Tresco ’25 #3: Tresco and other islands

Read this blog: The one where our helicopter ride is cancelled

Monday 8th to Tuesday 16th September 2025

From Taunton we drove on to Penzance, where we had booked to stay overnight in The Longboat Inn before catching the first helicopter over to Tresco in the morning.

Robert first attempted to buy lifetime membership of the National Trust for Matilda when we visited St Michael’s Mount in 2021 but although a man had been installed under a gazebo to encourage people to join, he found he could not take the payment. We subsequently visited Godolphin House where the membership was successfully purchased and Matilda got her first property stamp.

Consequently, although we have visited St Michael’s Mount relatively recently, Matilda wanted to go back just to get her NT passport stamp.

Crossing to the island depends on the tide. Last time we visited the tide was high and we made the journey by boat. This time we coincided with low tide and so could enjoy the walk across the causeway. Robert prefers this option as it is free.

This year we had invited Ruth and Matt to join us for our annual trip to Tresco. The plan had been that we would meet them off the train, take them to their hotel in Penzance and then Robert would go and pick them up in the morning and bring them to the heliport as we were all booked on the same flight.

However, as we were having a coffee back in Marazion, after visiting St Michael’s Mount, Robert received notification that our helicopter had been cancelled and we would all need to make the crossing on the Scillonian. This was doubly distressing for Ruth and Matilda who do not have “sea legs” and the forecast was poor. Ruth asked Matilda to get some seasickness tablets in Penzance as their train was delayed and they would not be able to get to a shop. This she duly did. Matt, who has sailed round the world and therefore has some serious sea legs advised us that there is a cumulative effect and it is better to take one the day before as well as on the day of travel if possible.

Instead of transporting Ruth and Matt from their hotel to the heliport, Robert now needed to get them to the heliport in time to be transferred to the dock to catch the Scillonian III. This would mean a much earlier start.

The chef in the pub kindly offered to make Robert a takeaway breakfast as he would need to leave before the breakfast service started. The barmaid was surprised to hear him being so accommodating as he was known to be “grumpy” and we were told not to share this information with other guests.

Matilda meanwhile breakfasted at the pub and then walked to the dock as there would not have been space for all four of us plus luggage in the car.

She felt blessed however as this meant she could watch the sunrise over the port. The day started well but the weather soon changed and it was already wet and windy as we waited to board the Scillonian.

And as expected the crossing was rough.

However the Kwells seemed to do the trick.

Matilda managed by adopting an attitude of denial: although Matt confirmed that people were being sick around her, she determinedly blotted this out and succeeded in maintaining a level of ignorance. Ruth opted for fresh air despite the weather and spent most of the trip wrapped up against the elements on deck. 

Having survived the crossing we strolled to the Ruin Beach Café for a celebratory snifter [see Selfie of the Day].

The following day, we were once again blessed with a Walking Tide.

Last year we shared our annual visit to the Isles of Scilly with Sue and Henry who regular readers will remember were also brave enough to join us for part of our narrowboat adventure in 2022. Unbeknownst to Robert, Henry had enjoyed himself so much that he had booked to return to Tresco this year with their friends Simon and Janet Hogg, arriving a day after us.

This meant that they would be arriving just in time for the Walking Tide. Robert was shocked to see two familiar faces as they were driven past us on our way to walk between the islands. Robert firmly believes that a Walking Tide always merits a drink at the Fraggle Rock before returning to Tresco on the Firethorn.

It seems Robert had successfully indoctrinated Henry with this mindset as they soon joined us there, albeit for cups of tea.

Matt is an enthusiastic sailor. It was obvious that he just loves being by the sea and travelling by boat to the different islands, choosing the seat with the best opportunity to enjoy the crossing. Matilda on the other hand had taught Sue to opt for the sheltered spot behind the wheel house whenever available.

The weather forecast for the week was not great with rain showers and gusty winds predicted but the weather changes so quickly here as the winds blow in from the Atlantic that we were still hopeful of some sunshine to showcase the beauty of these islands. Robert’s plan for these holidays is always to walk round as many of the islands as possible whilst also sampling the libations on offer at as many of the local hostelries as he can. Yes, he does indeed view it as an extended walk to a country pub. This involves stopping at The Turk’s Head on St Agnes where, this year, we watched as the crew disentangled a fishing net from the propellor.

One day Matilda chose to stay on Tresco and go for a swim while Robert walked round St Martins and past the Trig Point on his way to the Seven Stones.

Life, it seems, is always better when you are island hopping.

When we visited St Mary’s we stopped at The Mermaid.

We noticed that there was a Quiz Night in the Community Centre to raise money for The Island Haven. This is described as “a comforting home-from-home for anyone resident on the Isles of Scilly who requires medical treatment on the mainland”. We decided to go and support such a good cause and were delighted to win second prize – a bottle of fizz which we were able to share with Ruth and Matt before they left to go home.

Unfortunately Matt and Ruth had not been able to get two seats on the same helicopter so after she had waved him off . . .

. . . Ruth and Matilda went for a cup of tea in the café at the Tresco Abbey Gardens and enjoyed seeing the red squirrels whilst Robert and Henry walked round the island.

Despite the weather predictions we had some sunny days and we have learnt not to fear the Scillonian. Sue and Henry also had to return by boat and Matilda shared Matt’s advice on the cumulative effect of medication with Sue who also gets seasick. Once home she pronounced that taking preventative medication the day before travel as well as on the day of the journey worked well.

Video of the day:

Selfie of the day:

Dish of the day: