The Scillies are on many sailors' bucket list, but if you can't manage the weather window to get there by boat, don’t put it off, simply take the Skybus from Newquay or Lands End or the Scillonian from Penzance * and enjoy these unique islands.
Food choices are made simple here on Tresco, the island I've longed to visit for many years now, and I rather like that, a complete stress buster that matches my mood. Blessed with fine weather from the minute I stepped off the plane at St Mary's I was soon being transferred to one of the jet boats that whizz around the islands using a variety of harbours and slipways depending upon the tide.
The fun begins – well it did as soon as I folded myself into the 18 seater and stuck my nose to the window, spotting St Ives bay and Sennen beach; the tractor on the quay has to reverse back up the jetty and before I know it I've been hijacked by Rachel Young from Tresco Estate, who trundles me off in her golf buggy and points out the layout of the island as we head to the New Inn. In no time bags are dumped and bike sorted as I'm keen to be off whilst the sun is out and those white sands beckon....
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| Cosy interior of the New Inn |
I can get up and over the island in the shake of a Ruby Red's tail and I'm enjoying my first coffee on the terrace at the Ruin Bay Café by 11. Partridges come up to the table; the sparrows are as friendly as the Cornish gulls are hungry and look as relaxed as birds with few predators can be.
The Ruin Inn has a wood fired pizza oven, already crackling away behind me, so there's a good choice of fast food for hikers and a more interesting menu in the evening using local produce and the afore mentioned Ruby Red beef cattle that graze the island.
The sun is still out so I follow signs to the Abbey Gardens, rumbling along the
tracks with brilliant blue glimpses of sea and sky, fruit and veg stalls piled
high outside garden gates, joy!
So here I am with two red squirrels and one golden
pheasant, positively posing for my camera, and perhaps three other people in
the gardens. Glorious they are, hidden shady paths, then open vistas,
succulents galore, created by Augustus Smith who built the Abbey back in 1834
and then set about creating one of the finest sub-tropical gardens in the
Northern Hemisphere.
He changed the skyline forever and as you arrive by
sea, whatever your choice of vessel, Tresco stands out from the other islands
with its towering collection of unusual trees and shrubs. There are still many
flowers in blossom and the bees are happy – it is positively balmy here.
Now let’s talk about the weather – I was here in the
second week of October, and had really hoped for some sunshine so that I could
share some decent photos with you – I was lucky and struck gold but after meeting
a timeshare fan at the Flying Boat club, who always books these first couple of
weeks in October, and he’s enjoyed great weather for the past three years, so don't
rule it out.
Jumping back
on the bike I take a different track back towards the New Inn as I have a date
with Tresco's recently retired Harbour Master, Henry Birch. He has seen a relatively quiet summer as the strong
winds have not helped sailors reach their destination on their limited holiday
breaks. He tells me that his French visitors love the islands, and drop by en
route to Ireland.
Henry's looking forward to enjoying his retirement with family and friends on
Tresco. By the way, if you want to follow in Henry’s steps this is a dream job
for someone out there – for more details go to www.tresco.co.uk/jobs
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Harbour Master / Bosun
I gather a picnic from the bulging Tresco Stores and
head to the beach, ducking out of the wind to enjoy the warm October sunshine,
and admiring a lovely piece of rock, studded with ironware and barnacles, the
incredibly clear water washing the pale sands.
Exploring by bike means you can earmark the best
cottages and mark them down on the lovely hand drawn map to remember which ones
to book next spring. The Ruin is wonderfully cosy, with everyone enjoying that
sea view. This is sunrise side of Tresco – more later – but the views over to
St Martins are beguiling any time of day.
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| Fritto Misto - and how! Prawns, mussels, squid and whitebait |
The seafood is morning fresh here so it would be rude
not to try the Fritto Misto, which comes with
home made garlic mayo and includes whitebait, prawns, squid and mussels,
along with some incredibly succulent hunks of hake, perfection
when this fresh. Best ever. And call me a heathen but it was very good with my
Tarquin’s G&T. Cornish gin in a distinctive, if un-gin-like, bottle and
offered with orange rather than lemon. Very good.
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| The Ruby Red beef, slow cooked and succulent |
Having admired Tresco’s own beef
heard today I couldn’t resist the slow cooked Ruby Red pappardelle, with
porcini, offset by the clean crunch of grated celeriac and parmesan on top. The
house Sangiovese was perfect with this and cut through the richness, available
by the carafe, so civilized if you all want to try something different.
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| The lemon curd tart - worth the trip on it's own |
But the art was in the tart.
James Norcott is head chef and his pastry skills are superb. I chose the lemon
curd tartlet with berry compote and ginger ice cream. Quite perfect.
Crisp pastry, brûlée top covering
smooth, nicely runny filling with intense flavour, softened by the berries and
ice cream – if you don’t have the lemon bug as I do, this helps calm the
tongue.
Best bites here:
the pizzas, scallops and indeed any of the specials cooked in the wood oven,
confit of duck and the Ruby Red sirloin steaks. And for lunch? The sharing
platter of meats & cheeses
Next month we
continue the story and pop over to Bryher.
*The Scillonian sails from March – November, as do
flights from Exeter
