101 Things to do in Scilly!

Where better to find inspiration for your holiday than our personally recommended list of 101 things to do in Scilly - from exploring to relaxing, dining to netting your own catch, there's something for everyone!

1. Take a tour of the vines and taste the wine at St.Martin's own vineyard

2. Take a trip to Bishop Rock Lighthouse (recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's smallest island with a building constructed on it) with commentary from local boatmen and see the seabirds along the way

3. Follow in the footsteps of Price Charles and have a drink in the dungeon bar at Star Castle Hotel, an Elizabethan fort

4. Take a sailing trip on Halcyon Daze (a 30ft catamaran built on Bryher) and enjoy life on the ocean waves (add champagne and lobster for a special occasion). Sarah Shave 01720422061

5. See the seals without a wetsuit and hop aboard Sea Quest, Scilly's own glass bottomed boat, the water is so clear here you can see an adundance of underwater life. Alfred Hicks 01720422511

6. Try beachcombing on the long white beaches on the eastern side of Tresco, collecting shells as souvenirs

7. Practise your swing at St.Mary's nine hole golf course and don't get distracted by the sea views! 01720422692

8. Watch the slideshows of the history of the islands at the Methodist Hall on St.Mary's- see local boards or ask at the TIC for timetables

9. Discover Piper's Hole on Tresco- a massive underground cave, by candlelight

10. Take a hack with St.Mary's Riding Centre and perhaps even paddle your horse through the shallow, crystal clear waters 01720423885

11. Cheer for your favourite crew at the gig race- Ladies on Wednesdays and Men's on Fridays, boat times on local boards

12. Visit the St.Mary's Museum and don't miss the old Scillonian kitchen

13. Navigate Troytown Maze on St.Agnes, a labyrinth made of beach stones by a                       lighthouse keeper in 1729

14. Follow the nature trail on St.Mary's and enjoy the peace and quiet

15. Take an evening trip to St.Agnes or St.Martins for dinner and a stroll along the beach

16. Wander the magnificent Abbey Gardens on Tresco and marvel at the figureheads of shipwrecks at Valhalla 

17. Visit the off islands on summer fete day, highlights include a water slide on St.Martins and dunk a hunk on Bryher

18. Trek up to the Northern tip of Bryher and watch the rolling waves crashing in from the Atlantic at aptly named Hell Bay

19. Take a one hour high speed tour of the islands in a fast RIB Bryher Boat Services 01720422886 or Island Sea Safaris 01720422732

20. Cruise around the Eastern Isles, picturesque uninhabited islands and stop for a picnic on the beach at Little Arthur

21. Take the classic tour of St.Mary's on a vintage bus with light-hearted commentary 01720422131

22. Take a shrimping net into the shallows at low tide and catch some small prawns

23. Visit Samson, Scilly's favourite uninhabited island, and relish the Robinson Crusoe fantasy

24. Wake up to the sound of birdsong and no traffic noise

25. Search beady pool on St.Agnes for glass beads washed ashore from a shipwreck in the 17th century

26. Go to the Local Produce Market and sample island meat, fish and eggs or freshly baked bread from St.Martins

27. Try shark fishing with Alec Hicks 01720423999

28. Book a windsurfing lesson with the sailing club 01720422060

29. Attend a seasonal exhibition at Gallery Tresco in the early evening with wine and canapés, call 01720424925 for details

30. Feed the ducks in St.Mary's duck pond

31. Buy a bulb from the bulb shop on St.Agnes and plant a Scilly flower in your garden when you get home

32. Go snorkelling with the seals with St.Martins Dive School 01720423420

33. Hire a bike and explore the quiet country lanes of St.Mary's- Sean at St.Mary's bike hire 07796638506

34. Dine al fresco at Juliet's Garden on St.Mary's, and relish the magnificent view over the islands 01720422228

35. Take a craft making workshop at Phoenix Glass Studios, St.Mary's 01720422900

36. Try out your rowing skills with one of the local gig associations

37. Wonder at the clarity of the night sky by taking an evening stroll and stopping for some star gazing

38. Delve into the past with a guided tour of the local archaeology with expert Katharine Sawyer 01720423326

39. Try freshly caught lobster available direct from local fisherman or through restaurants or hotels (24 hous notice required)

40. Walk the coastal path to Cromwell's Castle on Tresco and climb to the top of the castle for a commanding view of the channel

41. Have a traditional Cornish cream tea- available across the islands

42. Study the marine life with a rock pool ramble organised by the Wildlife Trust 01720422153

43. Take a dip in Normandy swimming pool on St.Mary's 01720423645

44. Relax with your favourite novel in the sand dunes

45. Go crabbing off the quays at high tide

46. Stand on the rocks at Droppynose Point on Bryher and watch for seals bobbing their heads out of the water

47. Walk across the sand at low tide from Pelistry Bay on St.Mary's to Toll's island

48. Catch your own supper and try mackerel fishing, perfect on the barbecue with garlic butter and a handful of fresh herbs

49. Grab a hot chocolate in a cosy pub on a windy day and watch the sea spray surge from the crashing waves

50. Take a guided walk with Will Wagstaff local ornithologist and tick off the species in your bird book 01720422212

51. Trek to the Daymark on St.Martins and enjoy panoramic views over the eastern isles and glimpse Lands End on a clear day

52. Have a picnic on Rushy Bay on Bryher and enjoy views of Samson and the Western Rocks

53. Sink your feet into the sand at Great Bay on St.Martins, voted the in the UK's top ten best beaches by Seasalt, Yahoo Travel and The Sun

54. Go diving and discover the shipwrecks such as the Association, the Eagle and the Firebrand with Dive Scilly 01720423162

55. Enjoy a locally brewed pint from Ales of Scilly, in various pubs and bars across the islands

56. Row to Samson from Bryher with a rowing boat from Bennett Boatyard 07979393206

57. Join the locals for a whist drive at the Scillonian Club on St.Mary's

58. Spot a puffin-emblematic of the islands-recognisable by its colourful beak

59. Bask in the sunshine in a traditional bucket and spade day out at the beach

60. Visit the final resting place of Harold Wilson, former British Prime Minister, in Old Town Churchyard

61. Try homemade chocolate from St.Agnes, flavoured with essential oils

62. Sit on Holgates Green and take in the buzz of St.Mary's harbour       

63. Find serenity in the bird hides at Tresco's Great Pool and watch the wading birds in their natural habitat 

64. Play tennis, squash or snooker

65. Have a Tresco beef Burger in the New Inn pub garden

66. Host your own sandcastle competition at Periglis beach on St.Agnes, and get creative with the flotsam and jetsam washed ashore

67. Browse the art galleries at Porthloo, St.Mary's and purchase greeting cards with scenes of Scilly or handmade jewellery made with local shells

68. Try Neil's strawberry or ginger Pimms from the Round Island Bar at St.Martin's Hotel, sit outside and admire the sparkling sea a few yards in front

69. Relax with a range of Spa Treatments available at the Flying Boat Club 01720424075

70. Walk across the sandbar from St.Agnes to Gugh and search for the Bronze Age boundary markers and burial chambers

71. Take a circular trip to the jagged rock formations to the North or West of the islands and spot birds and seals

72. Sail to Appletree Bay on Tresco, a beautifully sheltered beach with fine white sand

73. Sit on the sun terrace at the Boatshed Restaurant on St.Mary's with wine and tapas to watch the incredible sunset over Samson

74. Watch the surf rolling over Golden Ball and through the crevice of Men-a-Vaur from the top of Gun Hill on Tresco

75. Spot rare breeds of bird in the hedgerows in October

76. Stop off at Innisidgen Burial Chambers, Bronze Age remains on the St.Mary's coastal path which are open access set amongst the natural surroundings

77. Take the kids to St.Mary's playpark, complete with pirate ship

78. Try the cider and beers at the New Inn cider and beer festivals (June and September, check for dates) 01720422844

79. Watch open air Shakespeare with travelling theatre companies who visit Tresco and St.Mary's in the summer months

80. Join the Walk Scilly Festival in Spring and benefit from the expertise of local guides on archaeology, wildlife, gardens, flora and fauna, beaches, birds, bats and boats!

81. Pay a visit to Carreg Dhu local community garden on St.Mary's

82. Walk the channel between Tresco and Bryher on a low tide, across the sandy sea bed that you will cross by boat later                                                                                                                                                                                       

83. Pick your own blackberries on the bramble bushes (September)

84. Hire a kayak and paddle the coastlines at your own leisure, Murray on St.Mary's 01720422641 or Dan on Bryher 07979393206

85. Don't miss Adams Fish and Chips on St.Martins, with the days catch from Adam's boat and rustic chips made from potatoes on the farm next door

86. Paddle in the shallows at dusk on Green Bay, Bryher and look for the luminous phosphorescence on the surface

87. Try the homemade ice cream at Troytown Farm Shop on St.Agnes and meet the cows grazing outside 01720422360

88. Walk along deserted beaches at sunrise and hear only the gentle lap of the waves

89. Sample the famous Bryher crab double decker sandwich at Fraggle Rock on Bryher

90. Wander in the woods on Tresco and see brilliantly coloured pheasants stalking around

91. Watch the islands cricket teams strike it out on a Sunday afternoon

92. Buy organic vegetables from the farm stalls across the islands

93. Fly a kite in the sea breeze… lots of open spaces to choose from!

94. Examine the greens for miniature wild flowers such as the endangered species of dwarf pansy

95. Collect your own eggs for breakfast from the free range chickens at Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher

96. Have an ice cream on Old Town Bay, St.Mary's and watch the boats bobbing in the water

97. Take a game of croquet on the manicured lawn at the Island Hotel, Tresco

98. Stop at Veronica Farm on Bryher and buy the creamy farmhouse fudge from their roadside stall

99. Taste the local seafood at High Tide Restaurant on St.Agnes, matched with stunning wines from Cornwall and New Zealand 

100. Enjoy a variety performance by the Scillonian entertainers at the Town Hall, St.Mary's, check at the TIC for performance schedules

101. Look out for basking sharks cruising in the depths while you're out boating