St Mary's is the largest island in the Isles of Scilly and the main centre for the islands, with the council offices, hospital, secondary school and police station. Tourist Information is also here. It has a daily ferry from Penzance as well as an airport with regular flights to the mainland.
The original settlement was at Old Town with High Town growing up in the C17th under the protection of Star Castle and the Garrison.
The island has about five miles of tarmacked roads, but no traffic lights, roundabouts or zebra crossings. There are many untarmacked tracks as well as footpaths but few signposts. Visitors are unable to bring cars to the Island although they can hire bikes or an electric buggy once there.
It does have a community bus that runs a regular service around the island, taking 17 minutes.
Island Mini Bus Tours run twice daily trips around the island with commentary.
The Island is surrounded by rocky coves and many secluded sandy beaches. There are also striking rock formations, especially at Peninnis Head and rocky barriers running into the sea.
There is little water on St Marys and all their water comes from a mix of deep boreholes and a desalination plant.
A small stream runs through Lower Moors, an area of reedbed and marshland to the east of Hugh Town. This is now a nature reserve with a walking trail. Another stream runs through Higher Moors Nature Reserve to Porth Hellick Pool, the largest freshwater body on St Mary’s.
Most of the centre of the island is small fields surrounded by hedges and used for growing early daffodils and, later in the year potatoes. These are often for sale in honesty kiosks along the road, along with free range eggs.
Areas unsuitable for cultivation are left as rough heathland.
Vegetation thrives and everywhere is very lush. The very tall blue spikes of Echium are seen growing in many gardens.
Agapanthus grows wild.
Walls are covered with bright pink flowers of Mesembryanthemums.
Some of the largest stonecrops I’ve ever seen are found growing everywhere.
Rock Samphire also grows along the coast.
Carn Ddu is a small sub tropical community garden in an old quarry in the centre of the island.
It can either be reached along Telegraph Road from Hugh Town or along Old Town Lane and a rough track from Old Town. Entry is free and it is a delightful place to drop out on a sunny day.
cont....
The original settlement was at Old Town with High Town growing up in the C17th under the protection of Star Castle and the Garrison.
The island has about five miles of tarmacked roads, but no traffic lights, roundabouts or zebra crossings. There are many untarmacked tracks as well as footpaths but few signposts. Visitors are unable to bring cars to the Island although they can hire bikes or an electric buggy once there.
It does have a community bus that runs a regular service around the island, taking 17 minutes.
Island Mini Bus Tours run twice daily trips around the island with commentary.
The Island is surrounded by rocky coves and many secluded sandy beaches. There are also striking rock formations, especially at Peninnis Head and rocky barriers running into the sea.
There is little water on St Marys and all their water comes from a mix of deep boreholes and a desalination plant.
A small stream runs through Lower Moors, an area of reedbed and marshland to the east of Hugh Town. This is now a nature reserve with a walking trail. Another stream runs through Higher Moors Nature Reserve to Porth Hellick Pool, the largest freshwater body on St Mary’s.
Most of the centre of the island is small fields surrounded by hedges and used for growing early daffodils and, later in the year potatoes. These are often for sale in honesty kiosks along the road, along with free range eggs.
Areas unsuitable for cultivation are left as rough heathland.
Vegetation thrives and everywhere is very lush. The very tall blue spikes of Echium are seen growing in many gardens.
Agapanthus grows wild.
Walls are covered with bright pink flowers of Mesembryanthemums.
Some of the largest stonecrops I’ve ever seen are found growing everywhere.
Rock Samphire also grows along the coast.
Carn Ddu is a small sub tropical community garden in an old quarry in the centre of the island.
It can either be reached along Telegraph Road from Hugh Town or along Old Town Lane and a rough track from Old Town. Entry is free and it is a delightful place to drop out on a sunny day.
cont....
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