Town. This was a very nice hotel with well decorated and spacious rooms, and excellent food – five courses that were so good, you were glad that you were on walking holiday to burn those calories off!

Hugh Town is the main settlement and has a few craft shops, a super market, a church, a bank, and some friendly public houses serving a good selection of Ales. It also has the main port where you can sail to the other main island of Tresco, St Martins and St Agnes which this holiday will explore.

This is the main hub and it was like a picturesque village on the main land.

The walking was one of a very gentle pace and would take you past white sand and shingle beaches, numerous Bronze Age historical sites, and fascinating rock formations. The wild life was pretty good too with beautiful fauna, sub tropical plants and a bird watchers paradise!

The trip over the water to the island of Tresco was choppy, but well worth the visit to see the Abbey gardens and a great variety of sub tropical plants and trees that thrive in this warm climate. The beaches and views out to the other islands were also breathtaking.

One major plus point for this holiday was that we were accompanied by a local guide who knew everything that you would possibly need to know about these beautiful isles. So many of the group commented on what good value for money it was.

If you are a star gazer then this is the place! The pollution levels are so low that the night sky is a definite must to see!

With very little traffic, slow pace of life, very friendly locals, almost zero crime with just one bobby on the beat for the whole island and not to forget warmer temperatures than the main land with beautiful beaches and clear blue skies – it has to be on your list to visit!

It’s only 28 miles from the main land but seemed a million miles away!