The Isles of Scilly and St Michaels Mount
After travelling all day Thursday 10th April 2014 to Cambourne, Cornwall we spent Friday morning on St. Michael's Mount. The causeway was clear today from 9.30 till 11.30am.
There was a charity car park at £2.50 but then we found a closer one at £3.50 which seemed more official as we were given maps of the Mount. It was a cloudy start to the day at 12 degrees with a 10 mph wind. Some of the stones in the causeway seemed to have wormlike creatures fossilised inside them. Because I couldn't find an example in any geological websites I am thinking it may have been man made. In pools either side limpets clung to the rocks. We were among the first people onto the mount but unfortunately the ticket office doesn't open until 10.30. National Trust workers chatted to us saying how it is better now the family and national trust don't both own one of the two cafes on the island(NT own them both)as it made it awkward for them when people wanted directions to a café and they had split loyalties.
Once populated by 300 now only the seafront cottages house 30 people.
We were first to venture up the steep, rocky path and over granite outcrops with steps cut into them. Steps were easier than the steep incline on the wide, stone clad path. We reached the gun terrace and then there was a natural stone progression upwards with a few stairs to the "front" door which was probably the back door when the whole castle was used only by the St Aubyn family,managers of the island since the 17th century.
The entrance seemed quite low and there we were welcomed by another friendly guide. Views from the narrow windows were spectacular and the sun was out now changing the colour of the sea to a beautiful turquoise. Only 20 minutes earlier dolphins had been playing in waters under the castle but there was no sign now. The rooms seem small but homely for a castle. Strange artefacts were everywhere- a mummified cat, Samurai warrior regalia, ornate batons, swords and even a Bronze age hoard. A former butler made a replica of the mount and castle out of champagne corks, now housed in the garrison room.
The long hall had a beautifully polished thick oak banquet table sometimes used by the family on special occasions.A fire burned brightly but the specially made guard let little heat through, a necessary safeguard for the wooden floors. There was a lovely collection of old stained glass from France and other places, set in the window.
It was from here that the visitor can step out onto the roof of the house adjoining the castle, where the St Aubyns now live. The National Trust have taken on preservation of the mount and castle since 1954. Looking over the battlements with legs like jelly we could see the amazing sub- tropical terraced gardens that unfortunately weren't open today. It was a steep rugged drop to the sea.
There was a church built on the summit of the island after the Norman invasion when Michaels' Mount was given to the Benedictine Abbey of the same name in France- Mont St Michel.
On entering the church we were told we could play the organ but no one was brave enough. On a plinth stood a lovely modern bronze statue of a gentle faced St. Michael defeating the devil who posed theatrically like the wicked witch of the north.
Sunlight sent beams of colour from the stained glass across the floor and wall. Services in the church always welcome guests.
The ladies drawing room was the next room to visit,built in the 18th century in rococo style, full of symmetry in powder blue with pineapples all over the blue upholstery.
We loved this place but we were aware that the window for crossing the causeway was coming to an end. Boats would take people back to the shore but we enjoyed the walk. A small puddle was forming as we went over and when we had crossed we saw that some people were paddling back. The sea bed is dredged here to help with the landing of the small boats.
The rest of the day we visited tin mines with the National Trust.
Saturday 12th we had an early breakfast luckily as none was to be had on the boat to Scilly. I was particularly nervous as everyone we had met had said how brave we were to take the boat, Scillonian III. It is flat bottomed because of the fluctuating depths of the ocean bed and this makes it rock with the waves, safe but less stable. They won't run if the weather is particularly bad and have been known to turn back from the Cornish Coast in certain conditions. I wore sea bands on my wrist in case I felt more queasy than I did before embarking.
We arrived at Penzance Station at 8 am to park for the week. unfortunately we were in panic because the machine refused Bob's card and the station staff refused to give us a parking ticket as we weren't travelling by train- the car park is not owned by the railway. Time ticking on and we had to be at the ferry by 8.30 for checking in luggage. Bob rang the parking company who charged a mere £14 for the week, less than the machine and on giving the car registration number we were in the system without a ticket. Fantastic! We pushed and pulled our heavy suitcases( we were prepared for wet clothes every day) up roads with little or no pavement. It was the most unlikely place to catch a ferry but it was actually quite efficient. Suitcases needed labels for their destination as there are 5 inhabited islands. Then they were taken off us and put in 2 fair sized metal containers lifted by ship's crane into the hold. The boat holds 500 people but not today and no cars.
It was cloudy and cold all the way for the 2 hours and 40 minutes it took. We sailed down the coast to Lands End and then across the Atlantic for 28 miles to St. Mary's, the biggest island and where we would board for the week. A café sold drinks and snacks like pastries which were freshly cooked on board judging by smells wafting through. To keep my mind off the waves which were gentle anyway, we played cribbage. We met a lady travelling bravely on her own for the walking week which we could join in with if we wanted-at a price! We met up with her a few times during the week which was nice to catch up.
There had not been any dolphins and we arrived at Hugh Town with all the other foot passengers to wait for the luggage to be emptied out. It was a bit of a free for all but handlers only took out 1 or 2 at a time. Some bags were sent over one boat into one at its far side and I wondered about the potential for it to go wrong. It didn't and we were soon walking with our bags that could have been delivered to the door of the B and B for £1.50. There were no names of road signs even though there was in the address but we asked a likely local who put us right and it was only a 5 minute quick walk from the ferry. As our hosts were still cleaning rooms and it being midday we decided to go for lunch. The room was a bit of a shock being just big enough for a double bed. A 200 year old Captain's cottage, it needed a bit of damp course work done. We liked it though and enjoyed the morning banter and both slept like logs, zonked before 10pm.
The Bistro did a good soup and crab sandwich but Bob didn't rate the pasty made on the premises. Hayle in Cornwall provided the best and nothing in the Scillies measured up. A 75p map from the tourist information place was better than an ordinance survey map that was mostly of the sea as the islands are so small.
We went round in circles for a bit till we got our bearings then we set off clockwise round St. Mary's, not bothering to go back for our walking boots.
The sun came out and the walk was glorious so we went for longer than anticipated. Across a clear turquoise blue sea we saw Samson, uninhabited, Bryer, smallest inhabited, St. Martins and Tresco also the little eastern isles. There were seats to sit on at various pretty spots and footpaths took us by the beach, on the beach with gritty white sand and shells( Islands mostly of granite) under huge pine trees with large cones and everywhere, verges, fields, were the three cornered leek looking like a cross between a snow drop and white bells( as opposed to blue bells). This scourge of the allotments, though a delight to us who hadn't met it before, has a stem with 3 ridges down its length and the white flowers have delicate green lines on the petals.
Our first place of note was Harry's Walls, a 16th century very much unfinished fortress. Thick walls of rock pieces reminded me of parts of Hadrian's wall.
There were cairns and burial chambers to clamber over. We stopped at Juliet's Garden restaurant with lovely sea views from the windows and garden. Although sunny there was a cool wind and all week we were wearing between 1 and 4 layers on and off through the day. We chatted with a lady from the Brecon Beacons who had come to stay here for a few days and so far had stayed 3 weeks. Every one we have spoken to seems to find it hard to remember when they arrived and for us it was like being in a little bubble apart from the rest of the world.
A local told us it was at least 10 miles around the coast so we left out the far eastern bit and set off along the road, single track concrete or tarmac in the town. Bird song was everywhere and when we sat on a bench a female blackbird sat right beside us. There are no predators except a few cats so birds linger longer by humans than you would expect. The Scillies have their own species of some fauna found on the mainland. Blackbirds have bright orange beaks, shrews have longer noses and they have their own bee. Everywhere we heard wren song and we saw hundreds. Thrushes are very common. They have had problems with rats left from years of shipwrecks but concerted efforts have been made to eradicate them. We saw a lot of black plastic boxes monitoring them on St. Agnes. The rats take birds eggs and they are hoping for more species of sea birds in the future.
Another flower we had never seen before was the Bermuda Buttercup, a yellow member of the oxalis family and very common here. Fields of narcissus, heavily scented, as well as daffodils have long been commercially grown and many have been naturalised.
We came across 3 cows, with teddy bear like fur, behind an electric fence beside the sea. There were small sand dunes with marram grass. Black shags are more numerous than cormorants and we were disappointed again- no dolphins or seals.
In the old town free house we had pints of Dunbar and gammon steaks and we seemed to be the only visitors apart from the locals.
We bought a pudding in the Coop the biggest shop on the islands and still open at 7 pm. Then we perused the bookshelf in the guest sitting room in the B and B.
Sunday
We had a good night's sleep followed by a very nice breakfast at 8.30. There were 4 other guests who strangely came from Cambourne where we had spent Thursday and Friday night. Every morning was a friendly affair with banter between guests and Ben our host.
We were sporting tanned faces already and the sky looked promising for the day. Our boat left the quay at 10.15 and it looked confusing as none of the boats were marked as to their destination and people milled around as perplexed as us. A blackboard on the quay had the boat names, destination and times chalked up everyday but sometimes these changed because of weather or tides. Tickets were expensive but a multi buy if you made enough trips made it cheaper. One local said the boat operators were the elite of the islands.
We were first on and at the last minute the boat became full. We wimped under cover as it was a cold wind but the journey took only 10 minutes. We landed at Carn Near Quay and made the 15 minute walk to the famous Gardens. It cost us £12 each and although they were full of interesting plants and many golden pheasants we thought it rather small for the cost. The plants were gigantic and the collection of figureheads from shipwrecks splendidly restored.
The coffee shop and toilets could have been utilised without going into the garden which was nice. We had a pot of tea and watched someone setting up to do a concert on the keyboard. We had heard about this on the boat from a local couple who were going to Tresco to listen to the keyboard player who they knew and said was very good. Unfortunately while we sat they were only testing the equipment to" Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" so we didn't get a good impression. Local people seem to be hungry for any sort of entertainment and you could understand why. He was probably very good when he eventually got going.
Red squirrels where brought here from the British wildlife Centre in Surrey in September 2013 to a sanctuary in the Gardens. There area lot of large coned pine trees on the island. They were brought from Cornwall by Naval helicopter.
We spent an hour looking round but no squirrels to see today. We took a clockwise route on paths and lanes seeming wider than on St. Mary's, right round the island. We took the "road" by the Abbey Pool. The Abbey itself is within the garden and private. Already we had the feeling of longer stretches of one sort of habitat, unlike St. Mary's whose coastline changed constantly, as we headed towards Pentle Bay. It was cold and we both wore hats as we walked alongside the beach on a grassy path. We could see St. Martins but as we went round Tresco we lost our bearings and couldn't identify anymore. We went seawards of the ruined castle and then towards Old Grimsby where we visited the Ruin Beach Café.This seemed to be in an upmarket holiday complex area. Our bright green leek and potato soup unusually had olive oil drizzled all over with dry plain bread on the side, expensive at £6. Most of the meals on the menu were only suitable as mains.
After lunch the path was really rocky and we kept to the edge at first but then we came to a point where the path had been eroded and there was a narrow part through rough rocks with rocks underneath if you fell. I chickened out when the drop became steep and we retraced a bit back to paths through heather over the top. We reached King Charles Castle built in the C16th. It's quite a small ruin with lovely views through the window cavities, whereas the English Heritage ruin of Cromwell's Castle at the bottom, right on the sea edge, is more intact being a C17th gun tower complete with C18th graffiti.
We stuck with the rocky and peaty high paths with surprisingly some puddles despite it being dry and windy for sometime. At New Grimsby we went in the pub where we enjoyed a beer, they also sold local farm ice-cream.! The boat left from the quay at Old Grimsby.
It was an open boat back and not too choppy. Everyone seems to like chatting and the sun was out properly now. We went to the little promenade behind the tourist office and sat facing a beautiful turquoise sea with the sun on our faces. Later we walked up to the water tower built in honour of Edward 7th in 1914. The reservoir sits a little lower encased like a swimming pool. We walked down a path beside the oil fired power station, owned by EDF. Now we see why it is in such a position- because it needs the water storage above maybe.
There are plenty of places to eat in St. Mary's and we chose the Altlantic Inn which was so busy people weren't finding seats. We both had turkey and ham pie with new potatoes, peas and garlic. bread. We met the lady travelling on her own from the boat who was doing most of the walking week trips. The cost for 2 of us put us off and we like to do our own thing anyway. She more or less endorsed that feeling. She was having a good time though.
Although our bedroom was small we sat in the guestroom watching TV for a bit before we fell into bed sleeping soundly till morning. The sleeps here were the best I have had anywhere!
Monday14th
After our planned trip to St Martins and the small islands was squashed we made the 10.15 ferry to St. Agnes with minutes to spare. It cost 8.50 each from one of the shops but is a bit cheaper on the quay. At least the prices are standardised by the collective nature of the boatmen who meet up in the morning to decide where and what according to tides and weather.
It was about 20 minutes ride down beside the garrison, then open water made for higher waves and I was glad of my sea wristband.
After landing on St. Agnes we went straight over the sand bar to Gugh. It was just low tide so we had till 2 to walk round this tiny but inhabited island. Currents are strong here but even so some people cut it fine to get off Gugh in time.
It was brilliant sunshine and I was glad I'd bought some sun cream, from the Health and Beauty shop, as we already had red cheeks and noses. The cold wind meant that we still needed up to 4 layers (especially on the boat) that periodically were off then on again.
Luckily we were walking in the opposite direction to the Walking group, straggling and quite large. We passed Barbara, our lone lady traveller friend, at the Standing Stone who didn't seem impressed by the guide. The Old Man of Gugh stands almost 3 metres tall with typical Scillonian vertical grooves and dates from the Bronze age I believe.
Most of the paths were narrow, either banked by flowers, heather or rocks. It was beautiful with a view of St. Marys and various rocks making navigation here hazardous. Fat juicy caterpillars and unusually shaped black beetles crossed our path and every now and then we passed a black box left from the rat extermination project. Gulls were crabbing, large ones with flaying legs as they were cruelly wrested from the rock pools up into the air. As we left Gugh there was a large bank of daffodils maybe connected to the only house situated near the sandbank and with Dutch like architecture , particularly the roof.
We had lunch at the Turk Inn on St Agnes, Bob still trying to have a perfect Cornish pasty while I tried some Cornish cheese in a ploughman's. Just under the Turk Inn cut in a small cliff side were nesting kittiwakes, active and noisy. The recent storm had left some of the path boggy as we left to go anti clockwise round the island. We easily picked our way for a bit then visited the little church. Easter crosses decorated by the children were in a tiny plot against the church and these featured in Country File on TV. Easter Sunday.
There are 2 lovely but modern stained glass windows, one depicting the lighthouse and the other the sea in gorgeous colours which didn't come out. They were running a treasure hunt at £2 a go towards the restoration of the other windows and we had a go, drawing a cross on a map.
As we left the church walking up the concrete "road" either a golf type buggy (favoured by tourists), tractor or car had knocked down a Scilly shrew, distinctive by its long snout. I wanted to see one but not like this. This was how we saw the otter in Scotland. Actually there were a few vehicles passing us but only farmers or gardeners. Locals on Scilly do tend to have rather old cars that don't require MOTs so they run them into the ground then get another.
At Troytown Farm I bought an icecream flavoured with rose geranium and made from their milk. It tasted a little like Turkish delight. We passed a camping site but everything is on a small scale and we didn't see any amenities! Bob enjoyed running round a maze thought to be at least 200 years old. It was marked by stones in the grass in a spiral pattern. To us it seemed freshly made!
The paths then went into fields and rocks. A prominent rock looked to us like an elephant with some of its trunk missing,but we think it's named the Nag's head. It was easy to see shapes in these sculptures of nature- like dragons and giant faces.
There were a lot of birds- swifts, swallows, song birds singing loudly and all lingering longer around us than normal on the mainland. There are many wheatears here and we were glad to have positive identification of these white- rumped birds with eye flashes.
Rockery plants as well as the feathery lichen, like sea pinks covered some rocks. There were Bermuda Buttercups and I could smell something spicy coming from a plant a little like hogweed. It is possible this was hemlock but as we saw so much of it I think maybe it wasn't.
We arrived back at the Turks head for a beer and cup of tea. The water seemed to make a good tea unless I was just so thirsty.. Water is scarce and precious.
We caught the 3.30 ferry back rather than the later one. It was windier and quite choppy again in the open top boat.
Arriving back at 4 we saw the Scillonian taking on its passengers for Penzance. We met our B and B hosts in the co-op who said the shop was out of butter and tomatoes so it would be marge and tinned tomatoes for breakfast! On a positive note they had ordered Bob a smoked haddock that would arrive on Wednesday. It must be difficult catering to the fluctuating numbers on a holiday island.
More guest with dogs had arrived. Dogs are not allowed on beaches after May 1st.
We sat in our favourite spot by the beach sheltered from the wind and it was hot. It was early evening and we watched with many others a tractor trying to unsuccessfully back a lorry on to a car ferry. They tried a digger , lifting and pushing, but then the back wheels of the lorry locked and it would not budge an inch. The harbour master told them to stop trying and everyone including the heavy vehicles dispersed.
We ate at the Atlantic, the busiest pub with a good view of the harbour. There were gigs there - rowing boats with teams of men or women practising. They certainly go at a pace and later in the week you could go and watch them race.
Bob got some super pictures of the sun setting and then just before 10 with full moon and some stars we watched the space station go over.
Tuesday 15th
Despite the dearth of butter and tomatoes we had a good breakfast and enjoyed chatting to the new couple from the New Forest. Another windy but sunny day and we decided to go to St. Martins. There were so many people that they put on more boats. 2 policemen in helmets wandered the quay which may have helped the boat situation as lets face it there isn't much crime here. Strangely on the local radio station later in the week the police chief was saying they hadn't the time to give tickets for parking on yellow lines in the town. Ben, our host, launched into peals of laughter.
The boat trip took 30 minutes and it was quite choppy going out. Arriving about 11am we started walking clockwise. There were clumps of purple large daisy like flowers migrated from Tresco's garden and originating from Malta and as everywhere on Scilly there were wild violets along with daffodil and narcissi. We have constantly seen or heard wrens. For such a small bird, though both Bob and I thought their tails longer here, they make a loud sweet sound. Today we saw the most swallows, feeding on insects just above the seaweedy rocks.
It was a one person track down to the sea with a nice peaty spring. Later though the path was closer to the edge of the cliffs with plants spilling across tripping up if you lost concentration wondering at the colours in the sea. Agapathus grows wild here and one foot trod on a leaf as the other caught underneath it and I walked with a list to the land side just in case!
There were some lovely beaches, one very long. More fantastic rock shapes stood like statues, one called The bishop loomed above us. We headed through low heather to the Day Mark, a beacon to shipping and erected in 1683 and built on the foundations of an early Christian Chapel.
We looked at the remains of a Napoleonic signalling station also nearby then started to head for the quay that we needed to reach by 2.30 for the boat. I didn't like the look of the wind on the sea and thought the first boat a better option. We passed Adam's Fish and Chips where evening trippers go to by boat, farms and a vineyard that advertises as an attraction but it wasn't open today. We met people who were working voluntarily on the farm( not young) We had coffee and tea in Little Arthur's café but we were the only clients. Out the back were 2 sheds, the small one a toilet and the other obviously where the shoemaker works, though closed today. It wasn't far from here to the quay. We had eaten our sandwich and pasty sitting on a rock looking out to sea. Apart from the café there had been nowhere else to buy food even Adams Fish and Chips was closed like the pub and hotel, though the pub is being renovated. Apparently the hotel was sold recently for £1 and quarter million which is nothing for its size and considering the price of properties round here.
As we waited on the quay the wind started to whip up and the waves began to churn more than ever before. It was the first time we were given safety notices and told not to worry because the boat is self righting! I sat watching the floor even when the skipper shouted that there was a dolphin on our port side. The boat was already pitching and then lots of people stood up to get a better look. I saw the dolphin through one of the waves that came higher than the boat but Bob saw it out of the water and managed to get a photo. I was sure someone would fall out or we would capsize but as we drew nearer to St. Mary's the dolphin left us and the sea was quite calm again.
Walking around St. Mary's it still felt like I was on the sea and that took a while to wear off. We sat by the sea soaking up sun then walked out to the Garrison.
At the end of the seafront opposite to the water tower we found an old archway, signposted to the garrison, between two houses. The short tunnel was only about 4 and half feet high and its location quite surprising. Immediately after were several areas of fortification began in the C16th.
The wind blew well up here and we read some of the information boards dotted about the various ruins. Hardy ponies were on the surrounding land, hemmed in by electric fencing and part of a conservation project- presumably moved at intervals.
At the highest point on St.Mary's sits Star Castle, atmospheric and in the shape of an eight pointed star built within the garrison walls in 1593 as defence against a Spanish invasion. It is now a hotel, since 1930 and a restaurant( 2 course meals at £25) retaining the original walls of the castle built by Francis Godolphin of revered reputation. There is a dungeon bar and rooms have slit windows making them quite dark but a modern part of the hotel looks out to sea with light and airy accommodation.
On our walk we passed more areas of the garrison that the public can walk in or around. A powder room, Rocket house built in the seventeenth century is surrounded by a blast protection wall. The magazine houses an exhibition on the garrison's history. Used during the Napoleonic War, World Wars 1 and 2 the garrison spans over 300 years of history.
We walked back to town through the Blue Arch surmounted by a bell and bellcote, that is the Garrison gate, built originally in 1601. Later we sank into the deep leather seats of the Mermaid Inn and toasted in front of the wood stove. As their kitchen is being refurbished we went to the Scillonian club for our evening meal. We had lashings of fresh vegetables with dinner and it was very good value with a lovely harbour view as we sat eating.
At 9 oclock we went out to watch for the space station and as our B and B hosts had never seen it they came out too. They seemed genuinely thrilled to watch it in the clear sky as it followed a trajectory above the main street, west to east.
Wednesday 16th
Bob had his smoked haddock at last and enjoyed it. We intended to go to Bryer but the morning boat was cancelled and we thought to leave at 2 didn't give us much time to explore. We listened to the local radio at breakfast and Ben was scoffing as the police were saying that he was far too busy to give people tickets when they park on double yellow lines because he might be needed to apprehend a criminal. This is in a place where our B and B has a key sticking in its keyhole whenever we have used the door and is invariably wide open!
We still had quite a bit of St. Mary's to walk so we headed for the water tower, then following the path nearest to the sea we walked to the peninsula at Penninis Head. We walked past allotments and more mothball smelling plants like hogweed or hemlock. Decided perhaps shouldn't sniff too much as probably poisonous.
We could hear the sound of a mournful bell from St Agnes direction that felt spooky. Unless there was a funeral there, it seemed too slow to be for a service and I wondered about the many shipwrecks about these waters and possibility of bells on board.
We stopped at a café on the edge of the old town where there were plenty of anticipating sparrows. Up to the church where Harold Wilson ex prime minister, is buried, though we didn't find the grave. A lady was repairing masonry in the church yard wall. All church stained glass in the |Scillies looks as if it originated from the same craft studio and St Mary's Old Church is no exception. The church was built in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 17th and 18th then derelict in the 19th century. It was then restored and it felt well loved with a little notice to ask us to help keep out little jenny wren!
We next came to a little nature reserve where we sat out of the wind to eat our lunch in a hide by the pool. We saw nothing unusual only geese, ducks and gulls though we had been watching a hunting bird, tan in colour with black and white striations underbelly and a fanned tail with black fingers in the wings. It seemed bigger than a kestrel.
Once round the rocky bits we were at the end of the runway for the airport. A claxon went and a read of the nearby notice told us to stop where we were till it ceased to sound. Shortly after a small plane took off from the cliff right over our heads seemingly within touching distance. Another sign said, "Don't linger" We walked on slowly, watching the hunting bird almost in the same "shot" as the plane. Aren't they a hazard here? We later discovered it was only a kestrel which against the big blue sky seemed to double in size with nothing for our eyes to measure it against. The RSPB man who identified it from our photo was impressed with Bob's snap non the less. There was little restraining fencing around the airport and all seemed very laid back.
There came more rock scrambling and Mount Todden Battery which looks like a megalithic site but is actually a civil war relic and also an 18th century watch house. A farm nearby had an array of ostrich, alpacas and turkeys which all felt quite out of place. The path became more confusing and we ended up at a" no entry" gate. We retraced our steps and negotiated a steep bit, to then go back up to Cairn Vean Tea Garden. Well kept attractive chickens are in an enclosure in the garden and it was nice carrot cake and a refreshing tea but this place shuts at 5.
We found the hidden community garden called Carreg Dhu that used to be a quarry. There was a notice saying "don't plant anything without asking June!" People were setting up an Easter hunt for children. All around young families picnicked. Though a nice spot it seemed quite small. There were unusual fuchsias we thought.
After walking back through the little business park my feet were hurting (waterproofing gortex boots stopped them breathing!) so I went for a paddle and felt refreshed.
We got dressed for the evening meal but then decided on fish and chips from the mobile van with seagulls watching every mouthful. We sat on the benches with wind breaks in the hopes that the sea gulls couldn't easily snatch our tea. We chased them off but mostly ate a tasty meal unmolested and all for under £6 each. Freshly cooked Thai food was also available from another van and when open small mobile creperie.
We washed the food down with a pint from the Mermaid again in the comfy chair in front of the fire.
At 8 there was a folk evening in the Bishop and Wolf pub but it was so busy and we weren't keen on the us and them bit as there seemed to be a stage rather than all in together for a good sing. The Cornishman on the bagpipes was impressive with plenty of charisma, lacking in the main group who were very under- stated. We were disappointed and left after a bit as the crowded standing room only felt uncomfortable.
We watched the space station again.
Thursday
Bob had haddock for breakfast again today and it was a full house with more well behaved dogs. It costs £30 per dog per room because of the extra cleaning. Ben and Kirsty are mindful of people with allergies. Having dogs of their own they are in one of a small number of properties that allow them.
At breakfast the radio whinge of the day was " not enough air traffic controllers". The Scillies lost the helicopter and now it looks like they may be cutting back on planes.
We caught the 10am boat to Bryer - a 20 minute crossing on the warmest day so far. We met up with lone traveller Barbara again who told us about what she'd learnt about the local plant life. We passed some beautiful geraniums that she said came originally from madeira. They grow tall from a mound of ferny leaves and pink flowers on red hairy stems. She said Agapanthus grows rampant like weeds here. Green and black Aeonium, giant succulents were growing in the dry stone walls. She left us to find some fudge she'd heard about and we visited the little church, like the others with beautiful modern stained glass windows 2004-2007. I also liked the wall hangings. At a farm there were purses, hairbands and hanging decorations on a stand for people to purchase. Then later we found a stall with fudge, like Barbara said, but there were only a few packets left. Supposedly ingredients supply depends on how much cream is made on the farm. The lady who makes it came out to tell us to watch them on Sunday on Country File.
We walked the 2 peninsulas finishing at Droppy nose Point( great name!) It was hilly round to Hell Bay hotel which was in a sheltered spot I mile from Hell Bay. This looked lovely, modern but comfortable with garden areas for giant chess and nine men's morris. We had tea and coffee overlooking Great Pool which hadn't much wild life on it but another spiral maze next to it.
We took a narrow path on the edge of the cliff to Gweal Hill which required full concentration, arriving safely at Hell Bay, where there was a long drop to the water. We went up then down the other side to Fraggle Rock Bar where we had cauliflower soup in enamel mugs with lovely bread- the best lunch so far. a guest from Hell Bay Hotel came in asking if he could have a play on the owner's guitar. He was good and said he'd come back to play to an audience in the evening.
We had a quick look around the gallery that had touristy quirky souvenirs but we weren't tempted to buy.
Horses galloped on the beach and in the sea with riders but no saddles. Our boat left in calm waters and we were back by 4, chilled and ready for the massive but healthy meals prepared by the Scillonian Club.
The Cornish Folk Band, Dalla were playing tonight in the Methodist Church at £5 a head. It was a great concert, polished but feisty and varied. The church pews would have benefitted from cushions though. The 3 girls, who also played bass clarinet, viola and percussion respectively, sang in wonderful 3 part harmony a cappella. There were also a bagpiper and tin whistle player borrowed for the night and a mandolin player who could have been the band leader. Their songs also featured sound effects made on their various instruments.
As we were going home Friday afternoon this was a fitting finale to the week and we were really impressed by them.
Friday
We had a restless night because we were travelling on the boat back and the weather could do anything. We left our luggage at the Band B and although again for £1.50 we could have it collected we fetched it ourselves. We whiled away half of the morning looking round St. Mary's museum housing Harold Wilson;s (our 1960s Prime Minister) coat, hat and pipe among other things. After sitting in the sun in the sheltered bays by the beach we had coffee in the Dibble and Grub café a bit further down.
At 12.30 we caught a community bus outside the Town Hall for a ride round the island to see a different perspective, getting off in Old Town where we had lunch in a beach café meeting an RSPB volunteer who'd identified our bird photo, taken at the airport, as a kestrel- disappointment- but he liked the picture. The RSPB put someone like him on the boat coming to the Scillies and going back every Friday. He said he really enjoys it.
The boat rocked in the quay and the wind was getting up. I made sure to wear my sea sickness armbands. As soon as we got out to sea the wind was behind us and the boat steadied. We stayed on deck the whole time trying to see the shearwaters and puffins pointed out by the RSPB man without the aid of binoculars. It felt very sociable with the appearance of Barbara and several other chatty voyagers. I was just saying how we liked Tresco the least with it's up marketness and then found out that the owner was standing behind us. Oops!
I'd love to go back to the Scillies but the weather was so good to us chances are it would rain a lot and we'd get seasick and then our lovely memories would become tarnished- so it will remain forever in a little happy bubble instead!
