With the Easter weekend forecast for sunshine and blue skies, we’re getting ready for a long weekend of indulging in the great outdoors… and a bit of chocolate too!
Over on the Isles of Scilly, the islands are coming alive with spring colours in bloom across the hedgerows and headlands, wildlife is returning to the shores and the boats are back in the water, ferrying visitors between the islands.
Public transport on the islands is predominately by boat and the hardworking local boat crews are part of the rhythm of daily life setting their daily schedules by the tides.
If you’re visiting the islands for the Easter weekend, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you ‘island hop’ between the five inhabited islands.
St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association operates a daily schedule from St Mary’s to Tresco, St Agnes, St Martin’s and Bryher with boats departing from the quayside.
Their daily schedule is generally as follows:
| Island: | Departs St. Mary’s: | Returns from: |
| Tresco | 1000 1015 1115 1215 1400 | 1415 1545 1645 |
| St. Agnes | 1015 1145 1400 | 1415 1600 1645 |
| St. Martin’s | 1015 1230 1400 | 1430 1545 1645 |
| Bryher | 1015 1400 | 1430 1645 |
Look out for special trips around Annet and St Agnes over Easter, for a chance to spot spring wildlife; especially the puffins who have recently returned to the islands. St Mary’s Boatmen also operate boats from St Martin’s Island to St Mary’s for onward trips to the other islands. Their schedule can change daily, for an up-to-date timetable check their Facebook page or if you’re on St Mary’s, there are chalkboards in Hugh Street and on the harbourside with details of the daily trips.
Tresco Island runs a scheduled service with a varying timetable that looks like this:
To St Mary’s – Monday to Saturday
Between Tresco and Bryher – Every day
To St Agnes – Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday
To St Martin’s – Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Circular trips for wildlife and sightseeing – Usually Sundays
For daily updates, you can visit their social media channels @TrescoBoating
On the island of St. Agnes, the boating service is operated by St. Agnes Boating, with a changing daily schedule. Daily departures are from St. Agnes quay and generally are at 10:15 and 15:15 to St. Mary’s and the other islands, returning at 12:30 and 15:45. You can view their timetable and download the St. Agnes Boating app to pre-book your boating tickets here.
We advise checking each boat operator’s website or Facebook page for the most up-to-date information.
Have you ever visited a land where there are hundreds of islands, with only five of them being inhabited?
The Isles of Scilly are made up of five inhabited and hundreds of un-inhabited islands and rocky outcrops, located just 28 miles off the coast of Land’s End. Getting there couldn’t be easier with regular Skybus flights from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter Airports. As you fly over, you’ll have a fantastic bird’s eye view of the landscape below, spotting the Cornish villages and towns as well as the iconic tin mines dotted across the landscape. It won’t be long until you approach the breath-taking Isles of Scilly and can start planning all the islands you’d like to visit!
Island hopping
You’ll land on St Mary’s- the largest island and depending which island you’re staying on, the second part of your journey begins as you board the inter-island boats to the off-islands.
To explore an ‘off-island’, hop onto an inter-island boat and cross the water to a unique cluster of islands; each island has its own identity. You can head for sophisticated Tresco, the outstanding beaches on St Martin’s or the ruggedness of Bryher. Others fall in love with the most western island, St Agnes; there are no bad choices here. Whichever island you visit, you’re sure to find idyllic beaches, delicious food and a warm, relaxed welcome. And if you’re still torn, there’s no real reason to rule out any of the islands; it’s fun and easy to hop between them on the local boat services.
St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association run the inter-island boats leaving from St Mary’s, you can find out about daily trips and excursions on the chalk boards in Hugh Town and outside the Harbour masters office on the quay or by calling 01720 423999. Tresco boats run a scheduled service from Tresco, Bryher and St. Martin’s from February through to October, with regular trips to the other islands and private charters available, call 01720 423373.
For a truly authentic island experience a visit to an un-inhabited island is a must. Samson island is a short boat ride from any of the neighbouring islands, there’s no visible civilisation here so getting on and off the tripper boats is an experience in itself, you quite literally have to walk the plank onto the beach! Samson island is a treat, as it’s wild and beautiful with two prominent hills and endless miles of flats when the tide is low. Famed for rock-pooling, you’ll find a wealth of marine life hiding amongst the shallows.
If you’d like to experience the island lifestyle, there are multiple flights to the islands from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter airports; or you can choose to sail on-board the Scillonian III passenger ferry from Penzance up to seven days a week.