This Is What It's Like To Visit Tresco Island, The Isles Of Scilly - Hand Luggage Only

There’s something in the air when you’re by the seaside that leaves you knackered by the end of the day.

It may also be in part because everything is so picturesque (and the weather is so amazing) that you end up spending every minute exploring the length and breadth of the island but whatever it is, you’re guaranteed to need more snoozing time when you’re visiting the Isles of Scilly and I’ve never been one to complain about having a nice lie in while on holidays.

The next morning on Tresco Island was defined by what I can only describe as tropical rain. It feels like it falls a little harder than the rain on the mainland (which explains why the island is so lush and green), but I always find heavy rainfall comforting.

It makes me appreciate being warm and dry indoors, and I love to spend more time mooching around in my pyjamas with a ginourmous cuppa tea and eating every single snack I could lay my hands on.

The plan for the day was to explore Tresco Island anyway, so I was in no real rush to leave the house. Eventually, the rain died down (and I ran out of snacks), so I decided it was time to go exploring Tresco properly.

We popped down to the local bike rentals shop, hopped on our new steeds for the day and headed off in search of Tresco Abbey gardens.

The ride to the gardens is a very distracting one. You get to see so much more of the island than you would normally and even nosy around some rather nice buildings.

Despite all the (fantastic) distractions, we finally arrived at Tresco Abbey Gardens, even more impressed with Tresco despite the grey clouds. To be honest, the cool breeze was perfect for cycling around the island (I say cool, but it was still very warm).

The Tresco Abbey Gardens are a labyrinth of colours and the most tropical and colourful plants imaginable. It’s like nowhere else on the islands and a fantastic maze chock-full of amazing sights (and smells).

I was on the hunt for the golden pheasant.

I’d seen photos already and was on the hunt for them. I’ll cut to the chase here – I didn’t see one.

People who went the day before and even after found at least one, which was so infuriating (again, in a good way) – I think I just learnt that I need to up my pheasant spotting skills. FYI, if you don’t know why I was so bothered about seeing a golden pheasant, Google it and also Google a regular pheasant. From the pictures alone, you’ll see why I wanted to see one ‘in the wild’.

These gardens are the perfect place to get lost in. There are so many secret paths and hidden walkways that will leave you wandering around almost entranced for hours.

Also, these are the most (and by most, I mean only) palm trees I’ve ever seen in the UK. The entire afternoon spent here, I almost had to keep reminding myself I was in the UK.

And don’t forget to pop by the medieval monastery ruins, which are pretty much taken over by plants and are very pretty in their own unique way.

There was even a Lloyd-asaurus Rex in the gardens. Luckily, unlike the T-Rex, the Lloyd-asaurus Rex only eats chocolates (phew!), so everyone in the gardens was quite safe.

Remember when I told you about Hell Bay?

The bay with lots of rocks on a jagged part of Bryher Island? Well, there’s a place in the Abbey gardens called Valhalla where you can see the figureheads of some of the shipwrecks, with most of them dating back centuries.

Finally, a few minutes after the Abbey Garden had closed, we made our way to the exit and hopped onto our bikes in search of more of Tresco.

I was in search of food, and I have no shame in admitting it, I headed right back for The New Inn. I’m not a creature of habit, but when the food is that good, you have to oblige!

*I promise, I did eat in other places on the islands too, but for the evening, the lure of my now reliable bottle of Malbec waiting at The New Inn and delicious food was too good to miss out on.