Latest news with #Tresco
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Ditch the Caribbean for UK islands with white sand beaches that are just a 20-minute ‘Skybus' from the mainland
THE UK is home to picturesque islands with Caribbean-style beaches and you can visit them by catching a 20-minute 'Skybus' from the mainland. The Isles of Scilly off of the coast of Cornwall are often referred to as beautifully untouched, boasting several islands with white sand beaches and Atlantic grey seals. 8 There are more than 140 isles that make up the islands and they are only 28miles from the coast of Cornwall. Of the islands, only five are actually inhabited - St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martin's, Bryher, and St. Agnes. And many people who head to the isles, choose to hop between them via a 30-minute boat ride connecting them all. But the biggest benefit of the islands making them a great alternative to the Caribbean, is that they have their own microclimate. Caused by the North Atlantic Drift, the islands have flourishing palm trees. This climate also means the islands rarely see cold weather, consistently staying several degrees hotter than the UK mainland - adding to the overall Caribbean feel. The easiest way to get to the islands is via the 'Skybus', which you can do from Land's End Airport, Newquay Airport or Exeter Airport. From Land's End Airport it takes just 20 minutes to reach St. Mary's and if you don't want to leave your furry friend out, the flight even allows dogs. Return flights cost £65 per person, or £52 for children under 11-years-old. Alternatively, for a cheaper option hop on the ferry from £35 per adult and from £17.50 per child. The Spanish region undiscovered by Brits despite seaside views and ancient Roman cities St Martin's St Martin's measures just two miles long and a quarter of a mile wide but is home to scenic footpaths, clear waters and white beaches. On the island, is one of two vineyards in the Scilly Isles. At the vineyard, visitors can wander through the w oodland trail before joining one of the tours. The tours are self-guided and guests will learn about the 'viticulture' and wine making that happens at the site. There is no need to book and a combined tasting and tour costs just £10 per person. St Martin's is also home to some of the "finest beaches in the British Isles", Visit Isles of Scilly states. And just moments away from the vineyard, is Par Beach. The beach boasts crystal clear waters and sandy dunes. 8 When the tide goes out some small rockpools emerge, as does the long stretch of golden sands. Also noticeable from the beach is the island's red and white day mark that stands 40 feet tall. Only around 120 people live on the island, so it makes the ideal quiet spot to visit with beaches just like you are in the Caribbean. St Agnes Over on St Agnes, there is the second vineyard - Holy Vale Winery & Vineyard on St Mary's. Whilst not much else to do on the island, you should make sure to head to Troytown Farm Ice Cream - the only dairy farm in Scilly. One recent visitor said: "The taste and texture of this homemade ice cream is so good that it stays with me all year around and I miss it." You can camp here too, just steps away from the water's edge. 8 St Mary's Over on St Mary's - the largest of the inhabited islands - you will find the Scillonian capital called Hugh Town. This is a great spot for exploring independent shops, with art galleries and restaurants. There are even some pubs such as The Mermaid Inn - which used to be a spot popular with smugglers. If you fancy seeing the island in a slightly different way, head to St Mary's Horse Riding School to enjoy a day trotting and galloping along the sandy beaches. St Mary's is also where you will find the airport and ferry dock, so if exploring all the islands it makes a great starting point or final stop. 8 8 Tresco Tresco is then the second largest island out of the five and is known for its dramatic, rocky landscape. For history buffs, this might be the best island to visit as it has a whole host of castle ruins, coves, Bronze Age burial sites and Tresco Abbey Garden. Here, visitors can wander around 17acres of gardens that were first opened in the 1830s. The location is home to over 20,000 exotic plants from across the globe and hand-craved figurines made from the wood of shipwrecked boats. Tresco, like St Mary's, also has a number of independent shops and spots to eat. And if you really want to indulge, you can head to Tresco Island Spa, complete with an indoor swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. 8 Bryher Bryher is the smallest island of the Isles of Scilly, but there are still things worth exploring there. For many, watersports are the top attraction here. Visitors can head to the beaches like Portcressa for swimming or enjoy a boat trip off of the island. For those who prefer to stay on dry land, the island offers some great hiking options with many of the walks including views of rugged cliffs and dramatic landscapes. At low tide, you can even stroll across the channel to the uninhabited island of Samson. Wanting a real taste of local life? Then head to the Crab Shack for a crab dish, located near Hell Bay. Or head to the quirky Fraggle Rock Bar, just moments from the beach. Some of the most exotic islands near the UK THE UK is home to a number of exotic-looking holiday islands. The Isles of Scilly The Islands have been compared to several amazing holiday destinations, with some even giving it the moniker "the Maldives of the UK". Its blue waters, warm weather and secluded beaches all play a part in it drawing the comparison from visitors. And the Royal Family are known to be fans too, with William and Kate regular visitors. The Isle of Harris, Scotland Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris in Scotland has been compared to the Caribbean by visitors and locals due to its secluded sandy beaches and pristine turquoise waters. The beach was named the seventh best in Europe at the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards last year. Jersey The island off the south coast of the UK has been described as having a "Caribbean-like coastline" as well as a number of amazing beaches, perfect for family holidays. St Ouen's Bay is particularly popular, with the white-sand beach spanning almost the whole of Jersey's west coast and well-loved by surfers. The world's ten best holiday islands have been revealed – here's how to find the two in Europe. Plus, 20 of Europe's most beautiful islands that have direct flights from the UK. 8
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Islanders told to boil water after bacteria found
Boil notices have been issued for people living and staying on an island off the coast of Cornwall, after bacteria was found in water supplies. South West Water (SWW) said the boil water notice had been issued to about 80 properties after samples taken in the New Grimsby area of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly identified "low levels of coliform bacteria". The company said the cause of the outbreak was being investigated and such notices were normally lifted after two days of clear results. It is the second issue reported with water systems in the Isles of Scilly this week after a faulty pipe led to supplies running low on the neighbouring island of Bryher. The water company said residents could continue to wash and shower "as normal", but should boil water used for drinking, brushing teeth and food preparation. It said bottled water was being supplied to Tresco for vulnerable customers on it priority services register. The NHS said most coliform bacteria live in humans and animals harmlessly, but it can cause infection if it gets into certain parts of the body, such as the bladder or bloodstream. SWW said coliform bacteria was widely distributed within the environment and can survive and grow in water. It said any bacteria could be killed by boiling the water. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall "We are investigating the cause and have taken actions to resolve the issue such as increasing chlorine levels within permitted limits and flushing the network," a SWW spokesperson added. "Other parts of the island are being tested, and at this stage, New Grimsby is the only area affected." The company said those affected are being "updated regularly on the situation". Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Water supplies return to island as pipe fixed Island told to conserve water amid pipework fault South West Water boss Susan Davy to retire Related internet links South West Water
Telegraph
08-07-2025
- Telegraph
I took my six-month-old daughter to Tresco to recreate the care-free holidays of my childhood
The sand on Tresco – one of the five inhabited isles of Scilly, 30 miles off Cornwall's western tip – is unlike any you'll find elsewhere in England. Dorset sand, Kentish sand, even the sand of the Cornish mainland – all have their merits, but they've got more in common with gravel than they do with this stuff. Tresco sand is as soft as icing sugar, and almost as white. It sparkles. It's also very difficult to extract from between the toes of a young child, being adhesive, like glitter. Three decades ago, I was the child in question, and my parents were on clean-up duty – all that intricate towelling. Today, the toes belong to my six-month-old daughter, Beatrice. It's May, and we're at Green Porth beach on the eastern side of the island, lounging in the late-afternoon glow. Behind us, the flutter of dunes; ahead, the turquoise twinkle of Pentle Bay. Terns scuttle around the shoreline. A strange sensation, rarely experienced in recent months, comes over me. I believe it's known as 'relaxation'. Then Beatrice, not content with coating her feet, snatches a fistful of sand, scrutinises it, and lifts it slowly towards her mouth. I am holidaying in a time warp, and in more ways than one. I first visited Tresco in 1994. The trip was my grandparents' idea – a multi-generational family treat – and it became a springtime fixture for well over a decade. They were drawn to the place because it made them think of an earlier, more decorous age. It's often said that such ages are imaginary. Well, not here. There is no crime on Tresco, and you won't see any cars either – just tractors and service vehicles (largely electric), plus a fleet of golf buggies with vintage names: Mabel, Hilda, Gloria. Doors remain insouciantly unlocked. This was where I learnt to ride (and fall off) a bike; my brother and I felt vastly intrepid as we traversed the island's 1.15 square miles. Meanwhile, the grown-ups got on with whatever it was grown-ups did. I remember relaxation being mentioned. My grandparents are no longer with us. But the rest of us are back, having all moved up a rank in the family hierarchy. We're still learning the ropes in our new roles, and there could be no better place to do it. When I was a teenager, I sometimes thought Tresco was a little… sedate. Now, as my wife Eleanor and I enter the long 'frazzled parent' stage of life, sedate is exactly what we're looking for. There are several ways to get to the Scilly archipelago. (Referring to 'the Scillies' is discouraged, inconvenient though that may be for, say, a journalist writing about the place.) You can fly from various points in the South West, by plane or helicopter, but we went for the old-school option: the boat. Since the 1970s, the Scillonian III has been making the crossing from Penzance to St Mary's – the largest island, with a frankly extravagant population of 1,700 to Tresco's 150. It's a flat-bottomed vessel; anything more than a ripple and the sick bags start to rustle. But we were in luck. The water was placid, the sky fiercely blue. We spent much of the three-hour voyage on deck, though I have a certain affection for the sepia-tinted interior, where not a lot appears to have changed since the days when Harold Wilson was a passenger. I half expected to spot his Gannex-clad form emerging from the gents. From St Mary's it's a short ride on the Firethorn – the hard-working inter-island ferry – to Tresco. We clambered on to the quay and took it all in: the luminous quality in the air, the distinctly un-English vegetation, the profoundly un-English roads, which are immaculate. Nothing had changed. The island is dotted with neat granite cottages. Ours was near the church, overlooking a field of blissed-out cows, with a distant view of the Old Block House – a hilltop fortification that last saw action during the Civil War, when the Royalists clung on here for as long as they could (fair enough). Self-catering is made easy. The cottages are faultlessly equipped ('Don't forget to mention the nice teapot,' my mum impressed on me), and plush but resolutely unflashy. In the mornings, Eleanor and I deposited Beatrice with my parents and snatched an hour's more sleep. It felt deeply transgressive not opening our eyes again until 7.30. In the generous garden, fringed by palm trees and echiums, our daughter practised her most recently acquired skill – sideways rolls – and my brother, a ballet dancer, lifted her up higher than I suspect her father will ever be able to. We had long al fresco lunches, over which critical decisions were made about what to do afterwards. Beach? Bike ride? Spa? ('Your neck has quite a few knots', I was diplomatically informed after a massage.) You will have gathered that Tresco – leased from the Duchy of Cornwall by the Dorrien-Smith family for two centuries, and favoured by the Waleses in recent years – is at the genteel end of the staycation spectrum. If Fortnum & Mason teamed up with Boden to design a holiday, this would be it. Yet for all the impeccable comforts, it's still a small island in the North Atlantic, and we got a healthy dose of ruggedness too. There are gorse-strewn hills, silent woodlands and rough-hewn castles (one for Oliver Cromwell, one for King Charles): modest expeditions that felt like feats of adventure for us. My parents – very much modern grandparents – added sea-swimming and foraging to the mix (I'd like to see Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall snag so much wild garlic). We hired an all-terrain pushchair, which was quickly clocked by other extended families roaming around. 'Give us a demo,' demanded one couple, awaiting the arrival of their daughter and eight-month-old grandson. The Abbey Gardens are another of Tresco's glories. Established by Augustus Smith in the 1830s near the ruins of a medieval priory, they evolved into a very Victorian, faintly mad enterprise, with Augustus's descendants cultivating wildly exotic specimens that would have died anywhere else in Britain. Good old subtropical microclimate. Today they contain 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries; parts look Mediterranean, others Jurassic. Golden pheasants patrol, sleeker and fractionally more dignified than their port-faced brethren. Stealing the show, though, were the red squirrels, which put on a gleeful display. Beatrice was unmoved by the squirrels, but fascinated by the gardens' Valhalla Museum – a collection of figureheads from ships wrecked off the islands. On our final night, something momentous happened. Eleanor and I went out, just the two of us, leaving my parents on babysitting duty. It was the first time we'd done this since Beatrice was born, and we felt a little unmoored, straining to remember how to be free agents. Fortunately, there was no need for spontaneity: we'd booked a table at the Ruin Beach Café, a snug, wood-panelled spot. The food was excellent – tangy gildas (Spanish-style skewers of pepper, anchovy, and olive); crab, with a pillowy brioche; hake swimming in a deep ochre bisque. When we left, there was still some light in the sky, and so, with outlandish impulsiveness, we wandered over to the New Inn, the charming island pub. After-dinner drinks: we used to be good at those. But we were pushing it. Once we'd arrived, we found that all we wanted to do was scroll through holiday snaps of our daughter, for whom the great Tresco tradition is perhaps just beginning. Look, there she is with sand in her toes. Getting there The Scillonian sails between Penzance and St Mary's from March to November. Adult returns cost £102.99. The helicopter, which flies from Penzance to Tresco all year round, offers glamour and convenience, though a return ticket will set you back £379. Where to stay The 'traditional cottages' are ideal for families. Prices vary enormously. In low season, they can be rented for just over £1,000 per week. At the height of summer, some go for closer to £10,000. The New Inn also has a suite of bright, cosy rooms. A perfect day Hire a bike and cycle over to the Abbey Gardens in the morning. Have a leisurely lunch at the New Inn. In the afternoon, walk along the coast path to Cromwell's Castle, with its archaic graffiti, then round to Gimble Porth or Green Porth for some beach time. Reward your exertions with a cocktail and some snacks at the Ruin Beach Café before dinner. Be sure to go for a stroll after dark and see the stars.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The 'English Seychelles' named UK's prettiest beach - beating paradise destinations in the Maldives and Australia
A relatively unknown UK beach described as the 'English Seychelles' has been named one of the world's best – beating paradise bays in Australia, the Maldives and and the Philippines. Pentle Bay, found on the east coast of the island of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, has claimed a place on a list of the 20 prettiest beaches in the world based on how often the word 'paradise' is used to describe them in online reviews. While most beaches that feature in the paradise ranking are based in Asia and the South Pacific, Pentle Bay made a surprise appearance, coming in 13th place. Known as the 'English Seychelles' due to its white sands, turquoise waters and distinctive grey rock formations, 8.7 per cent of its reviews used the word 'paradise' to describe the bay. The half-mile crescent of sand is backed by low dunes and its remote location means that there are no nearby shops or facilities. Family travel specialist Kuoni analysed thousands of online reviews for almost 200 of the world's most beautiful beaches to discover which of these is most often described as 'paradise'. The word 'paradise' has been associated with beaches since the early 1900s, when beach holidays moved away from being prescribed health boosting visits to a desirable and luxury activity. Port Olry Beach in Vanuatu, a country in Oceania, came top of the list with 15.33 per cent of its reviews using the word 'paradise'. The beach, found on the east coast of Espiritu Santo, is home to emerald-green foliage which hugs golden sands and shimmering turquoise waters. Mozambique's Parque Nacional de Bazaruto came in second place, with 14.29 per cent of its reviews mentioning 'paradise'. The beach, with its swirling sand and bright blue sea, is known for its wildlife, including dolphins and spectacular dugongs - commonly known as 'sea cows' Meanwhile, One Foot Island beach in the Cook Islands came in third place, with 13.28% of the reviews containing the word 'paradise'. The only other European beach on the list was Navagio Beach on the Greek island of Zakynthos. It came in eighth place, with 10 per cent of its reviews containing the word 'paradise'. The beach is sometimes referred to as 'Smugglers Cove' thanks to the iconic rusting shipwreck of the MV Panagiotis that sits at the centre of the bay.
