Ashore again to visit the famous Abbey Gardens on Tresco, and its museum of figureheads from wrecked ships, which is now overseen by the National Maritime Museum.
£12 to go in, but exotically worth it, because the garden is a display of plants from warm climates all over the world, which survive and thrive in the Scillies. I didn’t, however, see much that made me think I want that design or those plants in our garden. Many of the colours and plantings would not seem quite right in a mainland garden, even if they survived, or in the case of some of the more familiar plants, reached the size they do on Tresco.
Motored over to Bryher in the dinghy for lunch, with a foot or two of water most of the way, because it was low spring tide.
Bryher is so delightful that we cancelled plans to go to St Agnes for the night and decided to stay on. A more relaxed atmosphere altogether. So different from Tresco.
The pub was simple and friendly, more a bar with a Mediterranean-style outside eating area. After lunch went for a walk, or rather a sleep at first, lying down on the soft, green ground of the rocky hill overlooking our mooring. Higher up, there was a ‘turf’ of a plant like a small heather or ling, which was so closely packed and firm that it fell like a smooth, thick mattress. A blanket would be all you would need.
Then a stroll round most of the island, a mixture of grand seascapes and islands out to Bishop Rock and tiny domestic hollows with walled garden sheltered by small trees.
Back to the dinghy and the boat, for a siesta and a trip ashore again to the same pub for their burger night. We left as the band started playing. As the tide fell, the beach was giving way to boulders over which it would have been hard to re-launch the dinghy. Back for the final episode of The Killing – perhaps a little incongruous, watching a Danish murder mystery in an island paradise. Won’t give away who, just in case.
Passage notes: moorings (£15) in great demand and not much room left to anchor if miss one. Shelter very good, except from north.
MORE TRESCO AND BRYHER PICTURES
tide by tide 