Isles of Scilly! Day 2: Tresco

So after a not particularly comfortable nights sleep, we woke at about three, four, five, six and seven to a flappy windy tent and faintly damp clothes. After wasting time with croissants from the campsite shop for breakfast it was time for a phone call. Bad news, our adventure planned for today would have to wait until tomorrow, the weather was simply too rough. So with a brief change of plans we decided that we'd take it easy, get a boat over to Tresco (10) and see what we could see. 

Arriving at the Carn Near slipway as the tides were too low for the quay at New Grimsby, we found ourselves at one end of a beach which seemed to disappear around the low lying headland to the east, the weather wasn't perfect, breezy and drizzling, but it seemed as good a way to go as any. 

Liam on the beach on Tresco

On the seaward side of the beach were many rocky outcrops, but having consulted the map it was clear that only one of them had proper land and vegetation and could therefore rightly be called an island. On the far south eastern corner of Tresco we clambered over the rocks and made an ascent of Green Island (11).

Green Island, Tresco. Various rocks in the background, with the south hill of Samson on the right

We then carried on around the beach into the calmer waters between Tresco and St Martins, something of an island playground, with sizeable islands literally scattered around the northern end.

From the beach on Tresco

 After a while we rounded another bay and the village of Old Grimsby came into sight, though in reality and from close up it is neither old, nor a village. It seems predominated by a large holiday timeshare complex, and very nice too, if you like that sort of thing. Heated pool, large apartments, sun loungers overlooking the beach, but not quite rugged enough for somewhere so remote. Beyond the complex and through a gate the path took us somewhere quite the opposite.

""Old" Old Grimsby". Most of the new apartments were further to the right

The northern part of Tresco felt more like I'd expected of an island renowned as a pirate stronghold and a scene of one of the final battles of the English Civil War. Indeed after following a soft path over peaty turf between impressive rock formations along cliffs over a raging Atlantic below, we came into the sound between Tresco and Bryher and to Cromwell's Castle.

Rocks on Northern Tresco

The castle was impressive to look at, though apparently rubbish, as all the gun-shooting holes (technical term) face the sea, and it was easily attacked from the land, but that didn't stop us going up onto the tower and having a good old poke around.

Cromwell's Castle, Tresco

The path then continued to New Grimsby, somewhat more authentic looking than its predecessor, and the location for Tresco's pub, and our third of the trip (another stat to go for?), the New Inn. Swift pint of rattler, then on down one of the island's few roads, past more timeshare places and great pool, the biggest lake in Scilly, and to the Abbey Gardens. 

Didn't go in, it was twelve quid each and we only had an hour til the boat, so instead bought the smallest item of food (a potato salad in case you're interested) from the vastly overpriced cafe (£4.95 for a packet prawn sandwich...) and occupied my time taking pictures of the incredibly tame birds that fly around nicking your food. 

Some interesting plants outside the gardens, a freebie if you will

Little bird on a chair. Tried to learn what type, they all look the same

Tresco Abbey from the road

And after all that excitement it was time for the boat back from New Grimsby to Hugh Town, and as it wasn't too late and we hadn't exhausted ourselves too much, we headed down to the Bishop and Wolf in down-town Hugh Town and the promise of live music. 

Something Celtic perhaps, some sea shanties, not even close. A couple of guys with two guitars and a backing track, with a passable if pedestrian Sultans of Swing and what I presume was the Rolling Stones. Still, they had the room rockin'. Stayed for one, then across to the Atlantic Hotel to complete our trio of Hugh Town hostelries. Back to the campsite for sleep and then definitely an exciting day tomorrow. Only two islands on day two, we'd need to up the ante!

Isles of Scilly! Day 1: St Mary's and St Agnes

The first big trip of the year, and with any luck a chance to visit a huge number of islands in a very short time, that's what we wanted from Scilly, and it absolutely delivered. Just me and Liam, meaning nobody along for the ride to get in the way of pure, non-stop island bagging. After an evening drive from Bristol to Penzance and a few hours kip in the backpackers hostel (very reasonable rates!) we were up at half five for boarding onto the Scillonian III. Dolphins off the starboard bow (but the camera was as blurry as my eyes and failed to catch them) as we passed Land's End into open waters, then a couple more hours sleep in the cafe below deck to give us some energy for the day ahead. 

We duly arrived into bustling Hugh Town at around half nine, via Rat Island (1) where the ferry docks, onto St Mary's (2) and eventually found our way to the top of Garrison Hill and to our home for a few days at the campsite. Tent pitched double-quick and back down to the beach to rack up a couple of easy tidal islands before lunch. 

St Mary's from Garrison Hill

Liam under an arch

First up was Newford Island (3), technically private according to a painted rock, but we hoped the owner wouldn't mind if we just jumped on for a moment to get a snap.

Newford Island from the beach

Standard Issue "I'm on a new island" pose

Next was Taylor's Island (4). nothing particularly remarkable, some rocks which at high tide are cut off from the main beach. Something of a warm up.

Taylor's Island and Causeway

Back to "Mainland" St Mary's

With choices to make as to which islands to do when, after a swift lunchtime pint we ended up choosing to go to St Agnes on the afternoon sailing, but managed to agree we would stay longer and come back with the folk on the supper boat at nine. This meant a full seven hours of exploring time.

Leaving St Mary's Quay

The boats around the "off islands" are pretty awesome, with a slick system of tickets and regular and well advertised sailings, they do make it easy to make the most of the archipelago.

The Turks Head, St Agnes

After about twenty minutes on board the cruiser we landed on St Agnes (5) and immediately and unsuspectingly found ourselves at the pub, the Turks Head, and our favourite in Scilly, just as a proper rainstorm started. Nothing to do but take shelter with the first of many pints of Cornish Rattler, and engage the other visitors in talks of other islands they'd been to and how they'd got there. It's certainly true that if you go to an island, people talk about other islands all the time. 

Well the rain didn't really abate, but our spirits buoyed by the cider, we decided to make a run for it and try to get a quick lap of the island in, and see what we could see. We passed the bar to Gugh (pronounced Gyooo, so we learned) but the tide at this point was too far in to cross, so we carried around to the south of the island and the dramatic and desolate Wingletang Down.

Some Rocks on Wingletang Down

Some more Rocks on Wingletang Down

After a long walk over the moors we came on what looked like a simple promontory, but on closer inspection there was definitely water all around, which meant only one thing. Unfortunately the water was quite deep and the waves were quite powerful, so a quick hop and skip over wasn't really an option, but we didn't let that deter us, the tide was on it's way out. Twenty minutes watching wave after wave it at least looked like it had gone out a bit, so we gingerly (and probably irresponsibly) stepped out over the wet boulders. It was a bit hairy, and the picture probably doesn't do it justice, but we made it, and later found out that it had a name, Castle Vean (6) was conquered...

The tide retreating around the base of Castle Vean

It was around this point that we realised we were in deep, this wasn't just a nice little holiday, it was a mission, and we were ready to go the extra mile for extra islands bagged. Moving on, after a minor detour past some Scilly cows and directions from a farmer we got to the south western corner of St Agnes, firstly to   a beach full of piles of rocks, to which we added our own (except mine fell over), and then the 'world famous' Troy-Town maze. Some guidebooks say it's an ancient construction that will energise your soul, but another one said it was made by a farmer who was bored. Either way it wasn't a very hard maze, and we both made it to the middle!

The man-made piles were pretty but they couldn't match the grandeur of the natural formations

Troy Town Maze - Liam nearly at the end!

On round and past the Troytown campsite we came to the North-West corner of St Agnes, and two more tidal islands to reach. The tide was very much in our favour, and there were rocky causeways to pick our way over firstly to Burnt Island (7), and then out further still, just as the waters receded, to another tiny patch of vegetation atop the rocks, adorned with what looks like just one side of a giant house, but I understand is a daymarker, light a lighthouse when it's not dark. I'm not 100% on the name of this second island, or if it even has one, but the one map we saw had the name "Tins Walbert" (8) on it around the end of the causeway, so I'll go with that. Either way we got there, took a photo, and walked back again

Me on Tins Walbert. Tired? Perhaps, bored? Certainly not!

A little bit of early evening sunshine

After all this excitement we'd still left ourselves a few hours before the boat back to St Mary's, and we'd left ourselves and excellent little island to spend it on. Gugh (9) is reached across a tidal sandbar from St Agnes and is technically the sixth inhabited island of Scilly, with 2 people reporting at the last census. Large enough for a proper explore, but not big enough to deter tired and aching bodies, it was the perfect end to the first day, with just time for one last little drink on the beach next to the Turks Head before the boat came to take us back to the campsite. Nine islands in a day, and a new record for us, but for how long would it stand with two full days on Scilly ahead of us...

Liam strides confidently along the sandbar to Gugh

Lundy

I wanted to get as many of the photos I took last year up before going away and taking loads more over the next few weeks, so the Lundy ones are here. I think after we get back from Scilly I'm going to do a full list of the island's we've been to, and start a counter to formalise the process, cos I like things to be tidy, but here is Lundy...

Very early start, with me, Liam and other Liam on board, must have been about six for the drive to Bideford, joined the MS Oldenburg in her berth alongside the quay and set off along the estuary to meet the open sea at Appledore.

 The waters here got a lot more choppy as the Taw and Torridge rivers collide, and pretty much from this point on it was sick bags at the ready for the majority of the two hundred or so passengers. After about two hours we arrived at the landing slipway on Lundy and disembarked

Lundy is a pretty cool place, and a great little island. At 12 miles from the mainland it's far enough away to feel isolated and remote, and this has led to a fascinating history of piracy and intrigue. I'd bought and read the book "The Island of Lundy" by A F Langham before we went, I'd definitely recommend it if you want to get a better understanding of it's past. 

We decided with the three and a half hours exploring time that we should go for a full circumnavigation of the island, which meant not a great deal of time for inspecting everything in minute detail, but we got a pretty good overview.

We started to the south of the island, and after climbing up the track to the top of the island, with fantastic views down to the bay with tiny rat island (which we didn't get to) and the boat at mooring, we passed stately Millcombe house and then rose to the plateau shrouded in mist. In Lundy as everywhere else, religion has pervaded in the past, and St Helena's church is an impressive landmark, standing as it does among a field of sheep and thistles. The final major landmark at this end of the island is the ancient stronghold of Marisco Castle, built by Henry III in an effort to deter the lawless pirates resident on Lundy in the time of his reign.

After this we headed North up the Western side of the island, past the old light, and the area excellently known as "Earthquake", where geological formations have left the earth pitted and uneven, but I don't think it's anything to do with an actual earthquake. From here it's a fair slog to the Northern end of the island, where there is a lighthouse set down in the cliffs, and excellent views out over the channel.

With time against us we thought we would take a short cut scrambling through some ferns on the Eastern side of the island, which turned out to be quite a poor idea, as within a couple of minutes we were five or six feet deep in dense undergrowth and needed to cross quite a deep valley to get back to the path, but it did add an element of adventure to the trip! 

After such excitement some refreshment was required, and so after trekking back past the threequarter, halfway and quarter walls that cross the island where you would expect them to, and past the buildings and machinery of Lundy's seemingly successful sheep farm, we repaired to the wonderfully welcoming and less windswept Marisco Tavern for some cider and chips. It had just started to rain and the boat was leaving soon, so it seemed everyone else on the island had followed suit, but we managed to get a table and take in the huge array of Lundy memorabilia and nostalgia that adorned the walls staircase. 

So that was it, time to head back down the road to the beach, jump on the boat, this time to Ilfracombe due to the tide being out at Bideford (and as a side note I carried a kayak up the Torridge from Appledore to Bideford in low tide a few weeks ago, and it gets very very low!), get a bus back to the car and drive back up to Bristol.

It was, to be fair, a lot of travelling, around eight hours for three and a half exploring, but as a world away from home, with a lot of surprises and loads to learn, Lundy was worth it. maybe we'll go back, once we've done all the rest of course!

Liam and Liam in the bar of the Oldenburg on the much calmer trip back to port