Why I’m swapping the Caribbean for the Isles of Scilly
Feeling salted and sun-kissed, I slip into the tumble of grey-green swells slapping at our stern and wave back to a forest of dancing sea kelp below. The sky above me is a blanket of deep cerulean; the temperature a balmy 20°C.
Earlier this morning I was sinking my toes into soft piles of crumbling white sand and cleansing my lungs with grateful gasps of crisp sea air. Now, I’m meeting the locals: a curious colony of Atlantic grey seals who torpedo past me with wild, joyful abandon and follow my fins with playful pirouettes. The Isles of Scilly may have long been famed for their bounty of flora and fauna, but I never expected such a warm welcome on day one.
It’s my first snorkel of the trip: a whistle-stop tour of the UK’s ‘sunshine islands’ – an archipelago so un-Britishly tropical that it’s been dubbed England’s answer to the Caribbean. Comprising more than 140 isles (only five of which are inhabited) and set just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, life here ambles at a slower, more soul-lifting pace. Giant granite cairns overlook whitewashed beaches; wild seal pups, puffins and gannets gather on sun-scorched rocks, their round, nourished bellies soaking up the midday sun.
VISIT THE ISLES OF SCILLY WITH CL
Popular pastimes here include island-hopping (St Agnes, Bryher, St Mary’s, Tresco and St Martin’s are all within a 30-minute boat ride of one another), birdwatching (the Scilly’s unique geographical position makes it a Mecca for rare migrating birds, including the yellow-billed cuckoo and Swainson’s thrush), strolling through the subtropical grounds of Tresco Abbey Garden, and sipping a fruity glass of Chardonnay at one of the archipelago’s two vineyards: St Martin’s Vineyard & Winery and Holy Vale Winery & Vineyard on St Mary’s.
Today, though, I’m (wet)suited and booted for what’s arguably Scilly’s biggest draw: swimming with wild seals in the uninhabited Eastern Isles. Setting off from St Martin’s in the golden glow of an unseasonably warm morning (these islands boast some of the mildest conditions in the UK), it’s a scenic 30-minute sail with Seal Snorkelling Adventures to our anchorage – a picturesque spot on the Atlantic ledge known for its outcrop of seal-studded rocks; grey, whiskered heads bobbing about in the water like freshly popped corks.
I feel paradoxically squished and stretched in my double dose of neoprene but, once plunged into the foaming turquoise waves, I’m soon grateful for the extra layers: friendly pups enthusiastically nibble at my fins; barrel-chested bulls, scarred and spirited, bump into my legs; one particularly graceful chocolate-eyed dancer even blows a stream of bubbles into my face while fanning her flippers.
Later, as we pick up anchor and I defrost with a cup of steaming-hot coffee, I’m struck by the sweeping sense of nostalgia that elegantly knits these landscapes together. A couple I meet on the boat tell me they have been visiting for more than two decades and, wrapped in pastel-striped towels and rosy-cheeked grins, they praise the people as much as the archipelago’s natural, rugged beauty: “There’s a real sense of community here,” they say as we spot a kittiwake soaring overhead. “Once you step off the boat, it’s as if you’ve been transported back in time.”
Indeed, the islands are still largely untroubled by cars and, despite seasonal tourism and daily crossings from Cornwall, Scilly’s unique brand of Swallows and Amazons charm remains reassuringly intact, with each isle offering its own sense of character and coastal style.
St Mary’s, for example, is the largest of the five inhabited islands. Home to the Scillonian capital, Hugh Town, it boasts a cluster of independent boutiques, art galleries (hit Tamarisk Gallery and Phoenix Craft Studios), restaurants (dine round the former Post Office sorting bench at Tanglewood Table) and a coterie of charming pubs (try The Mermaid Inn, a historic spot once popular with smugglers).
You can horse-ride along the sandy white bays here (St Mary’s Riding Centre) or hire a bike for the day to explore the island’s labyrinth of flower-studded nature trails and elm woods (St Mary’s Bike Hire). The main airport and ferry dock are stationed on this island, too, so there’s always an atmospheric buzz to be found near the quaint harbour and quay.
Tresco, meanwhile, is the well-groomed go-to for families. Leased to the Dorrien-Smiths by the Royal Family since 1834, this subtropical gem is the second largest isle in the fleet and offers up a host of dramatic rocky outcrops, Bronze Age burial sites, intriguing castle ruins, secluded coves and, of course, the world-famous Tresco Abbey Garden.
Established in the 1830s. this 17-acre plot is a horticultural paradise that boasts more than 20,000 exotic plants from across the globe, as well as an impressive display of intricately carved figureheads salvaged from the prows of shipwrecked sailing ships. Dotted with artisan delis, chic sailing clubs and the award-winning Tresco Island Spa, this is a must-visit for nautical sophisticates seeking history, horticulture and a pleasing aesthetic.
For a wilder, more authentic take, though, head straight to the rugged coastlines of Bryher, heather-filled cliff paths of St Martin’s or the soothingly unspoilt sand bars of St Agnes – all of which deliver an untamed slice of traditional Scillonian life. Rock-pool safaris, wild-swimming spots and comforting cream teas characterise these smaller, more remote islands – and they’re all the more magical for it.
As I wrap my pastel-coloured beach towel round my shoulders and nod farewell to a horizon studded with playful seals and circling storm petrels, I vow to make this Caribbean-like paradise my new annual spot for a restorative getaway. Vanilla-drenched sands, historic ruins, sail-flooded vistas: it’s all a tonic for the soul. But best of all? Despite their boisterous, overly excitable embrace, the locals here really are a joyful bunch to dive in head first with.
If a visit to the Isles of Scilly sounds appealing, Country Living offers a six-day tour of the idyllic archipelago with conservationist Julian Branscombe. The trip includes visits to Tresco Abbey Garden, St Martin’s Vineyard & Winery and a marine wildlife cruise.
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