DAY 5: BRYHER

A DAY ON BRYHER

MORNING

Another day, another island. This time you’re heading for BRYHER, Tresco’s westerly neighbour but a very different little beast. Although only measuring one and a half miles in length and just half a mile wide, Bryher is probably the wildest of all the Scillies, with a rugged west coast that receives the brunt of any storms that roll in off the open Atlantic. The first boat for Bryher usually departs from St Mary’s at 10.15am [later morning departure at 11.15am | £12 return, children £6] and will drop passengers off at either Bar or Quay, depending on the tide. Scilly is at its most magical when you’re out on the water, so today is a day for feeling the salty sea breeze in your hair as you potter along Bryher’s coast. Hut 62, in Green Bay, a 10- to 15-minute walk south of the quays, hire out a variety of motorboats and sailing dinghies, many of which require no previous experience [open from 9.30am to 6pm, half-day hires from 9.30am to 1pm or from 2 to 6pm | prices range from £30 for an hour or £45 for half a day up to £115 for the whole day; hire includes buoyancy aids, safety equipment and dry bags]. Their catamaran (holds up to 5 people) is a great choice for beach-hopping, with a shallow draft that enables you to haul up onto secluded RUSHY BAY, on the southern tip of Bryher, and GREAT PORTH, further round the coast – or you could make the short journey over to uninhabited SAMSON, for a picnic lunch on one of the island’s gorgeous beaches.

AFTERNOON

If you’re not hiring your boat for the whole day, then you can spend the afternoon on Bryher walking the loop trail that runs round the northern end of the island. Walking back up the coast from Green Bay, pick up the pathway that starts just north of the Fraggle Rock café at Kitchen Porth. This leads up onto the open heathland of SHIPMAN HEAD DOWN, a Site of Scientific Interest that’s home to unusual flora with brilliant names like Yorkshire Fog and Hairy Bird’s-foot. You might also see seabirds such as razorbills and Manx shearwaters on the cliffs of Shipman Head itself. The pathway continues down past wave- and wind-battered HELL BAY, on the west coast, and over POPPLESTONE BROW on its way back to Kitchen Porth. The last boat back to St Mary’s leaves from either Bar or Quay at 4.45pm [there’s an early departure at 2.30pm].

TOP TIP As you travel round Bryher, you’ll come across HONESTY BOXES tucked into hedgerows down little side lanes or propped up against stone walls by the coast. These contain everything from jasmine to cupcakes and from locally grown succulents to homemade fudge. You just help yourself to whatever takes your fancy, leaving the correct amount of money in the jar provided.

WHERE TO STAY

STAR CASTLE HOTEL