Tresco

This sub-tropical gem is the second-largest of the Islands, and the only one to be privately owned – today it is in the care of Lucy and Robert Dorrien-Smith.

Tresco has a little bit of everything, from dramatic rocky outcrops and romantic castles to secluded sandy beaches and, of course, the famous Abbey Gardens, which were established by Augustus Smith in the 1830s. This horticultural paradise now showcases 20,000 exotic species, many of which cannot be grown anywhere else in Britain.

Whether you explore Tresco by bike or foot, passing vivid agapanthus and verdant succulents at every turn, you’re guaranteed to fall just a little bit in love with this rich and pristine environment.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hire a bike and cycle round the island
• Explore the exotic species at Tresco Abbey Gardens
• Drink real ales at the New Inn
• Discover times past at the Bronze Age tomb on Tregarthen Hill
• Watch migratory birds at Great Pool
• Visit Valhalla, the shipwreck museum
• Listen to the sea booming in Piper’s Hole
• Buy local produce from roadside stalls
• Eat delicious Tresco beef
• Sample pizza at the Ruin Beach Cafe
• View fine art at Tresco Gallery
• Sail, windsurf or kayak at Tresco Sailing Club
• Take in views of St Helens and Tean from Rushy Porth
• Laze on the sugar-fine sand of Appletree Bay
• Collect shells and take a dip at Pentle Bay
• Watch wildlife at Great Pool
• Shop for culinary delights at Tresco Stores
• Relax and be pampered at the leisure spa

WHERE TO STAY

- Sea Garden Cottages

- Flying Boat Club

- The New Inn

- Self-catering cottages

Click to view all accommodation on Tresco

GETTING AROUND

There are regular boat services from Tresco to the other islands - contact Bryher Boats at www.bryherboats.co.uk.