THE SCILLY ISLES: Magical ruggedness and beauty

Jul 22 2008 by Mark Thomas, Liverpool Daily Post

Seals bask on the rocks, Scilly Isles _320

The boat services provide plenty of opportunities to get out and explore St Mary’s, St Agnes, St Martins, and the off-islands.

We took the opportunity, on our final morning, to take a lightning tour of some of the more remote islands, an exhilarating hour’s trip aboard a speedboat with the appropriate name Cyclone.

In that hour, we saw more of the rugged majesty of the coastline, watched some of the islands’ rich diversity of bird-life, including puffins, in their natural habitat, and even got up close to see a colony of Atlantic Grey Seals basking on a crop of rocks.

The Scilly Isles remain, I am happy to report, one of the unspoilt, magnificent jewels of the British Isles. If you need the kind of holiday where you can leave the pace of modern life for a while and unwind with fresh air, great scenery and the warmest of welcomes, I would heartily recommend it. I certainly don’t plan to leave it another 30 years for my next visit.

* MARK THOMAS flew to the Scilly Isles with Skybus, which flies to the islands from Southampton, Bristol, Exeter, Newquay and Land’s End. For further information, fares and timetable see www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk or 0845 7105555

Rates at Hell Bay from £130 to £275 per person per night incl. dinner, bed & breakfast, VAT & transfers.

Rates at Island Hotel from £130 to £325 per person per night, inc. dinner, bed & breakfast, VAT & transfers.

For Hotels/The Flying Boat Club/details of short breaks, contact www.tresco.co.uk or phone 01720 422947 (Hell Bay), 01720 422883 (Island Hotel) or 01720 422849 (Flying Boat Club).