As the sunshine beams down on the West Country, everyone is looking for the perfect getaway where you can cool down. And where better than a tropical island that is surrounded by sea - that's just two hours from Bristol?
The beautiful Isles of Scilly - which has been dubbed the mini-Maldives - can be reached by taking a train from Temple Meads to Exeter and then a short flight from the city. Outstandingly beautiful, uncrowded and unspoiled is how the official Isles of Scilly tourism website describes it, reports Devon Live.
After all, it’s the holiday destination of choice for Prince William and his family. Let’s not forget that he does own the islands as they are part of the Duchy of Cornwall.
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The area is made up of five inhabited islands, St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martin's, Bryher, and St. Agnes, as well as numerous uninhabited islets and rocks. Boasting crystal clear waters, stunning beaches, and rugged coastlines, the islands are perfect for those who love the outdoors.
St. Mary's Island is the largest of the Isles of Scilly and offers a range of accommodation options, from B&Bs to luxury hotels. There is also a castle and ancient burial ground, which walkers love to explore.
One reviewer said: "Hidden away is this beautiful history of the island. It’s a good walk but well worth a visit, there are plenty of signs to all the sites and plenty of lovely locals who will point you in the right direction."
Tresco Island is famous for its stunning gardens, which are home to a range of exotic plants and flowers from around the world. The gardens are open to visitors all year round and are a must-see attraction.
One reviewer wrote: "Beautiful grounds, lots to see. The plants and views are amazing, a definite must see if you travel to tresco. Amazing climate."
The gardens also host figureheads from local shipwrecks, as well as an 18-pounder cannon from the warship Association, whose loss in 1707 with three other ships and hundreds of lives after a navigation error led to the race to discover a way of measuring longitude.
Daily Mirror journalist Peter Fenton visited the islands with his wife. He said: “Fortified by a baguette of local crabmeat and a pint of fine Scilly-brewed bitter at the excellent New Inn, my wife Fran and I set off to explore the rest of Tresco, stopping to climb Cromwell’s Castle, a ruined shore battery that once guarded the channel between Tresco and its near-neighbour Bryher, one of the other inhabited islands.
“Back on St Mary’s, the Star Castle’s superb wine selection and regular tasting evenings are a clue to hotelier Robert Francis’s passion for the grape and he has planted 7,000 vines on land at Holy Vale, St Mary’s, with a view to producing the first Scilly wine.
“After a visit to his vineyard, which he plans to open as a tourist attraction, we took a boat to St Agnes – much less developed than Tresco. With a few working farms and a lot of rugged coast, St Agnes boasts spectacular ocean views, especially when the sea is crashing in and the bracing wind blowing.
“You really need to work up an appetite as the food at the Star Castle is exceptional. Robert uses his own fishing boat to catch lobster and crab.
“Cornish boats bring in fresh brill, monkfish, hake and plaice; the beef is locally sourced and is melt-in-the-mouth delicious. The menu is imaginative without being over-fussy and the food superbly cooked.
“You cannot get further away from the hustle and bustle of modern life than the Isles of Scilly. The 1960s pipe-smoking Prime Minister Harold Wilson used them as his secret getaway and loved them so much he chose the churchyard overlooking Old Town Bay on St Mary’s as his final resting place.
“More recently, celebs such as Jude Law have enjoyed the islands’ privacy. The easy pace of life and crime-and traffic-free environment bring people back year after year. No nightclubs or theme parks, just the freshest air and the gentle roar of a sea that is visible from almost everywhere.”
