After my travels through Cornwall took me all the way to the southwestern tip of England, I decided to keep going! I charted a ferry and sailed the choppy 28 mile stretch of water to the Isles of Scilly for an amazing stay at the Tresco Abbey Garden. The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwest coast of Cornwall, and are made up of 5 major islands: St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martins, Bryher, and St. Agnes.
I spent most of my time on Scilly’s second largest island, Tresco. Tresco is only 1.15 sq miles, measuring 2.2 miles by 1.09 miles. There are very few shops, hotels, and just buildings in general, and the permanent population of the island numbers less than 200. There are no cars; everyone cycles to their destination with the exception of a few golf carts and tractors. There are two great ruins on the island (see photos), Cromwell’s Castle and Charles’ castle. The castles provide great views of the Tresco coast from their lofty positions, and also provide nice views of the surrounding islands (Bryher being the closest).
I had the great fortune of being on the island during the World Pilot Gig Championships (http://www.worldgigs.co.uk/) and it was great fun watching the hundreds of gigs race back and forth between the islands. The crews produced some colorful characters, and made for loads of fun while on the island.
The best experience must, however, be my weeks spent at the Tresco Abbey Garden, which I will not try to describe in this post. For now, just enjoy the photos from around the island. Thanks also to Jon Taylor for his nice helicopter photos, and for letting me sleep on his couch. Cheers!
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