Beaches

With their turquoise water and pale, fine sand, Scilly’s beaches are simply stunning, beautiful enough to rival any in the world.

There are more than 35 such examples spread across the archipelago, which is good news if you are looking for your own private, secluded beach – fear not, there are plenty to go round!

However you like to while away your time on a beach – reading, shell-seeking, sunbathing, eating an ice-cream or contemplating the magic around you – there is a beach for you.

* Best beach for romantic walks: Pentle Bay, Tresco

* Best beach for rock pooling: Porthlow, St Mary's

* Best beach for beachcombing: Town Beach, St Mary's

* Best beach for swimming: Great Bay, St Martin's

* Best family beach: Great Par, Bryher

Pelistry, St Mary's

Pelistry Bay is almost always deserted. The Eastern Isles hover in the distance, and an excellent café is only a five-minute walk away.

Porthcressa, St Mary's

This has a sandy promenade and a safe cove for mooring, windsurfing, swimming, paddling and playing in dinghies. There are even rocky outcrops for some interesting snorkelling.

Rushy Porth, Tresco

Framed by the 16th Blockhouse and Lizard Point, the shoreline shelves into dunes supporting tufty marram grass, while panoramic views take in St Helen’s and Tean.

Appletree Bay, Tresco


This is one of the prettiest beaches on Scilly. The sea sparkles like a blue mosaic across the Tresco flats between Bryher and Samson, and the sand is clean and sifts through your fingers like sugar. If it's blowing a southerly, this is a windsurfer's paradise.

Pentle Bay, Tresco 


Pentle is heaven for shell collectors. It is a safe beach for swimming, too, and the views are only interrupted by the Eastern Isles. The beach is ¾ mile long and shelves gently up into dunes protecting the lush sub-tropical landscape and Tresco Great Pool.

Green Bay, Bryher

This is an idyllic spot, where you can launch a kayak or rowing boat from ripple-free waters.

Rushy Bay, Bryher

Quintessential Bryher: this is a small but beautiful beach, with fine, white sand, and gorgeous views out over the island of Samson.

Lawrence's Bay, St Martin's

A haven for families. There are rock pools at low tide towards Old Quay, gently shelving sand that gives way to tepid shallows over St Martin's Flats and soft dunes to protect that all-important picnic from the wind. The beach stretches from Lower Town all the way to Higher Town. At low tide, imagine the old causeway that used to link St Mary's and St Martin's in the Bronze Age.

Par Beach, St Martin's

A white sandy crescent that will instantly impress, as it is the first beach you see when you land at Higher Town. A great family beach with safe swimming, fabulous views, relaxing walks and long grasses to hide out and have a picnic.

Great Bay, St Martin's

Nestled on the north side of St Martin's, Great Bay is a vast expanse of creamy sand and was recently voted Best Beach in the UK. Not to be missed!

The Bar, St Agnes

This beach separates St Agnes from the island of Gugh. Both sides are sheltered and offer splendid clear shallows, perfect for messing around in a dingy or for watching the tripper boats come in. (Please note that swimming is not safe when the Bar is covered.)

Covean, St Agnes

A secret cove at the end of a tiny green path. It is perfect for snorkelling, as it is hemmed by rocky outcrops teaming with marine life.

Periglis, St Agnes

It's hard to imagine that much has changed in the last 100 years at Periglis. The fishermen still land their catch here, and the vista still takes in Annet, the Western rocks and the Bishop Rock lighthouse. Periglis is framed by the old lifeboat slip (once the longest in the UK) and Ginamoney Carn, a shell collector's paradise.