e Turk’s Head Pub on St. Agnes, one of the Scillies and the last spit of land in the Atlantic ENGLAND’S Ocean before North America. SECRET OASIS Off the coast of Cornwall, five mythical islands are ripe for rediscovery with helicopter services reinstated and princely accommodations fresh from renovations. by Mark Ellwood Elaine Roberson he Isles of Scilly sit barely 30 miles southwest of Cornwall’s tip, but they’re far apart in every other way. Like a real- life Brigadoon, the archipelago of 140 or so islands materializes out of nowhere as [QWƃ[CETQUUVJGDNWG%GNVKE5GCDG[QPF Land’s End. It seems they shouldn’t be there, yet there they are. Think a cross between Nantucket and Key West: a centuries-old seafaring communityT with warm weather (the Gulfstream gusts directly over the islands, ensuring year-round sunshine) and a delightfully eccentric streak. “We’re the walnuts at the end of the Christmas stocking,” says local Nick Lishman, who runs adventure-swimming holidays between the islands. “If Cornwall is the stocking, VJG+UNGUQH5EKNN[CTGVJGRTK\GFPWVUq .KUJOCPKUQPGQHRGQRNGYJQECNNVJG5EKNNKGU JQOGQPN[ƂXGQHVJGKUNCPFUCTGPQYKPJCDKVGF6QWTKUO accounts for 85 percent of employment, followed by either ƂUJKPIQTITQYKPIƃQYGTU$QVJKPFWUVTKGUCTGWPFGTYTKVVGP by the Duchy of Cornwall, which owns the cluster outright; KVOCMGUVJGOCRGTUQPCNƂGHFQOQH%JCTNGU2TKPEGQH 9CNGU6JGƂPGUVVKOGVQXKUKVKUGCTN[HCNNYJGPVJGYGCVJGT is consistent and there’s less risk of fog when colder air hits the warm seas here. Even better, the helicopter service that was a mainstay of the islands until 2012 has just been TGKPUVCVGFCPFUGTXKEGU5V/CT[oUCUGEQPFTKXCNUGTXKEG TGUVCTVUHQTVJGUWOOGTUGCUQPCPFYKNNUGTXKEGDQVJ5V /CT[oUCPF6TGUEQ*GTGCIWKFGVQGCEJQHVJGKPJCDKVGF islands and their distinctive settlements. Z 176 Fall 2018 Fall 2018 177 TGECNNU#XTKN/WOHQTFYJQQYPUVJGNQECN VJTGGFGECFGU5VTQNNKPICTQWPFQPC Clockwise from left: Sea urchins newsstand. “I realized who they were, hot afternoon, he points out the African for sale with an honest box DWVO[UKUVGTFKFPoVq6JG5EKNNQPKCPU pincushion Protea, the honeysuckle-like in Hugh Town on St. Mary’s; feel protective of the Royal Family; Banksia from Australia, and agave-like ladies’ gig and oars; Bishop’s 2TKPEG%JCTNGUUVKNNXKUKVUTGIWNCTN[9JGP /GZKECPFurcraea VJGKTƃQYGTUUJCRGF Rock lighthouse; freshly caught paparazzi arrived to sneak shots of the like giant Q-tips, appear just once Scilly lobster on the barbecue [QWPIRTKPEGUNQECNƂUJGTOGPYQWNF GXGT[[GCTU 5WEEWNGPVUGURGEKCNN[ in Bryher; men’s inter-island ferry the cameramen off course on long Aeoniums, burst from every crevice like gig race; cows in a eld by the rides over the rough seas. ƃGUJ[YGGFUVJCPMUVQVJGYCTO%CRG sea on Tresco. The twinkle-eyed locals are more Town–like climate. welcoming to regular tourists. Euan 6JG)WNHUVTGCOJCUQVJGTDGPGƂVU Rodger is the local postmaster, but he such as keeping disease at bay. Lawson also runs the chef’s table–like restaurant waves at a row of mop-topped, spindly St. Mary’s Tanglewood (tanglewoodkitchen.co.uk), trees swaying in the wind. hidden away in the room behind the “Those phoenix palms, they’re 90 #VƂTUVINCPEGVJGUVTGGVUQHHugh Town RQUVQHƂEG6JTGGPKIJVUGCEJYGGM [GCTUQNF5COGCUVJGQPGUQPVJG TGUGODNGCP[$TKVKUJUGCUKFGTGUQTV VJGHQTOGTOCPCIGTCV.QPFQPoU5CXQ[ 2TQOGPCFGFGU#PINCKUKP0KEGVJCVCTG community. Then you realize the bushy now cooks for up to eight people sitting F[KPIqJGUC[Up6JG[oTGƂPGJGTGq6JG plants in every tidy front garden aren’t around what was once the mail-sorting bees he keeps in nearby hives to help boxy hedges but succulents and cacti VCDNG6JGURCEGƂNNGFYKVJOGOQTCDKNKC with pollination are virus-free, too. Every (blame the Gulfstream). The squawk of from the Isles, is the perfect way to meet fall, Lawson sells jars of their honey to a seagulls is incessant. Down one back locals, who cherish the privacy of the few lucky visitors (call and ask when he’s alleyway is a sign, propped against the intimate gathering. Rodger’s venture The decanting the summer’s stash). wall of a cottage, that reads: “Free-range Tanglewood Kitchen Company provides The gardens were initially established GIIUKPUKFGFQQTq5VTQNNVJTQWIJVQYP KV a ready-made meal service throughout by an ancestor of the current owner, takes less than 20 minutes) and scale the the islands. 4QDGTV&QTTKGP5OKVJVJG8KEVQTKCP hill toward the old garrison for the best businessman leased from the Duchy views. Next door, the family-run, 38-room of Cornwall in the 1830s and the family Star Castle Hotel (star-castle.co.uk) Tresco has developed the place independently is partly housed in ruins that date to GXGTUKPEG &QTTKGP5OKVJEQWPVU2TKPEG the 1590s. Andrew Lawson is head gardener at the Charles as a close personal friend). 2TKPEG%JCTNGUoJQOGTamarisk hosted Abbey Garden (tresco.co.uk), arguably The family’s wealth and attention have 9KNNKCOCPF*CTT[CU[QWPIDQ[UHQT 6TGUEQoUtCPFRGTJCRUVJG5EKNNKGUot conferred a manicured pristineness to many happy vacations with their mother greatest draw. Weather-beaten with VJGKUNCPFQRGTCVGFD[&QTTKGP5OKVJoU and father. “I played hide-and-seek with GCTVJUVCKPGFƂPIGTU.CYUQPJCUVGPFGF company Tresco Estate (tresco.co.uk) them on the beach with their nanny,” this botanic collection for more than with neatly trimmed hedgerows and Z Adj Brown. Opposite: Top Left: Julian Pearce; Top and Bottom Right: Adj Brown and Bottom Right: Adj Brown Top Left: Julian Pearce; Opposite: Top Adj Brown. 178 Fall 2018 Fall 2018 179 THE DETAILS GETTING THERE From Cornwall’s Penzance port, there is a ferry between March and November, but the waters are choppy and it’s not recommended. Instead, opt either for a ight from Exeter (March to October) or from Newquay (year-round) or Land’s End (year-round with both xed-wing and heli service into St. Mary’s). Or try the recently restarted helicopter service, which shuttles between St. Mary’s and Land’s End. e new paved roads that set it apart from the can go down and collect their own eggs for breakfast.” Clockwise from left: Catch of the 2019 helicopter service will y from other islands. Cycling is a pleasure here, Penzance into St. Mary’s and Tresco. CUVJGVGTTCKPKUƃCV6JGGPVKTGKUNCPF Local Issy Tibbs ducks into a bright day at Crab Shack at Hell Bay red, vintage phone box on the hilltop, on Bryher; side entrance to e e easiest option is to charter a TGUGODNGUVJGUGVQHCIGPVGGN$TKVKUJ copter through Isles of Scilly (islesof period drama. On the east coast bay by where she’s installed a pop-up, mini Turk’s Head Pub on St. Agnes; view overlooking a white-sand scilly-travel.co.uk) and land it on the settlement of Old Grimsby is The museum. It features a single exhibit beach from Karma St. Martin’s; Tresco, which has its own helipad. New Inn (tresco.co.uk), the toniest place FGFKECVGFVQ$T[JGToUJKUVQT[6JGEWTTGPV to stay anywhere on the islands. Even in showing features the movie When the aerial view over St. Mary’s with August, with hundreds of people staying Whales CameƂNOGFJGTGKPVJGU Tresco and St Martin’s beyond. VJGTG[QWECPUVKNNƂPFCDGCEJYJGTG Every day, Tibbs swaps out the battery on YKHG'OOCUVCPFUPGCTD[5JGCEVUCU The 27-room Karma St. Martin’s you are totally, utterly alone. VJG/2RNC[GTKPUKFGYKVJKVUKPVGTXKGY /CÊVTG&oYCKVTGUUCPFFKUJYCUJGT (karmagroup.com) overlooks a lovely QHVJGƂNOoUNQECNEJKNFUVCTYJQUVKNNNKXGU /WEJQHVJGRTQFWEGKUHTQOJKUQYP white-sand beach. Jeweler Fay Page a few streets away. garden, while Westward farm supplies (faypage.co.uk ƂTUVHQWPFJGTKPURKTCVKQP Bryher the eggs and its gin; the crab is from HTQO)TGCV$C[5JGPQYTWPUJGT #OCPFC2GPFGTQXGTQP$T[JGTp+TGEMQP namesake business from a cottage on This tiny, windswept, and rugged island St. Agnes 5V#IPGUKUVJGVTWG5EKNN[q'DGTNGKPUC[U the quayside, making solid silver shells is the foodie hub of the archipelago. each batch. “The equipment was my 60th p+VoUPQVDGGPƂFFNGFCDQWVYKVJ6JKUKU CPFUVCTƂUJHQTEJCTODTCEGNGVUOQFGNGF As you land, there’s a chalkboard by 6JKPMQHVKP[5V#IPGUCUVJG5EKNN[QH DKTVJFC[RTGUGPVqUC[U/KMGUOKNKPI how the islands are.” FKTGEVN[HTQOYJCVGXGTUJGƂPFUEQODKPI GETTING AROUND shyly. The pair combines botanicals from the beach with directions to the various VJG5EKNNKGU6JGNCUVURKVQHNCPFKPVJG VJGFKHHGTGPVDGCEJGUQPVJGƂXG ere are regular scheduled ferries producers scribbled by hand. Local Atlantic before North America, the speck the farm with imported spices for their KPJCDKVGFKUNCPFU.KMG/E.CEJNCP2CIG recipes, which include a classic, citrus- between the islands, though businesses Hillside Farm Holidays sits across a deep ocean channel from St. Martin’s KUCPKPEQOGTYJQƂTUVXKUKVGFCUCEJKNF heavy gin and an annual limited-edition these are tide- and weather- (hillsidefarmbryher.co.uk) and Veronica the other inhabited islands. Rats have “When I was 8, I declared I was going to PCOGF/KNGUHQTVJGFKUVCPEGDGVYGGP dependent. Isles of Scilly Boathire Farm Holidays (veronicafarmholidays DGGPGTCFKECVGFUQVJGRWHƂPUCPF +H[QWXKUKV5V/CTVKPoUFWTKPIETKEMGV live here,” she says. VJG5EKNNKGUCPF%QTPYCNNoU.CPFoU'PF (islesofscillyboathire.co.uk) charters .co.uk) rely on an honesty box for their kittiwakes nest in safety. There’s no hotel, UGCUQPFQPoVDGUWTRTKUGFKH$CTPG[ 8CN6JQOCUEQOGUHTQOC private boats for ease of travel TQCFUKFGRTQFWEGUVCPFUƂNNGFYKVJ just a few holiday cottages plus a pub, JGCFNCPFVJKU[GCToUƃCXQTYCUQTCPIG /E.CEJNCPEQQRVU[QWKPVQVJGVGCOVQ longstanding family of Ginnicks (like the with honey from their own farms (sold around the archipelago. fresh eggs, bundles of asparagus, and the Turk’s Head (+44.1720.422.434). It’s a RNC[FQYPQP2QQN)TGGPD[2CT$GCEJ 6WTMUQP5V#IPGUNQECNUJGTGJCXGVJGKT RQVCVQGU#OCPFC2GPFGTYJQUGHCOKN[