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Note that all maps on this site are only
indicative. You should never set out without the correct OS map.
The hike begins in the island capital of Hugh Town. Simply take
the road that runs alongside Town Beach and follow it up the small
hill past the archipelago's main school. Now descend into the bay
called Porthmellon where St Mary's famous racing gigs are housed.
Just behind the gig sheds there's a track, which is actually the
beginning of the island's extensive coastal path. We follow this
around the beach and over the next small headland into St Thomas
Porth, otherwise known as Shark' s Pit.
Past the boats we walk, to eventually join the small lane that
passes increasingly renowned and highly recommended Juliet's Garden
cafe and restaurant. Just past this panoramic eatery there's a track
on the left that will introduce you to the northerly territories
of the island.
It weaves along above the low cliffs underneath the golf course
and eventually reaches Toll's Porth and the remains of the ancient
village at Halangy. This Iron Age settlement dates from about 200BC
and consists of one large courtyard house and several round houses
- all in a reasonable state of preservation given the immense age
of these humble abodes.
They, however, are only half the age of the tomb that lurks above
them. The excellently preserved late Stone Age or early Bronze Age
chamber tomb called Bant's Carn dates from anywhere between 2500
to 4500 BC. |
This walk circumnavigates the northwestern
part of the main island of St Mary's. This area boasts some of the
best hiking routes in the archipelago and if your time is limited
- say you were taking advantage of one of Skybus's day-trip flights
- then this is one of the walks I'd recommend.
It offers something of everything Scillonian. There's classic
coastal walking, fabulous lonely beaches, windswept oceanic woodlands,
ancient monuments, stunning views and quiet leafy lanes.
Basic hike: around the north western and northern
shores of St Mary's, returning across the centre of the island.
Recommended map: Ordnance
Survey do one of the Isles of Scilly, but you could just as
easily follow this hike by using one of the free maps offered with
various island guides.
Distance and going: best part of six miles, fairly
easygoing but can be muddy in places along coast path.
Getting there: Skybus do day return flights to
St Mary's from Newquay or Land's End - visit www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk
or phone 0845 710 5555. |
| From here the path rounds the island's north-western
corner, veering inland at one point to avoid the remains of a quarry,
and then crosses McFarland's Down high above the beach at Pendrathen.
Now it passes into a particularly beautiful demesne, descending
past tiny flower fields before entering a woodland of wonderful,
dark, Scotch pines. Now we are above Bar Point, St Mary's most northerly
cape - there's a fine white sand beach here, if you have time to
loll for a while.
The whole of this northern shore affords excellent views of Tresco
and its famous Abbey, and the neighbouring off-island of St Martin's.
It is my favourite bit of St Mary's, being both wild and unpopulated.
Also, there's something about the pines that manages to give the
area a somewhat Mediterranean feel.
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The path runs through the bracken between the low cliffs and the
trees, and after half a mile or so comes to Helvear Down where two
chambered tombs, collectively known as Innisidgen, overlook Crow
Sound - the channel that stretches between St. Martin's and the
Eastern Isles. The Lower Innisidgen tomb is in a poor state of repair
but Upper Innisidgen was restored by English Heritage in the 1970's
and now offers an excellent example of an early Bronze Age chamber
tomb.
We keep to the coast path, which is now beginning to head southeast,
rounding Block House Point into lovely Watermill Cove. The pines
have gone now and the island's coast takes on a slightly balder,
wilder, aspect as it heads towards Pelistry Bay. To reach this most
lonesome of all St Mary's beaches, the walker must first round the
big headland (in Scillonian terms it's big) that overlooks Toll's
Island.
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| At low tide you can walk out to this mini-isle
and explore its 17th century fort remains and kelp pits. I'm not
altogether sure what kelp pits are or why anyone should want to
put seaweed into holes.
Pelistry Bay is commonly regarded as one of the best bathing beaches
in the Scillies.
The coast path continues south - and if you wanted to walk back
to the airport to catch your return flight you could do worse than
follow it - but I needed to fetch my luggage from St Mary's Hall
Hotel in town, so now left the coast to cut across the centre of
the island.
Pelistry Lane (an old farm track) leads directly up hill from
the beach and eventually introduces the walker to the road near
Carn Vean. We turn right once we've reach the tarmac and head west
along the road until the junction with the lane that leads down
into Holy Vale. At the entrance to the property of that name, you
could be forgiven for thinking it was all private property, but
the road through it is one of the island thoroughfares.
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We take the track that heads west by turning right
just below the farmhouse. A few metres along here there's a sign
to the Longstone Heritage Centre. After half a mile the westerly
shortcut reintroduces the walker to the road. We must walk straight
across and pass between farm buildings and find the lane known as
Rocky Hill.
This soon restores the sea-views running, as it does, down towards
the rear of the headland that divides Thomas Porth and Porthmellon.
To avoid traffic on the road at the bottom, we turn right and follow
the pedestrian path 200 metres, then cross the road to head the
quarter of a mile back to the west coast.
At the end of the lane you will find the bit of the coast path
you were on earlier at Shark's Pit - so it's simply a matter of
turning left here and heading back to Porthmellon and the town.
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