Make the most of a day on the islands

If you come on the Scillonian III, the usual boating times mean that you’ll leave Penzance at 09.30am and enjoy a wonderful 2 hour, 45 minute cruise to St. Mary’s (the biggest of the Isles of Scilly), arriving just after 12 noon. On your way, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy a stunning seaside view of Cornwall’s quaint villages, the world-renowned open air Minack Theatre and the Land’s End peninsula. Quite often, the ship is joined and followed by pods of dolphins, a raft of seabirds and occasionally even basking sharks.

Of course, making a day trip by air will give you more time to enjoy and explore the islands. By helicopter (Penzance Helicopters), the islands are just 15 minutes away, meaning you’ll get the whole day on the islands – but who’s clock-watching when the journey is almost as memorable as the destination? With the option to fly into either St. Mary’s or Tresco, the whole archipelago is within easy reach. You could even fly into one island and back from the other to enjoy a true island-hopping adventure. You can also board a Skybus twin otter plane from Lands' End, Exeter or Newquay which takes anything from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on your departure point. The Fly + Sail round trip gives you you more time on island and the chance to experience Skybus and the Scillonian (with Isles of Scilly Travel) in a single break; fly out to the Isles of Scilly, then sail back to the mainland, looking out for sea life and enjoying the views of the Cornish coast as it approaches. More below for day trip travel options.

On your arrival in Scilly you have a choice. Do you immediately head to one of the off islands (Tresco, St. Martin’s, St. Agnes or Bryher) for lunch and a stroll, visit the Abbey Garden on Tresco, or do you soak up the Scillonian atmosphere of St. Mary’s? The choice is yours, but if you do choose an off island, be sure that you can get a boat back to St. Mary’s Quay to arrive no later than 4pm to make the Scillonian III connection back to Penzance. (It usually leaves at 4.30pm)

Should you choose to stick to St. Mary’s, there’s much to be accomplished in your few hours on the island. From a stroll through Hugh Town, you’ll reach Porthcressa Beach and the Tourism Information Centre. From there you can head up to Buzza Tower to admire the view or walk around the headland to Peninnis Lighthouse and on to Old Town where there are a couple of eateries and a stunningly peaceful church yard where Lord Harold Wilson is buried. 

Or why not hop aboard the Island Rover tour bus which leaves Holgate's Green on the Strand at 10.15 for an hour and 10 mins informative tour of St. Mary's?

Or from the Quay, you can head for the Garrison for a beautiful walk around the heavily fortified headland, steeped in history, surrounding the Star Castle. The Garrison offers terrific views of the entire archipelago to give you a sense of what Scilly has to offer, as well as of course the opportunity for a bite to eat at the historic hotel itself.

Alternatively if you want to explore further afield, you can hire a bike or an electric golf buggy and head off. There’ll be plenty of time to check out the Iron Age and Bronze Age settlements at Halangy Village and Bant’s Carn and discover the sublime beauty and peacefulness of Scilly’s stunning beaches. Taxi firms will be very willing to provide a tour of St. Mary’s but you will need to contact them in advance. All tours are subject to Covid-19 restirctions. 

Of course if you fly in and out of the Isles of Scilly for the day (or combine air and sea travel) you’ll have a few more hours to enjoy our outstandingly beautiful islands!