Scilly kayaking in the sea Isles

Around 30 miles off the tip of Lands End, the Scilly Isles are a strange cross between the outer Hebrides, and the English home counties. The islands have a rugged look to them, huddled together against the forces of the Atlantic, but when you get closer you see cricket pitches, delicate wild flowers and pubs serving St Austell’s excellent ales.



Before travelling to the islands by ferry we arranged hire of a double sea kayak through the guys at Kayak Scilly. Our plan was to spend the first and last day or so on St Mary’s (the most populated island, and home to the ferry from the mainland) and to spend the rest of the week paddling from island to island, camping as we went.



Everything went to plan with a pleasant few hours aboard the Scillonian III from Penzance seeing us landed on the dockside at St Mary’s (don’t ask what happened to the Scillonian I and II – this is shipwreck country). After picking up the boat (a nice modern Perception double) and some other bits of kit, we headed out up the coast of St Mary’s to Bar Point. From this northerly patch of coast it was just a short crossing to St Martin’s, the first of the ‘off islands’ in the archipelago.



From St Martin’s we headed out to the ‘Eastern Islands’, a string of rocks and islets now completely uninhabited by man. As the islands are now devoid of human activity they are a haven for seabirds (as are many of the rocks around Scilly) but also for Atlantic Fur Seals which popped up in force to investigate our kayak, and who followed us around for an hour or so while we explored the islands.



Next on our itinerary was paddling around the northern side of Tresco, to the campsite on Bryher (Tresco is the only inhabited island without a campsite, and wild camping is not allowed anywhere on the Scillys). Once we had dropped the kit off on Bryher, we paddled off for an explore of the Norrad Rocks, and also to Tresco itself which boasts a very impressive sub-tropical garden, including all sorts of exotic plants and sculptures.



The next leg of our explorations took us down to St Agnes. This is the longest open water crossing required when paddling round the islands, and is the most exposed to the tide and weather. So much so that we ended up staying an extra day on St Agnes until the sea was calm enough to make the return journey. As it happens, St Agnes is home to a farm that makes its own excellent ice cream, and the Turk’s Head pub, so it’s not too much of a hardship to be marooned there for a short while.



With the final leg completed, and an excellent meal at the Boat Shed we returned to Penzance the same way we had come. One day I quite fancy paddling there from Lands End (you can just see it on a clear day) but I think that will have to wait until I’m a bit fitter.



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