English (UK)
English (US)
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Nederlands
简体中文
Garden
Tresco Abbey Garden
Garden founded by Augustus Smith in the 19th century around a ruined Benedictine abbey, growing subtropical plants; pay at the gate.
Directions Website Report a problem with Tresco Abbey Garden
A mini guide to
Tresco, Bryher, St Martin's & St Agnes
The four smaller inhabited islands, reached by boat from St Mary's
Photos
1 / 6Welcome to the area
The four smaller inhabited islands, reached by boat from St Mary's
The four "off-islands" are reached by small passenger boats from St Mary's. Most visitors come for the day from St Mary's or stay on one island. Tresco, the only privately owned island, has the Abbey Garden, founded in the 19th century around the ruins of a Benedictine abbey, and the Civil War forts at New Grimsby. Bryher, the smallest inhabited island, faces the Atlantic at Hell Bay and Tresco across a sheltered channel.
St Martin's, the third largest island, has long sandy beaches and the red and white Daymark of 1683 on Chapel Down. St Agnes, the most south-westerly, is joined at low tide to Gugh by a sandbar, and its heath at Wingletang Down holds a fern found nowhere else in the UK. Boats run daily in season, but times follow the tides.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Museum
Valhalla figurehead collection
Ship figureheads and other relics of Scilly's maritime history, displayed inside Tresco Abbey Garden.
Directions Website Report a problem with Valhalla figurehead collection
Historic fortification
Cromwell's Castle
Round tower built after the Royalist Scillies were conquered in 1651, on the shore north of New Grimsby harbour.
Historic fortification
King Charles's Castle
Ruins of a small artillery fort built under Edward VI and garrisoned by Royalists in 1651; reached by a steep heathland path.
Directions Website Report a problem with King Charles's Castle
Historic fortification
Old Blockhouse
16th-century fort guarding Old Grimsby harbour, attacked in the Civil War; about 20 minutes' walk from Old Grimsby, with steep steps.
Beach
Pentle Bay
Long sandy beach on Tresco's east side, part of a protected area that includes seabird islands such as Round Island.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Tresco, Bryher, St Martin's & St Agnes and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Check the tide for Gugh
The Wildlife Trust says the sandbar from St Agnes can be covered at higher tides; check tide times with your boatman or in the pub.
2
Tresco Abbey Garden tickets
Day visitors pay at the garden gate and advance booking is not available, according to Tresco. Guests staying on Tresco get free entry.
3
Plan crossings between off-islands
Tresco says there are daily boats from Bryher and St Mary's but usually only a couple of crossings a week from St Martin's and St Agnes.
4
Shipman Head in the nesting season
The Wildlife Trust closes Shipman Head on Bryher to all access during the breeding bird season. Keep to the paths.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for Tresco, Bryher, St Martin's & St Agnes
Photo credits
- Tresco, Bryher, St Martin's & St Agnes (area photo): Tom Corser, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tresco Abbey Garden: Andrewrabbott, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Valhalla figurehead collection: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cromwell's Castle: Martin Tester, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- King Charles's Castle: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Old Blockhouse: Andrewrabbott at English Wikipedia (released into the public domain), Public domain, source
- Pentle Bay: Tom Corser, CC BY-SA 2.0 uk, source
- Shipman Head and Hell Bay: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Samson: Andrewrabbott, Public domain, source
- St Martin's Daymark: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- St Agnes Lighthouse: Michael Steele, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Gugh: Andrewrabbott at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Wingletang Down: Andrew Abbott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St Mary's & Hugh Town: Chris Gorringe, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Isles of Scilly