Yesterday, being a Sunday, was a day of rest and very nice it was too. The paper had an advert for a cruise around the British Islands on a ship called Viking Star, it has 930 passengers and the itinerary includes a day in Tresco, it is due to call in on the 11th and 18th August, I would suggest anyone planning a visit to this idyllic island avoids those dates. The population of the island is under 200 plus another 250 resident tourists. Last week there were two ferry loads of day trippers from St Mary’s on the island most of whom probably visited the gardens, perhaps 200 more people and the gardens seemed full, not many of our pictures did not have someone else in them. Another 930 would over run the island, anyone else who just turns up on spec that day will be severely disappointed.
Which reminds me that when we were wandering round the garden last week I was using my phone to take hundreds of out of focus pictures of flowers. The phone has an annoying habit of turning on the voice activated “help” so whilst lining up a shot a voice said “How can I help?”. The grumpy old man that I am I said “Piss off” and the phone replied “Thats not very nice!”. Big Brother is here and I don’t like it.
At 9.45 every day there is a procession of like minded tourists heading down to St Mary's quay to catch one of the five or six boats off to the other islands. Wherever you go the fare is £12 return. A chalk board names the destination of each boat which changes every day, you have to be careful to get on the right boat otherwise you will end up on the wrong island.
This exodus is monitored closely each morning by Wally the walrus whose pontoon is close by, the “experts” plan to move it bit by bit away from all the activity but I think he likes watching, that’s why he set up home here in the first place.
So this morning we joined the throng and caught the ferry over to Tresco and had a walk up to the top of the island (2 miles, a long walk by Isles of Scilly standards) to a couple of ruins called King Charles' and Cromwell's castles and then back round the island to the other ruin, the Ruin cafe for another excellent lunch. From the picture it looks like Gill, Peter and Jane are going round in circles - must be lost again.
It was at that point I “got” Tresco. If Heineken made holiday camps Tresco would fit the bill. It is a very up market holiday camp. The island is private, every cottage has been turned into a luxury self catering home and a great many new homes have also been built but in keeping with the island. There are 92 different “cottages” for hire at typically £3,000 a week.
There are two good restaurants, a cafe, a bar and an up-market supermarket. No cars, just golf buggies and bikes none of which are ever locked. Apart from five or six glorious beaches, the gardens and a water sports centre there is nothing to do, a very relaxing place to stay.