Great for
Families
Itinerary
Hire bikes and explore St. Mary's
Cycling Adventure on Scilly Isles
On St. Mary’s Island, you’ll be as close as the Isles of Scilly get to being busy. With beaches, shopping, countryside paths and coastal trails and with largely traffic-free roads and gentle slopes, the Isles of Scilly are perfect for exploring under pedal power.Extra services
Duration
Full day
Activity
Hire bikes
Food and drink
Picnic
Day trip
Scillonian
Full itineraries
Transport
Travel to Scilly on Scillonian III and you’ll enjoy a wonderful 2 hour, 45-minute cruise to St. Mary’s. On your way, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy a stunning seaside view of Cornwall’s fishing villages, the famous open air Minack Theatre and the Land’s End peninsula. Quite often, the ship is joined by pods of dolphins, a raft of seabirds and occasionally even basking sharks.
Activity
Collect your bikes from St Mary’s Bike Hire, not forgetting a picnic from Hugh Town. Follow the road past the church and onto Old Town, the perfect pit stop to admire the view. Keep cycling and you’ll pass the airport on your right, before reaching the top end of the island. From here, you’ll have a choice of some of the islands most spectacular beaches- Bar Point and Pelistry; you’ll never want to leave.
Food and drink
Whether you choose to pick up a picnic from Hugh Town or you've stopped off for lunch in Old Town cafe, now’s about time to stop for a bite to eat and admire the views. There's ample choice of fresh and local ingredients available in the shops or family friendly cafes along the route.
Highlights
Seeing the best that St. Mary's has to offer from a different perspective, the white sandy shores of beaches you'd never of imagined to find and perfect pitstops along the way. Finish your route and amaze the kids with an ice cream drink at Juliet’s garden over looking the harbour before heading back to catch Scillonian home.
Sample itineraries
Itinerary
Discover Tresco's castles
Explore Cromwell's Castle on Tresco
Tresco is the second largest inhabited island on Scilly and whilst it's home to the sub-tropical gardens, un-spoilt beaches and fine food it's also full of walking routes, ancient monuments and historic castles. Cromwell's Castle stands tall guarding the channel between Bryher and Tresco, it was built in 1651 and is one of the few surviving Cromwellian fortifications in Britain. Read on to find out more. Find out more
Itinerary
Walk the coast - St Agnes
What to do on St Agnes island?
One of our favourite walks is to the back of the island and furthest westerly point, there’s only one quay on the island so once disembarked from the boat keep walking straight on and not to the left into town. We've pulled together a handy guide to help you catch a snippet of St Agnes in just a few short hours, read on to find out more. Find out more
Itinerary
Lunch with a view -Bryher
What to do on Bryher Island?
In the summer, Bryher may look more like heaven – with Atlantic waves lapping the edges of the cove, and sandy beaches fringing the grass and wild flowers. But come here in a storm, when the breakers sweep in from the ocean and meet the first land for two thousand miles, and you’ll see Hell Bay is aptly named. And it’s one of the contrasts that makes Bryher so unique. Find out more
Itinerary
Hire a golf buggy on St. Mary's
Fun Alternative to Car Hire
If walking and cycling seem a bit energetic, a golf buggy is a fun and easy way to explore the island in comfort. It’s something out of the ordinary for the whole family – and up to eight can ride – but be aware there are age limits on who can drive. What better way to see the best of St. Mary's then touring the sights in a golf buggy. Find out more
Itinerary
Hire bikes and explore St. Mary's
Cycling Adventure on Scilly Isles
On St. Mary’s Island, you’ll be as close as the Isles of Scilly get to being busy. With beaches, shopping, countryside paths and coastal trails and with largely traffic-free roads and gentle slopes, the Isles of Scilly are perfect for exploring under pedal power. Find out more
Itinerary
Walking route - St. Mary's
How long to walk around St Mary's Isles of Scilly?
St. Mary’s is criss-crossed by 30 miles of nature trails, paths and other walking routes. To see a snapshot of St. Mary’s, this walk will take you through tracks, lanes, woodland and across beaches. Read on for the full itinerary. Find out more
Itinerary
Tresco Abbey Gardens
Tresco Abbey Gardens
A visit to Scilly is not complete without appreciating the amazing flora and fauna, although this can be seen across the islands the best place to view thousands of tropical species is at the Tresco Abbey Gardens on Tresco island. The 19th century garden is home to some 20,000 sub-tropical plants. Find out more
Itinerary
Walk the coast - Tresco
Top things to do on Tresco
Like anywhere on the Isles of Scilly, Tresco also has its share of beaches, panoramas and secluded spots. Pentle Bay is especially peaceful, the rugged north-east coast boasts historic forts named for both sides of the English Civil War. It’s possible to walk the length of Tresco in a few hours, read on for our guide to explore the cosmopolitan island. Find out more
Itinerary
Snorkel with seals
Snorkelling with Seals on the Isles of Scilly
For nature lovers and water enthusiasts it doesn’t get any better than snorkelling with seals in their natural environment. Head to the island of St. Martin’s, and you'll find the Scilly Seal Snorkelling Co who offer excursions to the Eastern Isles to swim with the seals and make memories to cherish for a lifetime. This trip is suitable for families from age 8 upward and couples. Find out more