Please note that due to the nature of this holiday, a good level of fitness is required and that guests with mobility difficulties may be limited in their enjoyment. The coach does not travel with you to the Scilly Isles and there is a good amount of walking required. Please also remember that all sea journeys are subject to prevailing weather and tidal conditions and that the itinerary may have to be varied and adapted accordingly.
Day 1 - After boarding your holiday coach head off to the South West, stopping for lunch and refreshments on your way. Check in later to the excellent 3* Queens Hotel in
Penzance, located right on the promenade with wonderful views over Mount's Bay. Overnight stay with breakfast and dinner included.
Day 2 - After an early breakfast, it's time to head to the Penzance ferry terminal to board the morning
Scillonian III ferry crossing to St Mary's. Your Crusader coach does not travel with you to the Scilly Isles but your driver will accompany you throughout and act as your tour guide. The crossing takes around 2hrs and 45 minutes, giving you a unique perspective of some of Cornwall’s most iconic coastline. There are comfy, reclining seats as well as an on-board café.
Upon arrival on
St Mary's at around midday, your luggage will be transferred to the hotel whilst passengers walk (approx.10 mins). Check in time is normally around 14.00 and in case rooms are not ready, you may like to explore compact
Hugh Town, St Mary's main town with its cluster of shops, churches, post office, cafés, galleries, restaurants and pubs. It also has three lovely beaches in very close proximity – Porthcressa, Town Beach, the perfect spot to watch the comings and goings on the Quay and Porthmellon. Check into the
Bell Rock Hotel for 4 nights with dinner included on 3 nights (
NB the hotel restaurant is closed on Wednesdays allowing you the opportunity to try one of the local eateries at your leisure. Pre-booking may be required to guarantee a reservation)
Day 3 - 5 At leisure in Hugh Town with one included excursion
The hotel is ideally situated in
Hugh Town in a level position, midway between Town Beach to the front and Porthcressa Bay to the rear - both beaches are about 100 yards away. The location is very convenient, quiet and central with shops, entertainment and the museum close by. The quay is less than 10 minutes walk, with boats to Tresco, Bryher, St Agnes and St Martins daily in the season (subject to weather and tides). Your driver will be able to assist you with trips out by boat or local bus, bike hire and sightseeing ideas during your free time.
St Mary's covers an area a little more than 6 square miles and it’s not exactly bustling. The coastline features large stretches of deserted white sandy beaches, dramatic rocky coves, stunning seascapes, amazing archaeological sites, beautiful walks and scenery along miles of coastal and country paths and nature trails. Old Town is the other “major” settlement on St. Mary’s, with its own beautiful beach, nature reserve and Old Town Church where Sir Harold Wilson is buried.
An
introductory guided walking tour of Hugh Town on Tuesday morning will give you a brief orientation and useful information about the capital and St Mary's, the Isles of Scilly’s largest island (population 1,800) and the rest of the islands. The tour is taken at a gentle pace but there is a steep hill at the start of it and some uneven walking around the Garrison.
INCLUDED EXCURSIONTresco & Abbey GardenTake a boat trip out to
Tresco, the second largest of the islands and a subtropical gem. It is the only one of the islands to be privately-owned and is currently cared for by Lucy and Robert Dorrien-Smith. This island has a little bit of everything – from dramatic rocky outcrops, bronze age burial sites and romantic castle ruins, to secluded sandy beaches and, of course, the world famous Tresco
Abbey Garden (entrance included) which was established in the 1830s by Augustus Smith. This horticultural paradise hosts a spectacular collection of more than 20,000 exotic plants from all corners of the world – many of which cannot be grown anywhere else in Britain. The Valhalla collection within the Garden is equally impressive with its colourful display of figureheads salvaged from the islands’ shipwrecks.
Credit: Visit Isles of Scilly
Day 6 - Enjoy your last day on St Mary's today before meeting to stroll back to the quay (luggage will be transferred) to take the afternoon ferry back to the mainland. Arrive in Penzance at around 19.15 where dinner awaits you back at the Queen's Hotel, your overnight stop for the last night of your holiday. DBB
Day 7 - After breakfast it is time to check out and board your Crusader coach to head back to interchange with comfort / refreshment stops en-route. Return to your home town this evening with plenty of wonderful memories of the enchanting Scilly Isles
Please note that a non-refundable deposit of £200 pp is required to book this tour