Holiday apartment on the Isles of Scilly: nature and island history
Accommodation in Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly combine a wide-ranging island world with impressive nature, traces of history and a variety of experiences on land and water. The designation as the Isles of Scilly National Landscape encompasses the entire archipelago. This includes the inhabited and uninhabited islands as well as the rocks of the island group. More than 35 beaches are spread across the archipelago, while coastal paths, nature trails, flower fields and island walks can be enjoyed all year round.
File:Isles of Scilly, The Western Rocks from Gorregan - geograph.org.uk - 7865009.jpg
Photo: Michael Earnshaw via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature
The wildlife is particularly remarkable. The Atlantic grey seals on Scilly form one of Europe’s most important breeding populations. The islands are also home to a significant proportion of the world’s population of Manx shearwaters. The Scilly shrew is a species unique to the islands. On wildlife-watching trips around Scilly, puffins, storm petrels, common guillemots and Atlantic grey seals can be observed. Trips and tours to the Eastern Isles are advertised for observing grey seals.
The coastal landscape also displays a variety of facets. Cycling along the winding paths of the Isles of Scilly is possible with views of clear water, rugged cliffs and quiet beaches. Activities on the water include kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing. Coasteering and guided sea swims are considered experiences on the Isles of Scilly.
History
The islands preserve evidence from several eras. Harry’s Walls consists of two artillery bastions and a section of the curtain wall of an unfinished fortress, construction of which began in 1551 during the reign of King Edward VI. Harry’s Walls can be reached via an uphill footpath and is best visited on foot or by bicycle. Visitors can walk along most of the Garrison Walls. Halangy Down Ancient Village preserves the remains of almost a dozen interconnected stone houses from the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Historical walks are regularly led on all the islands by resident archaeologist Dr Katharine Sawyer. The Isles of Scilly Museum presents around twelve pop-up exhibitions across the five islands. The museum’s public archives are located at the Porthmellon Enterprise Centre and can be visited by prior appointment.
Islands and paths
Guided tours on the Isles of Scilly include island walks, archaeological explorations, wildlife-watching and sea excursions, as well as sunset tours. In addition to coastal and island paths, a range of guided formats is therefore available, including historical walks, archaeological explorations and wildlife-watching trips.
A special addition is Tresco Abbey Garden. It is home to plants from all Mediterranean climate zones, as well as more than 2,000 exotic species from the Southern Hemisphere and the subtropics. The garden can be reached by boat from the other inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly; services operate on most days and allow for day visits.
Getting there
The Isles of Scilly can be reached by the Scillonian III ferry, by flights from Skybus or by a combination of both. For connections between the islands, the St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association is an association of ten independent boat operators that connect the islands with one another.
Further destinations in the archipelago: Hugh Town, St. Mary’s, Tresco.
For the higher-level travel overview: South West England.
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