Themes
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Historical
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Gardening
Wonders of the Isles of Scilly
Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Isles of Scilly are Britain’s only island archipelago, lying just off the coast of Cornwall. This sub-tropical paradise is home to diverse coastal and country scenery plus a profusion of flora and fauna. Its history, dating back to the Bronze Age, can be seen in the many ancient monuments; especially on St Mary’s the largest of the five inhabited islands.
Your Break Includes
• Airport transfers from London Heathrow*
• 3 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth
• 4 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Bell Rock Hotel, St Mary’s
• Porterage at our mainland hotel
• After dinner tea and coffee at the hotels
• Return ferry from Penzance to St Mary’s
• Coach transfers to and from your excursions
• Guided historic walking tour of St Mary’s
• Services of a Tour Manager
*supplement applies for transfers from all other airports
Please note: This tour involves a fair amount of walking and is therefore unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Due to possible changes in ferry crossing times, breakfast may take place on board the ferry to the Isles of Scilly and there may be a late dinner at the hotel.
On arrival at Heathrow Airport a private transfer will take you down to our overnight hotel in Cornwall, where we stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
Leaving the hotel, we travel to Penzance to catch the ferry to St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly. Later, we check in to the Bell Rock Hotel, our base for the next four nights.
We begin the day with a short coach tour which introduces us to the beautiful island of St Mary’s and helps us get our bearings. In the afternoon, we have time at leisure to enjoy St Mary’s at our own pace. Hugh Town is the central hub of the island with shops, cafés, galleries, restaurants and pubs as well as a wonderful museum. There are also three lovely beaches close by.
Covering an area of less than 2½ square miles, St Mary’s is full of hidden treasures and amazing archaeological sites. We start our historic walking tour in Hugh Town, from where we walk along the west coast, taking in the unfinished 16th-century fort of Harry’s Walls, the Late Iron Age/Romano-British period settlement of Halangy Down and the Bronze Age entrance grave of Bant’s Carn. We also discover the island’s diverse flora and fauna and admire the stunning coastal views, before returning to Hugh Town along a more inland route. Our walking tour covers a distance of about 3½ miles and takes approximately 2½ to 3 hours.
We catch the ferry across to Tresco, the second largest of the islands. Here we explore the glorious Tresco Abbey Garden, a horticultural paradise where some 20,000 exotic species from 80 countries thrive in the sub-tropical climate. Originally established as a private garden in the 19th century by island owner Augustus Smith, the diversity of plant life found within the garden is as extraordinary as it is unique.
We check out of the Bell Rock Hotel and catch the ferry back to Penzance. We continue on to our hotel where we stay for the next two nights.
Our first visit is to Trerice. This romantic Elizabethan manor house remains little changed with fine interiors including the Tudor Great Hall and a lovely re-created knot garden.
We continue to Lanhydrock, one of the most fascinating and complete late 19th-century houses in England. Bursting with period atmosphere and with extensive servants’ quarters, we discover two sides of Victorian life. We also enjoy the extensive gardens with their beautiful herbaceous borders and a fabulous formal parterre.
A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Airport for your return flight home. Due to the journey time from Cornwall to Heathrow we recommend that you book an evening flight to make your return journey.
Please note: This tour involves a fair amount of walking and is therefore unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Due to possible changes in ferry crossing times, breakfast may take place on board the ferry to the Isles of Scilly and there may be a late dinner at the hotel.
• Airport transfers from London Heathrow*
• 3 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth
• 4 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Bell Rock Hotel, St Mary’s
• Porterage at our mainland hotel
• After dinner tea and coffee at the hotels
• Return ferry from Penzance to St Mary’s
• Coach transfers to and from your excursions
• Guided historic walking tour of St Mary’s
• Services of a Tour Manager
*supplement applies for transfers from all other airports
Please note: This tour involves a fair amount of walking and is therefore unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Due to possible changes in ferry crossing times, breakfast may take place on board the ferry to the Isles of Scilly and there may be a late dinner at the hotel.
We’ll stay at the Bell Rock Hotel on the Isles of Scilly, located on the island of St Mary’s midway between Town Beach and Porthcressa Bay. The hotel offers modern en-suite bedrooms, a lounge bar and restaurant plus an indoor swimming pool.
At the beginning and end of our tour, we’ll stay at the Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth.
