The Isles of Scilly are made up of more than 140 islands, five of which are inhabited. The rest are a happy haven for nesting storm petrels and manx shearwaters. Each island has a distinct and different feel: St Mary’s is the largest with its capital, Hugh Town, the administrative seat; Tresco is the well-groomed family favourite that’s been leased to the Dorrien-Smith family by the Duchy of Cornwall since 1834; then there’s wild and rugged Bryher, quaint, flower-filled St Martin's and soothingly remote St Agnes. Wealso offer Gin Tours of the Distillery to see how we make Island Gin using our beautiful 500 litre still 'Bishop' and our 500 litre still 'Sir Cloudelsley Shovell' which is used to make our Island Whisky. On Scilly, you can’t get more local produce than that which is produced on one of our five tiny inhabited islands!

Although Tresco is owned by the Duchy, the Dorrien-Smith family have taken it over on a very long lease. The family still live in the grand house, the Abbey, beside the ruins of the original 12th-century monastery and the famous gardens, where the family’s flag flies when they’re in residence. Step onto an enchanting archipelago that is like nowhere else in England. Get active or get away from it all as you experience the simple pleasures of island life. The imbiber will not only benefit from a deliciously different gin but seaweed is, of course, one of the most powerful superfoods on the planet with the highest number of vitamins and minerals of any food group. So what are these superfoods that have extracted so much goodness from the ocean, ready to impart it so delicately into this superb spirit? When Tarquin, Head Distiller at Southwestern Distillery, asked Hell Bay Hotel if they wanted to create their own gin, you can imagine the decision didn’t take long. Tarquin's Hell Bay Gin was born...My father always said that the good thing about sailing is when it stops – perhaps what he really meant was the relief at arriving to a cosy pub … Our heritage revolves around the sea - fishing for lobsters, crabs and crayfish and racing traditional pilot gigs. Flower farming also thrives here; Scilly's scented narcissi are renowned the world over. Then it’s over to the Gin School where you will take charge of your own mini still. Our library of over 60 botanicals will be available for you to create a ‘recipe’ for your own gin. We will guide you through the flavour profiles to craft a delicious spirit! Kombu is a leafy kelp with a fullbodied flavour described by Japanese cooks as umami – a pleasant savouriness quite distinct from the four standard taste sensations. Dulse is a purple-red seaweed with an exceptional, slightly spicy flavour. It is also, ironically, a popular hangover cure in Ireland.

Beyond food and art, St. Mary’s, and Hugh Town in particular, offers the most options when it comes to retail therapy, with a range of clothing shops, gift shops, newsagent and the like. Hugh Town retains its traditional high street feel with a post office, newsagent, butcher, hardware store and a deli, as well as souvenir shops, clothing stores and Co-Op. Amongst all that is Steamship House, offices for Isles of Scilly Travel where you should go if you have any queries regarding your travel plans.

When is the best time to visit the Scilly Isles?

Head to the secluded Great Par beach to find the gallery of local artist Richard Pearce, inside a renovated gig shed, where he paints magical Scilly seascapes all day, every day. Stop in the shallows for a spot of shrimping or starfish spotting. If you’re up for a proper Famous Five adventure, hire a kayak from the Bennett Boatyard and make your way across the water to the twin-peak uninhabited island of Samson. The last families, by then subsisting on a diet of little more than limpets and potatoes, moved away in 1855, and now all that’s left is the crumbling remains of their tiny stone cottages, the roofs and most of the walls long collapsed. The views from Samson, out across the archipelago, are astonishing. Just across the way is 49 Degrees whose IOS brand has become synonymous with Scilly. You’ll see that famous crossed oars logo on colourful hoodies and T-shirts everywhere on the islands. The name comes from 49.55N 6.19W – the map reference for St. Mary’s Quay.