The Isles of Scilly
4th Sep 2026
Key Highlights
- Guided tour of Abbey Gardens on Tresco with Mike Nelhams
- Pelagic Boat tour with local birding expert
- Guided tour of a local flower farm
Summary
Truly a sub-tropical paradise, this tiny corner of England has remained unpolluted, unspoilt and unchanged for decades. The Isles of Scilly have been described as ‘the most fortunate of all the islands around Britain’s coasts with clean seas and beaches, wonderful scenery, welcoming inhabitants, and temperate climates’. They lie just 28 miles from the Cornish coast yet bask in a balmy climate where spring comes early, autumn stays late and winter hardly exists at all.
The wonderful Abbey Gardens on the island of Tresco are home to more than 3,000 species and magnificent vistas, colours and scents. There is certainly no other garden like this in the world. Even in winter there are 300 plants in flower in the Abbey Gardens and as each day lengthens more and more exotic flowers appear. In the spring you will see flowers here that are weeks ahead of those on the mainland, the perfect way to lift your spirits after a cold, dark winter. Autumn, too, is a stunning time to visit, with the beautiful golden, reds and ambers of the seasonal foliage against a backdrop of proteas, aloes and flowering camellias thrown in for good measure. We also enjoy Pelagic boat excursion to the Western Rocks and Bishop Rock Lighthouse with local bird expert. Other highlights include a visit to a local flower farm on the island of St Martins where we have a guided tour and a private tour around the island of St Mary's
What's included
- Accommodation
- Meals as per itinerary
- Internal flights and boat transfers
- All visits as outlined in the itinerary
- Presentation and Q&A session with Mike Nelhams of Abbey Gardens
- Services of Mike Nelhams as tour manager
Day by Day Itinerary
Travel to Penzance
Travel independently to Penzance. (Overnight accommodation and rail travel from mainline stations can be arranged at a supplement on request; please contact us for assistance.) We meet at Land’s End airport in time for your flight to the Scillies. On arrival, we are transferred to the St Mary’s Hall Hotel. Dinner will be served in the evening, after which we will have a special talk from our tour manager Mike Nelhams, Curator of the Abbey Gardens. This will be followed by a Q&A session with Mike, an opportunity to find out about growing tender sub-tropical plants such as those found in the Abbey Gardens.
Meals IncludedDinner
Departure Routes
| Location | Pickup Time | Dropoff Time |
|---|---|---|
| Land’s End airport | 00:00 | 00:00 |
** Please note that all timings are approximate and subject to change. Final timings and pick-up points will be confirmed with your joining instructions approximately 10 days prior to departure. **
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