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under scilly’s spell Beverley Byrne explores the Isles of Scilly, falling in love with a holiday destination which feels foreign but, at the same time, so much like home
Flying over the Isles of Scilly archipelago, it’s hard to believe I’m only 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall’s Land’s End. Below me the ocean shallows are Caribbean turquoise and islands are fringed with half-moon sandy beaches. There’s even the odd palm tree. It’s only as we’re coming in to land on the island of St Mary’s, with its flower-filled fields and classically British patchwork of wood and heathland, that I’m reminded this is still dear old Blighty. After landing at St Mary’s endearingly Lilliputian airport, I’m greeted by Chris, the congenial porter of the Star Castle Hotel. En route to Hugh Town, the capital and centre of commerce for the islands, we pass a small cottage called, somewhat bizarrely, Nowhere. “See that cottage?” says chatty Chris. “A lad who lived there went to join the army. When the sergeant asked where he was from, he said ‘Nowhere’. Thinking he was being clever, the sergeant shouts, ‘Now then boy, don’t mess me about. Where are you from?’ The answer came, ‘I’ve told you, I’m from Nowhere, Scilly’.” The Isles of Scilly may look like a foreign country but, it seems, the Scillonian sense of humour remains resolutely ‘seaside postcard’ British. The same can be said for the historic Star Castle. As Chris negotiates the granite gateway of the hotel, I see the date l593 carved above the imposing fortification. Built during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to protect the Scillies from the threat of a second invasion after the defeat of the Armada, the castle’s keep and outer walls take the form of an eight-pointed star – a Cornish symbol dating back to the Crusades. Erected on the fortified Garrison Hill to the west of the island, it commands panoramic views of Hugh Town, its picturesque harbour and the deep channel between St Mary’s and Tresco. Whilst the fortress exterior might seem forbidding, inside there’s not a screaming sergeant in sight. This award-winning, family-run hotel prides itself on friendly but efficient personal service and the homely ambience is enhanced by a cosy interior – all polished antiques, sumptuous furnishings and historic memorabilia – plus Monty and Henry, the wagsome Labradors. My room in the main castle (there are also garden suites) is charming with views – through the castle crenellations – to the harbour crammed with brightly coloured boats. Dinner is served in what was the original officer’s mess room. The grand Tudor fireplace and candles flickering in converted arrow slits are reminders that this belongs to the age of Drake and the sea dogs. It’s thrilling, in a Horatio Hornblower sort of way, to enjoy a sumptuous dinner featuring local produce and vegetables from the hotel’s kitchen garden in this atmospheric room. A fine wine list contributes to the house party atmosphere. During the evening, the hotel proprietor greets his guests and reminds us that Tim, the hotel boatman, will be around during breakfast. Next morning Tim, another joker, arrives. “What sort of boat do you have, Tim?” “Calypso. She’s a nice little thing – oars for all of you!” Tim offers trips to the other inhabited islands, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher, and his personal favourite, St. Agnes, but there are literally hundreds of many smaller uninhabited islands and rocky islets offering attractions for everyone from wildlife enthusiasts to scuba divers. travel connoisseur I sign up for a trip to Tresco, famous for its lush subtropical Abbey gardens. Calypso turns out to be 31 feet of gleaming teak with handsome yet sturdy dimensions. As she cuts through the waves, Tim points out places of interest – treacherous rocks upon which countless sailors have lost their lives, Samson island (inhabited until 1855 when the population, consisting of only two families, was removed due to severe nutrient deprivation, mainly caused by a diet of limpets and potatoes) and the UK’s tallest lighthouse, the Bishop Rock. Tresco is a paradise island of golden sands, rugged rocks and soaring, singing skylarks. Attracted by the towering palm trees on the horizon, I head straight for the gardens which, started in the 1830s, have developed into a shockingly fecund collection of subtropical plants. Outside the gardens, Tresco is a bucolic, if not slightly unreal, experience. The island has 150 residents, the majority of whom are employed by the family-run Dorrien Smith estate, which has the leasehold. Charles and Diana took their boys here and its otherwordly, reclusive atmosphere makes it a Mecca for the glitterati. With no cars, one pub, a village store, a tiny church with a tinier school nearby, strolling around Tresco makes me feel like an extra in a cross between The Wicker Man and The Prisoner. In the afternoon, I take a sightseeing bus trip round the island courtesy of local Scillonian Glyn, who lends further insight into the history of the island and local life, as the bus heads downhill on a lane bisecting fields festooned with narcissi. There’s such a quaint 50s feel about this sleepy island, I half expect Glyn to stop the bus, whip out a primus stove and brew us all a nice cuppa. This retro ambience, plus Glyn’s entertaining commentary, makes a major contribution to my falling under the Scillies’ spell. The Isles of Scilly are populated with genuine characters and it is this, along with the family atmosphere at the Star Castle hotel, the stunning scenery and wildlife that makes this a unique destination. If you’ll forgive the pun, you’d be silly not to go there. n For more information visit www.simplyscilly.co.uk The Star Castle Hotel, 01720 422317, www.star-castle.co.uk GettinG there SAiL: The Scillonian III ferry sails from Penzance to St Mary’s (0845 710 5555; www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk) FLY: The Skybus flies from Landsend, Newquay, Exeter, Bristol and Southampton (0845 710 5555; www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk) British International runs a helicopter service from Penzance to St Mary’s from £145 return (01736 363871; www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com) rAiL: First Great Western has trains to Penzance There is also an overnight sleeper (0845 700 0125; www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk) 109
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