Tresco Times 2023 Yearbook

OUR VIEWS ARE CLEAR

Seasons of change

By Robert Dorrien-Smith

In my introduction to last year’s Tresco Times, I referred to 2021 as a ‘rollercoaster ride’. Little did I know what the next year would bring.

2022 started with hope and optimism as the Covid pandemic receded and life appeared to be returning to normal. However, by the end of February, Putin’s war on Ukraine provided a massive threat to the economy and stability of the world.

There was a sense of unreality as we all enjoyed one of the longest and warmest summers ever but did so in the knowledge that the first major pan-European war for seventy years was a possibility.

September was marked by huge sadness at the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, which was felt so profoundly worldwide and brought a tremendous sense of loss to so many. The change of monarch also brought significant change for Scilly.

I want to pay tribute to the former Prince of Wales, who, from a very early age, realised that Scilly is a rare and fragile community that exists in one of the most beautiful places on earth but is constantly challenged by its scale and location.

Prince Charles encouraged the Duchy of Cornwall to take a much more active role in its responsibilities to the Isles of Scilly and recognised the high degree of interdependence between each tiny community.

He reinforced this interest through his numerous and regular visits to the islands. I know islanders appreciated his passion for the place, its unique environment, and its people.

I’m sure I speak for all Scillonians in wishing him and the Queen Consort well in their new roles. I hope they will remain in touch and remember that they have many friends in Scilly.

We are blessed with a new Prince and Princess of Wales who are already regular visitors to Tresco and quite clearly devoted to the simple pleasures of island life. We look forward to welcoming them and their young family back to Scilly and working with them to keep the islands special.

Lucy and I are poised to hand over the management of the Estate to the next generation in 2023. My eldest son Adam will take the reins, assisted by other family members.

I know that Adam shares my vision for Tresco and Scilly and that he will work hard to maintain a thriving and sustainable community for islanders and visitors.

With all best wishes from all on Tresco.

EDITED BY Tom Matthews editor@tresco.co.uk

DESIGN & ART DIRECTION nixondesign.com

PUBLISHED BY © Tresco Estate 2023 The Island Office, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ

PHOTOGRAPHY

Principal Photographer: James Bowden

Additional photography: David Butler, James Darling, Rebecca Rees, Danny North, Ellie Verrecchia, Phoebe Hunt, Tom Matthews, Rachel Young, Edie & Chalk, Inga Draznice, Alice Tatham

WITH THANKS TO

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Megan Oldcorn, Agnes Chapman Wills, Phoebe Hunt, Rachel Young

The

P76

P8 Simon Stallard beach event Lobster on the beach

P16 Edward Birch

A fond farewell to an island icon

P22 My Tresco – Pheobe Hunt

Travel writer Phoebe revisits her childhood haunts on Tresco

P32 An ocean harvest

The authentic Scilly spa experience

P52 My Tresco – Patrick Macintosh Reflecting on many happy years spent on Tresco

P54 An island escape Shape, colour and contemporary seascapes

P78 David Rosair Half a century of bird watching on the Isles of Scilly

P6 Reflections

A pictorial overview of the last 12 months

P12 On the horizon Events and breaks

P18 #MyTresco Sharing your love for Tresco on Instagram

P80 Islandshare 30 years of holidays on Tresco

Tresco: 28 miles off the Cornish coast. Somewhere else altogether.

In June, Tresco joined the nation and the Commonwealth in celebrating the Platinum Jubilee. The island celebrated Her Late Majesty’s 70-year reign with a bicycle parade, street party and beacon lighting ceremony.

Seventy

Father and son Steve and Jamie Parkes did the island proud with their giant beacon at Dial Rocks; not only could it be seen from across the islands, but we hear a glow on the horizon was visible from west Cornwall!

Penzance Helicopters welcomed a new operator, Starspeed, from November 2022, with a renewed commitment to resilience, reliability and service to Scilly – and a brace of helicopters!

The two Sikorsky S76 aircraft will offer enhanced resilience and flexibility, a leading 20kg luggage allowance, a convenient location at Penzance, and the convenience of flying direct to Tresco or St Mary’s.

Tickets are now on sale for 2023, with fares held at 2022 prices.

Pictorial overview of two thousand and twenty two Two Zero

Our new zero-emissions Royal Mail vehicle has to be one of the most photographed sights of the summer on Tresco!

Although we’ll miss the old Mk I pram, Mk II bicycle and Mk III golf buggy, the quirky vehicle has made a substantial improvement to our postal deliveries on the island.

Two

As new toys go, our boat skippers surely get the best. Tresco Boat Services has commissioned two new vessels to replace our ageing jetboats.

The new jetboats will refine the current design – the biggest benefit being the possibility for all 12 passengers to sit inside or out.

The two new vessels – the first of which will be delivered in September 2023 – are being built in the UK at the same Pembrokeshire boatyard that built our current jetboats almost two decades ago.

Dozen

Forget a baker’s dozen; we now have a veritable ‘island dozen’ of preschool children from Tresco and Bryher rising through the ranks and giving a bright future to our island school.

Bolstering the Tresco ranks over recent months are Hebe and Otis Hulands, Peony Bagnall-Oakeley, Maud Austin, Gus Caves and Flynn Melley.

Our new islander homes at Palace Gardens welcomed their first residents. Located near The New Inn, the two two-bedroom and six single-bedroom homes were built to replace the dilapidated staff cottages near Blockhouse.

Boasting a bright and airy design, ecofriendly credentials (including solar PV), outdoor space and a harbourside location, they’ve been much sought-after as beautiful island homes for our teams.

After only coming for one season, we bid a fond farewell to islander Emma Driscoll (30 years and two children later!). Em worked across The New Inn, housekeeping, HR and the school, and threw herself into the island community as coastguard, first responder, gig rower, and church volunteer. She also proved rather successfully that it wasn’t just Tresco men that could play a good hand in Euchre!

Tresco has become the first place on Scilly to pilot the new Sustainable Farming Incentive –a national scheme designed to help farmers manage land in a more environmentally sustainable way.

History was made when 14 gigs lined up on the start line for one ladies’ Swap race this summer – the most recorded in a domestic gig race.

Our men’s Czar crew made steady progress, but this summer really belonged to our Tresco and Bryher ladies’ crews, who regularly had four gigs out racing. A strong novice contingent bolstered numbers, driven by our own Jo Matthews, who was named Scilly’s ladies’ rower of the year for her encouragement of rowers at every level.

Em was, though, perhaps best known for her love of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, even meeting The Queen during her visit to Scilly in 2011. Certainly, nobody visiting during the Platinum Jubilee needed to ask which cottage belonged to our resident royalist!

Our farmer Rowan has seized the bull by the horns (metaphorically), planting more diverse seed mixes and meadow plants, using permanent pasture methods to reduce carbon emissions from ploughing, reducing fertiliser use, and working with our forest team to leave fallen trees as habitats for island insects.

Global events came home to our shores as Tresco welcomed three Ukrainian refugees. In an effort passionately supported by Robert and Lucy Dorrien-Smith, and spearheaded by islanders Anna and Bartek Wypyszynska, Tresco welcomed Vita, Yaroslava and Tetiana to the island.

Housing and paid employment – as well as fundraising efforts by islanders and guests – enables the ladies to support their families back home, while Tresco is donating the government payment to the DEC Ukraine Appeal.

Simon Stallard Lobster on the beach event

2022

On the horizon 2023

MARCH

1st

Cottages reopen

Most of our cottages are closed for some tender loving care through the winter, but in 2023, we’ll be throwing open the doors a couple of weeks earlier than usual. So join us from 1st March for spring on Tresco –time to be awakened.

2nd – 7th

The Sacred Self Yoga Retreat Blend yoga and meditation with a Tresco pace of life as Esmeé Halliday helps you slow down, giving you the space to discover a sense of freedom within.

17th – 21st

The Spring Equinox Yoga Retreat

Embrace the cleansing energy of seasonal change on a soulful yogic escape on Tresco. Island yogi Gem Hansen fuses gentle flow, restorative sessions, sunrise salutations, guided meditation and coastal explorations.

23rd – 27th

Guitar Retreat

Indulge your passion for the guitar on Tresco; the perfect relaxed, supportive and inspiring environment, with expert tuition from Stuart Marshall.

APRIL

15th – 21st Walk Scilly Festival

Covering the five inhabited islands, as well as some of the uninhabited too, discover Scilly’s rich history, archaeology, wildlife, landscapes and seascapes, guided by island experts.

8th New Inn Music – Ben Waters

The bona fide Boogie Woogie island favourite Ben returns to Tresco – we knew he’d be back! From playing with The Rolling Stones, Jools Holland, Chuck Berry, Ray Davies, Jeff Beck, and so many more, Ben returns to rock The New Inn for one night only.

13th Paint the Day

Get moved to put brush to canvas, pencil to paper or even pen to rock with our day-long painting challenge celebrating our inspirational isle.

17th – 22nd Art Break with Amanda Hoskin

Among the most popular landscape painters working in Cornwall today, impressionistic artist Amanda Hoskin guides you to develop your painting skills with our art break with Newlyn School of Art.

22nd – 27th

Lucy Aldridge Spring Yoga Retreat

Rejuvenate body and soul with Lucy Aldridge’s spring yoga break on Tresco – the ultimate retreat from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.

28th April – 2nd May World Pilot Gig Championships

One of the best-kept yet most spectacular sporting events in the country. Cheer on crews from Scilly, Cornwall and beyond as they compete over a long weekend of racing across the archipelago.

20th

The Low Tide Event

A uniquely Scillonian experience: a genuine pop-up festival, mid-channel between the islands of Tresco and Bryher, with food and drink, live music, craft demonstrations, and much more.

April

MAY

3rd – 8th

Art Break with Paul Lewin

Highly respected contemporary seascape and landscape painter Paul Lewin helps you explore and capture some of Tresco’s most dramatic coves and cliff tops on this painting break with Newlyn School of Art.

13th – 20th

Creative Scilly Festival

A week-long celebration of Scillonian-inspired arts and culture.

20th World Bee Day

Meet our island beekeepers and learn about our Tresco colonies, whose homes range from islanders’ back gardens to an old rum barrel and the splendour of the Abbey Garden.

JUNE

1st

Shrimping season opens

There’s nothing better than a purposeful afternoon armed with bucket and shrimping net, gadding about the shallows of your favourite Tresco beach.

JULY

1st Paint the Day

Get moved to put brush to canvas, pencil to paper or even pen to rock with our day-long painting challenge celebrating our inspirational isle.

7th – 12th Art Break with Imogen Bone Colour and texture defines the work of Cornish artist and former islands resident Imogen Bone – who better to inspire you to capture our beautiful British isle on this painting break with Newlyn School of Art?

28th June – 3rd July

Art Break with Maggie O’Brien

Maggie’s work is an exploration of light, weather and the pattern and rhythm of the seasons; her tuition style encourages exploration, freedom and fun. Perfect, then, for this Newlyn School of Art painting break on Tresco.

12th – 17th Art Break with Paul Lewin

Highly respected contemporary seascape and landscape painter Paul Lewin helps you explore and capture some of Tresco’s most dramatic coves and cliff tops on this painting break with Newlyn School of Art.

AUGUST

1st Outdoor Theatre – Hercules

IK Productions bring their brand of ‘delightfully daft’ theatre to Tresco for a fun-filled family evening out.

13th

Twelfth Night – The Festival Players, Tresco Abbey Garden

The Festival Players are such Tresco crowdpleasers that one Abbey Garden audience member became their patron: Dame Judi Dench. The island favourites present the Bard’s romantic comedy of mistaken identity.

SEPTEMBER

1st Low-Tide Event

A uniquely Scillonian experience: a genuine pop-up festival, mid-channel between the islands of Tresco and Bryher, with food and drink, live music, craft demonstrations, and much more.

Taste of Scilly Festival

A celebration of Scilly’s culinary creativity, the Taste of Scilly Festival ranges from beach BBQs and island-hopping supper safaris to vineyard tours and gin tastings across the islands.

16th Photography Break

Join award-winning landscape and wildlife photographer, author, tutor and conservationist Ross Hoddinott to explore and capture Scilly’s breathtaking vistas, expansive seascapes and dreamy landscapes.

OCTOBER

Mid-October

Festival of Nature

Discover the wild side of the Isles of Scilly through walks, talks and creative events, celebrating sustainability and connecting with our beautiful landscapes.

2nd Lucy Yoga Retreat

Rejuvenate body and soul with Lucy Aldridge’s autumn yoga break on Tresco – the ultimate retreat from the hustle and bustle of day-today life.

20th – 25th

Art Break with Anita Reynolds

An intuitive and skilful mark maker whose landscapes often depict the frequently ignored aspects of place, Anita Reynolds will help you uncover hidden depths of Tresco on this art break with Newlyn School of Art.

7th

Gem Yoga and Wellbeing

Refresh, recharge and rejuvenate with five serene nights on Tresco. Island yogi Gem Hansen and guest tutor Will Harrigan lead you through meditation, yoga and breathwork to integrate mind, body and spirit.

11th –16th & 16th – 21st

Triscape

Jump in and discover the empowering mental and physical benefits of cold water swimming with Olympian Keri-anne Payne on our introductory break and advanced swim adventure.

26th Paint the Day

Get moved to put brush to canvas, pencil to paper or even pen to rock with our day-long painting challenge celebrating our inspirational isle.

Walking tides

Walk the channel to Bryher and back – or make a day of it and take the boat home later. Ask at the Island Office if you’re unsure about the route.

January 22 nd – 1119 | 23 rd – 1208 | 24th – 1255 | 25 th – 1340

February 20th – 1108 | 21st – 1153 | 22 nd – 1235 | 23 rd – 1315

March 21st – 1049 | 22 nd – 1130 | 23 rd – 1209 | 24th – 1246

April 19th – 1123 | 20th – 1203 | 21st – 1240

August 3 rd – 1303 | 4th – 1349 | 5 th – 1434 | 31st - 1200

September 1st – 1245 | 2 nd – 1327 | 3 rd – 1408 | 29th – 1139 | 30th – 1221

October 1st – 1202 | 2 nd – 1241

NOVEMBER – FEBRUARY 2024

Winter Breaks

Find splendid isolation cocooned amongst the Atlantic swell on a wild and wonderful winter break at The New Inn. Reconnect with the island at its wind-blown, saltkissed, natural best. Stay by the night or discover our four-night Winter Warmer break.

Christmas & New Year Breaks

Escape the hustle and bustle of the mainland for a magical island escape and wake to the beach on Christmas Day. Settle into a beachfront bolthole or cosy countryside cottage, or join the festivities at The New Inn – at the heart of an island Christmas. It’s time to be together.

For up-to-date infomation on our events and the latest offers and breaks visit:

Edward Birch 1937 – 2022

IMAGE

Eddie, by Ren Hathway.

As part of the recent renovation of The New Inn, local artist Ren Hathway was approached to add to the famous wall of island characters that keep watch over the inn. Ren’s first subjects were Edward and his brother, former harbourmaster Henry. Eddie – in true quiet, Eddie style – unveiled the portrait just a few months ago.

Many years ago, at a time when the range of Gibson postcards was great and varied, visitors could purchase a card of Edward’s boat and punt, moored in the tranquil and sunlit waters of Old Grimsby. The boat was called The Ranger; an elderly cream sailboat that had been fitted with 3.5hp Kelvin engine. If the punt ever had a name this has been lost to history, but it was at least famed for containing more tar than the A30.

Edward loved to fish in the Ranger but his vessel had a slight flaw. Though the Kelvin was reliable enough, it had only one speed and that was Full Steam Ahead. Edward’s engineering skills might not have been up to tackling the engine itself but his native island cunning did not let him down. In order to regulate his speed, he attached a couple of buckets which he could toss overboard when fishing or in the event of an emergency stop.

Somehow this modified sea anchor seems quintessentially Edward, an unfussy and effective approach to sorting out a problem. Homespun. Islandspun. Edward was never flash, he was steady – he was a quiet and self-contained man, who but for National Service, spent his whole life on Tresco. Tresco born and bred is how he described himself.

Tresco was where met his wife Liz and where their daughter Jenny grew up. Tresco was his life and for the past 85 years, Edward has been a big part of life on Tresco.

Edward was born on 1st October 1937, the eldest son to Arthur and Beattie, and “Big Bruv” to twins Mary and Jean, Valerie and Henry. From his earliest days, Edward loved island life.

A fond family memory is of the day a young 14-year-old Edward took his 11-year-old sister Mary out for a row to St Helen’s, where they found, washed up on the water’s edge, a great piece of timber; precious potential fuel for the hearth of Raven Cottage. This flotsam needed to be brought home and the only way was to tow it back to Old Grimsby but they had no rope. Sometime later, Edward appears back on Tresco at Raven Cottage, looking for some tow rope. “Where’s your sister?” asks Mother Birch. “Oh, I left her on St Helen’s.” replies Edward. Mother’s wrath ensues. Edward (with tow rope) rows smartly back to St Helen’s for his sister – and the wood. Family drama averted, many days’ firewood is brought ashore, and Eddie has his initiation into the sometimes tricky world of island transportation and logistics.

A few years on from this and Eddie is away for his National Service with the Royal Engineers, track laying for steam trains –steam trains were to remain a passion for the rest of his life. The mainland, however, less so, and Edward returned to the islands to become a stalwart of Tresco. From the late 50s through to his retirement in 2002, Edward fulfilled a wide range of jobs…

He helped build the Island Hotel, dragging gravel at night on the Ferguson T20 with hand torches strapped to the front of the tractor because it had no headlights. Crewing on the Black Swan, the Island Hotel launch, working on the farm, picking flowers and getting them to market. He worked on the farm when flowers were still the mainstay.

Here is a glimpse of life back then in Eddie’s own words…

One flower season there were so many flowers on Tresco that we would start packing flowers at 4am and not finish until 9.30pm that evening.

One night the tide was going out like a drain. We put the last box on board the Black Swan and Peter Bastian, the island’s under-manager, asked Clarence Handy to drive his tractor out into the water so he could

get aboard. Peter climbed onboard the boat but when Clarence tried to come astern, the tractor got stuck.

Clarence, myself and Ken Jenkins were now left on the beach with the job of getting the tractor out. Ken said to me to get another tractor, the David Brown Cropmaster. Now, this was a tractor without any headlights on her – all we had to work by was the light of the moon! I went across the beach and we took the ropes off the barge that was alongside the quay. By this time, the tide was starting to flood, so we kept the engine running hard and with the David Brown and another tractor, we dragged her out at about 1am. We put the ropes back on the barge and made our ways home.

Early the next morning, Ken came up to me in the flower field, where I was picking, and said to me: “Have you seen the barge, Ed? She’s aground… over on Samson! We forgot to tie her up properly last night. How are we going to get her back without Jack Bean (the General Manager) finding out?”

I suggested to Ken that he go and see Laurie Terry, Tresco’s harbourmaster, and ask if he could help bring the barge back when she’s afloat. Laurie and Ken made their way over to Samson at high tide and managed to get her back alongside the quay without Jack Bean knowing anything about it.

The crew of the Black Swan that night was Mike Pearce, Peter Bastian, Dom Sewick and Laurie Terry. The crew would not have picked up their moorings until about 2am –loading the Scillonian back then was not a quick job. In those days, all the flower boxes were tied together in twos and loaded on to the barge loose. They were then loaded on to the Scillonian by the side door into the hold. There were no pallets in those days!

Eddie’s words and Eddie’s observations, detailing everyone’s names and the tractor model. Details from another era, an unimaginable world without pallets!

Eddie was to become Eddie Transport or Eddie Eighteen Wheeler as his CB handle declared. All goods off and on the island were his responsibility to move and deliver. Coal or Christmas presents, barrels of beer or baked beans, Edward fetched and carried for everyone and everywhere, from the Bothy to the Abbey. He delivered the goods to us all, in every way.

Tresco was Edward’s life and what Tresco gave him, Edward returned with interest – he

served as a coastguard for 26 years and as a fireman for 20 years.

Edward was a quiet chap. He might not have moved fast but he kept on moving. I think the real measure of this can be seen in the years when his full time employment ended. When Eddie “Eighteen Wheeler” retired, he earned a few new handles…

He became Eddie The Toast, making his way to the Island Hotel kitchen every morning to fire up the toaster for breakfast service.

He became Eddie the Transport and Heritage Correspondent of this venerable publication, penning his idiosyncratic, meticulously recalled memories of life and work on Tresco.

He became Eddie the Bramble-wrangler, rattling and chugging his way around the island on the magnificent Ferguson T20 tractor, trimming roadside brambles into temporary submission and always with a bag for any pine cones he might pick up on the way.

He became Eddie the Guide, as he developed a side-line of Eddie’s Tours showing visitors around his favourite parts of Tresco.

He became Eddie the Fundraiser – one of the key supporters of the RNLI on Scilly, one year collecting over £6,000 for the lifeboat. The Eddie Stall outside of Bay Row, every fete, every craft fair, every one of his tours, Eddie would be there with the quiet Eddie grin making money gently and persistently.

As a young man, when Edward rowed in a gig, it was not in the flashy Czar, it was in the Sussex, the beamy transport gig. The gig you’d choose for transporting sacks of coal or even livestock. The gig for logistics, not glory. Practical and steady.

One of my own memories of Edward inevitably involves transport. One December, I’d been asked by the lovely Eve Cooper to put in an appearance as Father Christmas for the school children. Costume on, I was gathering myself to head off from Blockhouse Cottages to the Community Centre when there was a knock at the door. There was Eddie in his thick plaid jacket and an old Island Hotel baseball cap.

A bit surprised, I greeted him uncertainly “Hello Eddie…” For his part, Eddie did not seem the least bit surprised to find Father Christmas in residence at No 4 Blockhouse Cottages.

Eddie grinned his grin and said “Come on boy, your sleigh’s outside.”

Sure enough there on the track was my sleigh, looking to all the world like a grey

Ferguson T20. Eddie gestured to the link box and said “Get in, Santa”.

For such a short journey it really was remarkably uncomfortable, as I clung to the lurching, swaying link box while we plunged through a succession of puddles and potholes. Presents sprung out of the sack like leaping salmon, while my beard, wig, hat and even the Santa suit trousers all made individual attempts at escape. Of course, Eddie was blissfully unaware of the pandemonium taking place in the link box; only delighted by the reception given to us by the waiting children.

When I think of Eddie today, I see him on that venerable grey T20 – they made a good pair, contemporaries, colleagues, both always brought a smile to the face, a classic of a bygone era, synonymous with steady graft, straight-forward, reliable, consistent, long-serving and loved by all.

So long Eddie – Eighteen Wheeler/ the Toast/Transport and Heritage Correspondent/Tour Guide/Fundraiser/ Santa’s Little Helper/Big Bruv.

Quietly and steadily, you were a key element of Tresco life. We all loved you and we will all miss you.

By ALASDAIR MOORE

@gallerytresco

#MyTresco

96

A lovely collection of work in the gallery window this morning along with a gorgeous sunrise reflection. Have a great day!

#MyTresco

Your island images

@rewsart2u #MyTresco

Sunrise at The Ruin Tresco.

14

@cook_write_eat

#MyTresco

27

Ready for the BBQ. Incredible lobster and crab, as always, from the awesome @islandfishltd. Two fine mackers and a sardine – first ever in these waters for us – caught by our girls.

@janetrady

#MyTresco

262

It is such a pleasure to be back on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly where I have been coming for the last forty years. Whilst of course there have been many changes (my cottage has had a ‘revamp’ this year), the beauty and serenity remain unaltered.

It’s difficult to believe it’s in the UK (28 miles off the coast of Cornwall). To me it’s a little bit of paradise on Earth.

DON’T FORGET TO SHARE

Share your images on Instagram using #MyTresco and yours could appear here next year!

@annasislandstyle #MyTresco

70

One of my favourite September snaps. Just emerged from a swim when the Czar gig crew powered past on a practice. 89

@curlaroundtheworldwithdee #MyTresco

The layers of this land. 55

@emma_lainchbury #MyTresco

Tresco Treasure

Lovely time spent beachcombing today and I found a Tower shell which are pretty rare to find! Plus three Wentletraps and three Cowries which I am always on the hunt for and many other

Cowrie Hunter 3000 strikes again

Cowrie found on Bryher this year!

you didn’t already know, I’m obsessed with finding these shells!

notice something different in this incredible mural every time we see it. Kids’ theory is they paint something extra in every year to trick me. Checking last year’s photo for the pink handbag…

#MyTresco PHOEBE

HUNT

childhood summer

icy waters of Tresco.

It was on a family holiday to Tresco – around ten or 12 years ago I think – that I first came across the word ‘curglaff’. We were spending a happy, rainy afternoon playing a game of Absolute Balderdash over at the Fraggle Rock on Bryher, probably a few Rattlers down, laughing at each others’ ridiculous attempts to make up words for niche definitions. “The physical shock felt when one first plunges into cold water,” was the card, and we all tried to create a believable word. I can’t remember our inventions, but ‘curglaff’ – the correct answer – stuck in the family lexicon.

It’s a useful word in the Isles of Scilly, where the cold yet turquoise sea is deliciously curglaff-inducing. I’m told Scilly seas are colder than those off the English mainland, despite being further south, as temperatures range between eight and 16ºC all year round. Luckily, our parents trained my two brothers and I to be hardy sea-swimmers from a young age. Since long before we knew the word for it, the five of us have been addicted to the tingly endorphin rush awarded to those who brave a cold morning swim.

This family obsession causes horror to plus ones and houseguests, when on a drizzly morning one of us might declare on a whim that it’s time for a sea swim, egged on by other family members. Not wanting to seem churlish, they can invariably be tempted to join, and are usually converted to the cold water cult. This was the case with

my warm-blooded Turkish boyfriend, who declared before coming to Tresco that he wouldn’t even dip his feet in the sea. After a bit of peer pressure from my mum he saw the light, rallying the rest of us to swim every day without fail.

The secret is to start off warm – a brisk walk down to the beach should do, or a few star jumps – get into the water quickly, and not to stay in too long. Once you’re out, charged with boundless energy and zest for life, it’s a hot shower before a cooked breakfast over at the New Inn. When I was little, my favourite beach on Tresco was Blockhouse Point, a stretch of gentle white sand between Old Grimsby and the more famous Pentle Bay. It’s especially magical on a gloomy day, when the aquamarine sea and pale sand seem to glow luminous against a darkened sky. This year, however, we stayed at Puffin, overlooking Bryher, and New Grimsby Beach has never seemed lovelier.

Since my last trip here, I’ve spent three years living in Italy, where the sea is decidedly less chilly. Through working as a travel writer, I’ve also had the luxury of numerous five-star hotels around the world. If I’d feared this would have spoiled my love for Tresco, it has done quite the opposite. Not only was the magic of the island as alive as ever, with quiz night down at the New Inn and BBQs on the sandbar at low tide, the sea swims were even more life-affirming than I’d remembered.

Travel writer Phoebe Hunt returns to

spots and discovers that no amount of far-flung beaches can compete with the

Land and sea

Most agree that Scilly is best enjoyed at a placid pace, but for some, the joy comes from immersing themselves –quite literally – in the beauty of the islands.

WORDS: Agnes Chapman Wills

Unique environments attract unique people, from the mountaineers of Everest to the divers of the Great Barrier Reef. On Scilly, the remarkable variety of our landscapes and seascapes draws many passionate people, from artists to sailors, photographers to scientists and –increasingly – sea swimmers and trail runners.

Combining the final two in recent years has been the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun: an incredible spectacle where competitors tread the trails and swim the seas of the archipelago in a 37-kilometre feat of endurance.

Meaning ‘island to island’ in Swedish, like many of these things, ÖTILLÖ started as a drunken bet. However, the event is now a global series, which came to Scilly after organisers Michael and Mats had almost given up on finding a British location.

“This is a place we did not think existed,” they say. “It is truly a unique place where it is difficult to not get emotionally affected. It is one of our most iconic locations; the trail running is magical, with some of the most beautiful runs we have ever done.”

They refer to Scilly as “the Swimrun paradise” –quite the accolade.

The endurance event is founded on a desire to push – and expand – your boundaries. But fundamentally, ÖTILLÖ is also a celebration of the purity of the natural environments participants run and swim through. On Scilly, organisers work with local partners, including Tresco Estate and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, to protect this unique environment.

Each year, athletes from across the globe flock to Scilly to participate, yet a handful of islanders always find the challenge hard to resist; this year, it was Tresco farmer Rowan Nightingale and St Mary’s resident Wez Swain.

When one thinks of sportsmen and women, one might picture intense or single-minded individuals, but not Rowan and Wez. Modest and light-hearted members of the Scillonian community, they keep our islands running without fanfare.

If you stay on Tresco, you will quickly notice that the cattle appear in different fields daily. They are moved before the island wakes up and cared for, rain or shine. If you hear the rumble of a tractor, you know who will be at the helm; Rowan works tirelessly to ensure that pasture and herd are looked after. Yet, besides the discarded wellies on his doorstep, he leaves little trace.

IMAGE

Scilly’s rocky shorelines, sandy bays and clear, open waters provide the ultimate training ground. To keep within the strict race timings, transitions must be done without pause or hesitation.

Wez also holds a pastoral role, albeit with very different charges: Scilly’s off-island schoolchildren. Responsible for the school boarding house on St Mary’s, Wez unwaveringly cares for the 11- to 16-year-olds during the week. When home feels far away, Wez is there for support, a patient confidant for those separated by the sea.

Between children and cattle, Wez and Rowan had both taken on the Swimrun challenge over recent years. They had both signed up for the 2022 Scilly Swimrun individually until Wez asked Rowan if he fancied partnering up as the only local team.

“It was a bit last minute,” laughs Rowan. “We only teamed up about two and a half weeks before the event!”

Despite training independently for months, the pair had to get in tune with each other’s pace and style –quite a challenge when you live on separate islands.

“Most of the time, we were just watching each other’s training on Strava,” says Rowan. “Mind you, I learnt you can’t believe everything you see on there.

“One day, I logged on, and Wez had massively beaten his personal best for his St Marys circuit, so I messaged to say well done. He basked in the praise for several minutes before finally confessing it had been a low spring tide, so he had been able to run most of the swim sections!”

The three-day ÖTILLÖ event takes place in early June. The islands are full of excitement, the air echoing with cheers and rounds of applause as runners race past.

“It creates a new atmosphere on Scilly, second only to Gig Weekend,” says Wez. “Because of the ethos of ÖTILLÖ, there’s a fantastic atmosphere. Everyone marvels at the islands and there’s great camaraderie.”

IMAGES

Wez and Rowan’s training is usually separated by their island locations, but it’s important for the pair to be in sync with each other throughout the challenge.

Otillo rules allow for hand paddles and other swimming aids to be worn. They double up as handy aide memoires for race timings.

IMAGES

Scilly’s rugged coastal paths make for the perfect trail running training grounds.

Besides the World Series race, there are shorter ‘Sprint’ and ‘Experience’ events, making the sport accessible to all. There’s even a ‘Junior Swimrun’ event to inspire the islands’ youngsters, organised, unsurprisingly, by Wez (as if his own 30 km run and 7 km swim were not enough).

“I get so much out of it,” he says. “It is just so amazing to see children of all ages participating. It’s not just the local community; the international competitors and their children get involved too, bringing everybody together. We give them old official race bibs, so they feel part of it. They’re the Swimrunners of the future.”

World Series race day dawned sunny and still; perfect Swimrun weather – except for team ‘Buoy Ö Buoy,’ Rowan and Wez.

“We benefit when the weather is a bit rougher,” says Wez. “Many athletes train in lakes, so they’re not used to waves, but it’s definitely something we’re used to! The good weather took away our advantage!”

The race sees participants running the coastal trails of St Mary’s, Bryher, Tresco and St Martin’s, swimming the crystal-clear waters between the islands. But behind the incredible surroundings is a brutal endurance challenge; miss a timing point by one second and you are disqualified.

No such misfortune for Rowan and Wez as the pair finished in 5 hours and 20 minutes. They were the fourth men’s team, qualifying for the world championships in Sweden.

Although celebration was in order, the pair now had a new challenge ahead of them. The championship was twice as long: a daunting prospect involving 60 km of running, 9 km of sea swimming, and covering 24 different islands.

But they also had to get there. Travel to Sweden and the race itself was going to cost the equivalent of a family holiday for Wez, and he simply could not justify it.

“It was gutting,” says Wez. “Having a Scilly team representing the islands in the world championships just seemed too important an opportunity to miss. Luckily, Tresco stepped in and sponsored us to make it possible.”

Practicalities taken care of, the pair’s training began in earnest. In the ten weeks before the race, they worked to build up their stamina, furiously focused on the goal ahead of them.

“Individually, we had aimed to swim around 10 km and run between 40 and 70 km each week,” says Rowan. “Our beautiful islands were the perfect playground to hone and develop our skills.”

While that would seem a punishing enough regime for most, Rowan took on another colossal challenge just weeks before the world final. In typically modest fashion, he has to be prompted by Wez to mention it.

“Did you know he rowed around the Isle of Mull just before the race? How far was it again?”

“180 kilometres,” Rowan replies casually.

Even Rowan and Wez are not quite so nonchalant when describing their feelings as race day dawned in Sweden.

“We found ourselves surrounded by some pretty elite, sponsored teams,” reveals Rowan. 159 of them, in fact.

“It was pretty intimidating,” grimaces Wez. “We felt like proper country boys,” he chuckles. “The first swim was rubbish and I was moving so slowly, but we only overtook people from then on. For the rest of the day, we overtook nearly 90 teams. So although that first swim was a bad start, psychologically, we gained more.”

“Yeah, it was all tactical,” Rowan smiles.

Used to the wild north end of Tresco, the steep coves of St Mary’s and the choppy waters in between, the pair thought they had faced it all.

“Stockholm gave us far trickier terrain,” says Rowan. “It was a real challenge.”

With 24 islands to traverse, there were 46 transitions from land to water to conquer. Whereas some teams would stop to put on hats and goggles, Wez and Rowan took a more pragmatic island mindset.

“There was no faffing,” reveals Wez. “I would run to the water’s edge, shout ‘Good?’ to Rowan and hope that he shouted ‘Good!’ back, and in we’d go!

“We would swim until our fingers touched the rocks and then scramble out. At one point, I started slipping back down the rocks, and suddenly, I got a good shove from Rowan, throwing me up. He wasn’t messing about!”

Rowan and Wez’s camaraderie and shared experience become more apparent the longer we speak, a result of the hours they have spent tethered together on a 10m bungee. Wez tends to lead the way, but Rowan pushes from behind.

“I was shattered about a third of the way through,” recalls Wez. “I remember saying to Rowan, ‘I’m flat out. If you want to go faster, you need to pull me’ and he just stepped it up.”

“The final hill was quite euphoric. We pushed up it and finished in 52nd place with a time of 9 hours 41 minutes despite an initial target of 12 hours.”

“It was a bizarre finish in more ways than one,” recalls Wez. “Obviously, we were amazed at our time as we’d beaten our goal by more than a fifth.

“But stranger still was that when you race on Scilly, the whole community gets involved. You’ll run past a couple out walking the north end of the island and they’ll cheer you on, and the finish line has a real buzz. In Sweden, though, the finish line was pretty quiet. Of course there was support, but nowhere does it quite like Scilly.”

It’s a surprise the pair couldn’t hear the support from Scilly as friends and family, schoolchildren and colleagues cheered them on, and Scilly’s own “Buoys” brought it home. So what’s next for the islands’ adventurous duo?

“Watch this space,” they say with broad smiles.

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With multiple islands to reach by sea, Scilly is naturally ideal when it comes to training for – and hosting – the championships.

Much like adventure sport is bringing a new demographic to the Isles of Scilly, Wez and Rowan are putting the Isles of Scilly on the map.

An ocean harvest

Capturing the soothing power of sea swimming through unique Scilly-derived spa products.

WORDS: Megan Oldcorn

“One of these days, I’m going to plunge my hand in and get nipped by a crab!” laughs Ella McLachlan. “It hasn’t happened yet, but it’s bound to!”

It’s a glorious morning and we’re strolling along the St Martin’s flats. In the height of summer, you’ll find kayaks all along the sand here, but this is late September and there’s nothing but an expanse of smooth white sand.

As we talk, we’re in search of an unusual harvest. It’s something most of us walk past without heeding, but for Ella, creator of the island’s Phoenix & Providence skincare products, it’s a vital ingredient.

A thick and irregular band of greenish-brown marks the high tide’s reach, but this isn’t our destination. The tide is out, and we’re heading for the wet-sand shallows, where large clumps of bladderwrack seaweed are growing.

If in doubt, this is where you’ll often find Ella, armed with just a sturdy pair of scissors and her trusty wheelbarrow. She snips small handfuls from each mass before moving on to the next, being sure to leave enough behind for regrowth.

“When everything else is a bit hectic, this is my Zen zone”, Ella smiles.

She’s right; working here in the fresh sea air is a slow but strangely therapeutic process, and one that perfectly represents the ethos of Phoenix & Providence.

“The business really came about because I wanted to capture the essence of a Scilly swim”, she explains. “It’s that sense of calm invigoration that you feel after getting out of the sea.”

Three years in the making, Phoenix & Providence is an impressive skincare and wellbeing brand based around the many benefits of seaweed. Long used in beauty treatments, this ocean

harvest is rich in essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, as well as being anti-inflammatory and – importantly – plentiful, making its use kind on the environment too.

St Martin’s is an ideal destination for foraging bladderwrack, as Ella explains.

“The water here is so clear. I always cut the seaweed fresh, as you can see that it’s clean and growing, rather than being washed up. That way, you know you’re getting something really healthy.

“I’m actually not the first person to do this; kelp grown on the island was historically burnt for soap making, so it’s nice to feel that things are coming around full circle.”

After cutting, Ella washes the seaweed and lays it out on custom-made drying racks. The length of drying time varies, as it ebbs and flows with the seasons.

“It’s far easier to dry seaweed in the summer”, says Ella. “During a sunny season, it’ll dry in a couple of days, but the winter can be damp. A local lady has seaweed hanging in her porch, and if it starts going damp, we know it’s going to rain. People think that’s just an old fallacy, but it’s true.”

When the seaweed has dried, some is cut and ground to make bath salts and face masks, while the rest is infused in jars of organic cold pressed oil. The concoction sits for one month (no rushing here!) before being drained, with the unmistakably sea-scented oil then forming the base for products. This might be subtly blended with essential oils, or left entirely natural, depending on what Ella’s making.

“Facial products are always fragrance free as the skin on your face can be really sensitive – you don’t want anything else in there. At Hell Bay’s Treatment Shed, the balm is used for a facial cleanse, followed by the face oil.”

At Hell Bay’s Treatment Shed, you’ll find a refreshed spa menu shaped around a natural product range created on St Martin’s.

“For other products used at Hell Bay, I’ve added the scents you’d recognise from around the island: peppermint, rosemary, juniper and eucalyptus. This way, it’s an authentic Scilly experience.”

The Treatment Shed’s entire spa menu is now designed around Phoenix & Providence products, and you’ll also find them popping up in the Tresco Spa.

“It’s a natural process of working together; I’m able to give ideas of how best to use the products, and treatments are shaped around them. I supply spas on the mainland too, but they have to feel right; I don’t necessarily work with every venue as some – for instance, those offering chemical peels, and things like that – just don’t have the same ethos.

“But with Hell Bay, it feels so right for me, and it seems to have worked for them, too. I’ve heard from people saying how lovely the treatments are, and that’s brilliant.”

Helen Snowdon, Spa Therapist at Hell Bay Hotel, agrees: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Phoenix & Providence products this season. Guests have been very curious about the products and love that they are local and made with seaweed foraged on St Martin’s. As I’m an aromatherapist, for some treatments I’ll add essential oils tailored to the individual client – these, combined with the seaweed infused oils, make the skin so soft and radiant.”

Interestingly, Ella was able to experience her own products firsthand, during a recent visit to the spa.

“I had really bad jaw ache after some dental work, and I couldn’t get rid of it. I went to have a facial, which includes massage with the oil, and the pain completely went away. It was amazing!”

Though the spa experience is an on-island luxury, Ella is keen to extend the spirit of self-care and ritual to those who also buy her products online. With every order, she shares a link to a facial massage video, encouraging customers to carve out time in their day for wellbeing.

“It’s not just about what you put on your skin. It’s looking after your whole self. At the moment, I’m working on offering more around this, so there’ll be a new heart space website offering free resources for everyone, even if they don’t buy anything.”

And with this in mind, what’s next for Phoenix & Providence?

“We started with four staple products, and we now have seven. I have so many ideas that I actively have to rein myself in! I’m keen to keep the range minimalist, to avoid the overwhelm that comes with too much choice. Rather than a vast array of products, our skincare range is streamlined and considered.”

“However, I’ve also started creating really lovely gift boxes, and working with other makers, such as LA LUNA candles and Nuditea teabags. I seem to have naturally made connections with a lot of Cornish businesses, which wasn’t intentional; I think we’re just on the same wavelength.”

This year, Ella has also been able to employ two extra staff on a flexible part-time basis.

“Living on an island, with no childcare available, it’s nice to feel that I’m giving women a job that they can fit in around the rest of their lives.”

With rave reviews and award nominations flowing in, it seems the sky – or should that be the sea? – is the limit for Phoenix & Providence. One thing seems certain, however: for Ella, it’s all about staying true to your roots.

Experience Phoenix & Providence as part of a spa ritual at the Hell Bay Treatment Shed. Alternatively, shop for products at Tresco Spa, Lucy-Tania, or online: phoenixandprovidence.co.uk

The new, New Inn

“As challenges go, it was pretty huge,” Interior Designer and friend of Tresco, Tania Streeter.

How do you go about bringing ‘the best inn on Tresco’ – the sole survivor of the island’s thirteen historic hostelries – up to date?

“I grew up holidaying on Tresco and spent probably far too many of my formative years in The New Inn, so I knew just how much people love the pub and how I couldn’t get this wrong!

So there was no pressure whatsoever,” Tania Streeter laughs.

The islander portraits. Shrimping nets and sailing boats. Pictures of island life and mountainous seas. Traditional materials and workmanship.

The Driftwood Bar is the heart and soul of The New Inn, now more than ever as Tania has woven its unique sense of history, place, and craftsmanship – of ‘Tresco’ – throughout the whole building, perfectly blending the old and the new.

Cheer & company

Nowhere is that more true than the Pavilion. Zinc-topped tables blend with reclaimed pub furniture; a new oak floor ties in with the wreck wood panelling of the Driftwood Bar; the colours in the banquette seating and the walls hint at the lichen that grows so well in the island’s pure air.

“It’s nostalgic and traditional, but with a modern twist,” says Tania. “To me, that’s Tresco, and The New Inn should reflect that.”

Tradition and nostalgia come to life on the walls of the Pavilion, thanks to a remarkable collection of photographs and artefacts from the Abbey archives, curated by Tania, and Lucy and Eleanor Dorrien-Smith.

“I knew exactly what I was looking for,” Eleanor recalls. “I was looking for beautiful and interesting photographs as a piece of art in their own right, with great composition and points of interest, but that also told a story and had personality.

“The far end centres around New Grimsby and the channel between Tresco and Bryher, which reflects the incredible views from the window. Then comes a section on the quirkier moments of island life and a nod to the narcissi. Finally, the section closest to the pub focuses on Tresco’s earlier history and the people who lived and worked here.”

Pictures from the Abbey albums – too delicate and precious to be moved – were painstakingly photographed, printed and reframed. Artefacts from forgotten tea crates were awoken from decades of slumber.

Each item has a story to tell for those prepared to look closely.

Eight men are perched nonchalantly on the rocks, picnicking as they wait for the tide to refloat their grounded ketchrigged trawler.

Here is a picture of Tresco folk, men in Breton caps, women in aprons, picking through baskets overflowing with pilchards. You can almost hear calls of “Hevva” ringing from the cliffs of the north end when a shoal is spotted.

Here is a potato sack stencil inscribed ‘A.A.D.S Tresco’. The initials plant it firmly in the time of Major Arthur Algernon Dorrien-Smith and the shifting economic and social sands of the early 20th century. As the harvest waned in importance and the stencil was consigned to history, the Abbey Garden welcomed its first paying visitors – the first tender shoots of the island we know today.

A cosy new log-burning stove completes the heart of the Pavilion, sure to feature in many a post-winter walk plan as toes are warmed, pints are nursed, and island history contemplated.

The island’s past is proudly written on the Pavilion walls, blending seamlessly into the Driftwood Bar. There, the famous pastel portraits of islanders – lovingly referred to as the Rogue’s Gallery – are being beautifully supplemented by local artist Ren Hathway, whose incredible pencil portrayal of Bruce Christopher watches over the bar. Some things never change.

ABOVE

The new pavilion gallery wall; reclaimed ships’ lighting, artefacts from the Abbey archives, photographs of an old smuggler’s hiding place, of shipwrecks and island life, and oil studies by Eleanor Dorrien-Smith.

Rest & relaxation

A triptych of trades – architects Llewelyn Harker Lowe, craftsmen Symons Construction and interior designer Tania Streeter – has given each of the 16 bedrooms a fresh, contemporary look while retaining the charms and features that make each one unique.

Hues of plum and bracken beautifully accent turquoise tongueand-groove panelling; the blinds are a bespoke colourway produced especially by Wiltshire-based Fermoie Fabrics.

Everywhere there is attention to detail. Artisanal textiles cover handmade wooden bedframes, topped with sumptuous Hypnos mattresses. Bedside tables crafted by Sussex-based furniture maker Alfred Newall are home to Roberts Radios that look as good as they sound. Accessible USB charging points mean no more scrabbling for a socket, while bespoke joinery makes the most of the storage space available.

The bathrooms feature walk-in rain showers, fluffy robes and bespoke tiling; three of the finest rooms also have baths, including a statement freestanding tub in one of the sun terrace rooms.

Downstairs, the much-loved Sleeper’s Lounge – as treasured as the Driftwood Bar – has been given a subtle lift with new furniture. The Editor has already reserved the fireside armchair for the winter months. Mine’s a tot of Bruce Christopher Rum.

The bedrooms feel like a haven – a perfect reflection of their island location.

Plates & pints

It is a wet and windy September day on Tresco when I meet Liam. I find myself craving the warmth of a hearty pub and, luckily for me, Liam’s chosen spot – both his place of work and his favourite haunt – is The New Inn.

WORDS: Agnes Chapman Wills

Amidst the autumn holiday makers escaping the rain and the hustle and bustle of lunch service, we delve into his Tresco story so far.

Liam has lived and worked on Tresco for seven years and his life could so easily have taken a very different – if still creative – path. Originally from Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, Liam initially wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and train as a carpenter. However, after working in a local pub as a kitchen porter, he found himself with a hunger to know more about the world of food.

“My Gramp was a carpenter, so I always thought that was the route I was going to go down but I just loved being in the kitchen,” explains Liam. “It’s quite common for chefs to find themselves between cooking and a skill like carpentry.”

There is certainly a sense of artistry to both practices but Liam chose the culinary scene in the end, continuing to work at the pub and learning as he went.

“I worked my way up as the years went on – and under a few different head chefs so I learnt a wide variety of skills, dishes and cuisines.”

Eventually, Liam felt ready for a new challenge. It was a chance conversation over a pint one evening with a friend who had worked on Tresco and was home for the winter that led to his next steps. He put Liam in touch with the team on Tresco, and a few months later, Liam found himself setting foot on Tresco for the first time. As they say, the rest is history.

After settling into island life, Liam quickly rose up through the ranks and found himself with more and more responsibility.

“I had toyed with the idea of doing a ski season after my year on Tresco,” he says. “Half way through my first year, though, I was promoted from Chef De Partie to Senior Chef De Partie, and then towards the end of the year, I was promoted to Sous Chef and

became permanent. I was loving island life and the responsibility of the job, so the ski season never happened!”

Despite never having leadership in mind, Liam continued to throw himself into cooking and was made Head Chef at The New Inn in the autumn of 2021. Immediately, he was presented with challenges and unusual circumstances – but wasn’t phased.

“Almost as soon as I became Head Chef, we closed The New Inn for a complete refurbishment,” Liam laughs. “But any thoughts of a nice quiet winter were banished immediately because we had dozens of builders to feed at the Community Centre, we had to get the Flying Boat set up and I was also helping at The Ruin. I enjoyed it, to be fair,” he smiles. Clearly, Liam isn’t afraid of hard work.

So what of his cooking style? What can guests at The New Inn expect? “It’s quite easy to go down the rabbit hole, using dozens of ingredients and days of prep for each dish,” says Liam. “I prefer to focus on simple, hearty favourites and get them just right, using great, local ingredients. The sausage and mash on our winter menu is probably my favourite dish for that reason. Simple, yet satisfying –just how winter food should be.”

Although unphased by the trials and tribulations of running a busy kitchen, Liam does emphasise the importance of looking after his team. “Look after the people you work with and they’ll look after you” is Liam’s motto. “It’s busy and we work long hours, but we definitely have a laugh in the kitchen,” he says.

A lot can happen in seven years and Liam has certainly experienced plenty of change – not least the renovation of The New Inn.

For Liam, though, the biggest change has been when he and partner Lora welcomed their now one-year-old son, Gus.

“It’s going to be the most amazing place for him to grow up,” says Liam fondly. “Children have an enhanced imagination over here. Whereas on the mainland there might be more to do – bowling, the cinema, places to eat – here, we take Gus to the woods and he picks up sticks and talks to the horses as we walk down the Abbey Drive. I can’t think of a better upbringing for him.”

Liam, Lora and Gus certainly make the most of family time together with walks, trips to other islands and – of course – meals in the pub or at The Ruin.

Liam is famous on Tresco for his exhaustive collection of boats, but with Gus now occupying most of his attention outside work, he has just reduced his fleet to one – much to Lora’s delight.

“I’ve always had to have a bit of a project on the go,” says Liam. “I guess it’s my chance to indulge in the part of me that wanted to go into carpentry!

“I’m looking forward to working on the boat this winter. Lora bought me a big sticker to go on the back that says ‘Gussy’ so we’ve got a name for it now.”

After a busy – if somewhat nomadic – first winter in the job, Liam is pleased and proud to see everything ticking along nicely at the new, New Inn. Eagerly anticipating a winter full of pub classics with their own Tresco twist, he reflects warmly on his memories – some more hazy than others – of The New Inn in the colder months.

Liam is looking forward to his next few years on Tresco, both with his family and at work at The New Inn – and it was all down to a chance conversation over a pint.

New Inn caramelised apple crumble

INGREDIENTS

CRUMBLE TOPPING

250g Troytown Farm butter 200g sugar 250g plain flour 50g oats 50g sugar

APPLE FILLING

1kg peeled & chopped cooking apples 200g sugar

50g Troytown Farm butter Pinch of sea salt 100ml Westward Farm dry cyder 1 vanilla pod

METHOD

CUSTARD

6 Hillside Farm egg yolks 100g sugar 500ml Troytown Farm double cream 1 vanilla pod

ONE Rub butter, sugar and flour together to make a breadcrumb texture and place on a baking tray to bake at 160C for 15–20 minutes until golden. At the same time, caramelise 50g of sugar, add the oats and mix to coat. Leave to cool on a tray.

TWO Add 200g sugar to a pan and caramelise with the vanilla pod. Once it is a light caramel colour, add the apples, butter and cyder and cook for 10 minutes on low heat until the apples are just cooked. If there is too much liquid, pour some out and reduce it separately.

THREE Heat cream and vanilla pod on low heat, mix sugar and egg yolks together and slowly pour heated cream over whilst mixing. Pour back into the pan and cook on low heat until thickened.

FOUR Pour the apple filling into a serving dish, cover it with the crumble topping and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle caramelised oats over the top to serve.

Pit-fired pottery by Fiona Hufton

By day, Fiona Hufton works in Tresco’s busy accounts department. But by night, you’ll find her at an unusual and rather exciting fireside…

WORDS: Megan Oldcorn

BELOW

Working at the wheel

Fiona’s pottery is on the quay in New Grimsby, meaning that people often pop in to watch her work. Pottery is a process that can’t be rushed, so after working at the wheel, Fiona leaves each pot overnight, until the top has begun to dry out.

“My day job is in accounts, so it’s very methodical and quite prescribed; with numbers, there’s always a correct answer. In contrast to that, the pottery is very random!”

Fiona Hufton is in her fourth year on Tresco, and describes the island as “an amazing place to live”. Though she works in accounts now, she originally went to art college and spent 15 years as a potter’s technician.

During any downtime, Fiona was given her chance at the wheel. “I’d start off with about 20 balls of clay and try to throw a straight cylinder. I’d be quite proud of them, and the potter would come along and squash them one by one, going ‘Nope, nope, nope – you

can keep that one.’ He was such a great teacher. I hadn’t realised how much I’d learned until I came back to doing pottery.”

However, when she became a single parent, Fiona decided that she needed a “proper job”, training as an accountant. This career has taken her to many different locations, and ultimately, to Tresco. But it was the fortuitous arrival of a potter’s wheel that really set her creative wheels in motion once again.

Now, working in her quayside studio – where she’s perfectly placed to observe its comings and goings – Fiona creates pottery for sale through Gallery Tresco and the island’s Makers Market.

When it comes to her creative work, her sense of fun is evident. She has a kiln, but also works with a fire pit, replicating a traditional form of pottery that’s been dated back to around 3,500 BC. It’s a process that’s not without its quirks, however.

“They used to explode a lot! Anna at the gallery would ask, ‘Why do you keep doing this?’ and I’d say, ‘Because there is a way to make it work! I will find it!’ These days, it seems to be more successful.”

Living and working on Tresco has a clear impact on Fiona’s craft. In a place where everything has to be brought in by boat, and waste taken back off again, the community has learned to be resourceful. None more so than Fiona. Wood offcuts, old storage heater bricks, laundry powder buckets – all have found a second purpose.

“I’m a proper scavenger! We have to send all the broken electrical things off-island, so I go down with a pair of secateurs and cut the flex off them, then strip this down to copper wire that I can wrap around the pots.” This she does to create interesting colour effects; copper normally causes things to turn green, but because oxygen is stolen in the pit, the wire instead leaves a band of “copper red”.

The weather is another factor – at the mercy of boat sailings, Fiona’s clay has to be ordered well in advance for winter – as is the island power supply, which curiously means that her kiln can’t reach the high temperatures required to produce the colour purple. But Fiona wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When I’m at the wheel, I completely lose myself to what I’m doing. It’s a huge meditation for me. You forget everything else, and get zoned in. If, at the end of it, I produce something I’m proud of, that’s even better.”

ABOVE AND BELOW

Turning over the pot

The next day, Fiona turns the pot over to put a bottom on it, and another period of drying follows, during which it changes from greyish-brown to buff white. This is when it’s at its most fragile, but it’s also the slightly precarious point at which she needs to carry it from the pottery to her shed, where the kiln is. For this, a long board (for carrying pots) and good weather are essential.

ABOVE

Pit firing

Some of Fiona’s most striking pieces are pit fired; a process that she finds “much more exciting” than using a kiln alone. After an initial kiln firing, these pieces are wrapped in materials like seaweed, copper or even banana skins.

They’re then placed into the pit, which is lined with wood shavings gathered from fellow islander Andrew Lawson, who does wood turning in his spare time. Continuing this theme of “waste not, want not”, the pit is built up with waste wood from winter building projects. With firings always happening at night, so that Fiona can see where any sparks fly, it’s become a social event that often continues into the twilight hours.

ABOVE

The reveal

The fire is covered and left to die down overnight. Despite being the last to bed, Fiona is usually up early the next day. “I’ll be awake at six or seven thinking, ‘I need to go and see what’s happened! Was it hot enough? Did it work?’” When the fire is uncovered, only the tops of the pots are initially visible, so armed with some gloves, Fiona will “rummage through the ash” until all are safely gathered in and the results revealed. “I like that you don’t know what’s going to happen”, she concludes. “It’s unknown, and it’s lovely.”

Fiona’s pottery is available through Gallery Tresco, or at the Tresco Makers Market. To find out more, visit FIONAHUFTON.COM

#MyTresco

PATRICK MACINTOSH & FAMILY

It was in 1966 that my parents Henry and Sheila Macintosh discovered the joy of Tresco and 56 years later my family – along with my brother, sister and their families too – still come every year. My mother Sheila joined us in September this year by helicopter for a few days at 92 years of age.

Many happy years have been spent on the island, always with extended family. This tradition has been a constant during my lifetime. Children the same age as me, who I played with all those years ago, are often still holidaying on Tresco as adults and our six children – also grown up now – will always prefer to come to Tresco each year, rather than warmer climes further south, if given the choice.

We have stayed in many of the cottages over the years. Back in the 60s, Beach in Old Grimsby was my parents’ favourite. I think the weekly rent was the princely sum of £25! One of my early memories was collecting the milk each morning in a large heavy churn from the old Home Farm – now part of the Estate Offices – and once a week we had clotted cream as a special treat. I learnt to water ski on Tresco and one of my finest moments as a teenager was buzzing the Scillonian as it came into St Mary’s: showing off for sure.

These days, we come later on in the season and have two weeks in Greenside in mid-September – a wonderful time to be on the island. A collection of friends comes too and some of them have fallen in love with Tresco themselves, also buying timeshares to enjoy with their families.

Being an Antiques Dealer I have had the privilege of sourcing furniture for the Ruin, The New Inn and many of the Sea Garden Cottages, making Tresco seem even more familiar to me.

Whatever the weather, we always find ourselves making the most of everything on offer. Walks around the island, swimming in the sea, bike rides and boat trips to the Eastern Islands to see the seals; always a must for the Macintosh family.

There have been many changes over the last half a century. The facilities available are now everything you’d want on a 21st century holiday, yet Tresco is just as beautiful – and still how I remember it when I first came as a child. Simple pleasures like picnics on the beach and a swim in the cold sea are just the same as they always were, but now there is the possibility afterwards of a lazy hour to warm up at the Spa, followed by a great evening and fabulous food at The New Inn or The Ruin. Perfect.

An island escape

WORDS: Megan Oldcorn

For Ellie, the Isles of Scilly’s shoreline has harboured inspiration ever since she was a child.

“I’ve been coming here since the age of eleven. Some of my earliest island memories are of walking the beaches and finding things. I’d bring them back and lay them all out, with my antique dealer Dad saying, ‘that one’s a 16th century piece of glass from a Dutch wine jar’, or ‘that’s a fragment from a 500-year-old bellarmine jug.’

“I’m really interested in beachcombing – particularly on Scilly, where you find things that have quite possibly come from wrecks. I find that really fascinating; seeing the marks of how people have lived here on the coast.”

Today, Ellie is a respected contemporary artist, creating seascapes that are exhibited at leading coastal galleries (including our own Gallery Tresco) and receiving Arts Council England funding to develop her creative practice into 2023. In addition to this, she teaches painting through the National Trust and is currently undertaking a year’s Studio Practice with Newlyn School of Art. Needless to say, she’s never been busier.

Though she lives on the mainland, in Devon, when I catch up with her she’s on Tresco and in the midst of leading a series of painting workshops for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust’s Festival of Nature. For an artist inspired by the shore, it’s an ideal place to be.

“Tresco is a place I love to explore. I have a kind of rich Tresco map ingrained in my memory, with each place providing a unique set of colours, textures and seascape views to inspire new work.”

This relationship has led Ellie to paint numerous pieces depicting Tresco. Her first, a painting on driftwood created in 2018, was bought within hours and is now part of the Tresco Estate collection, displayed on the wall of the Lighthouse cottage.

It’s fair to say that she’s becoming something of an islander in her own right. As we’re talking, she’s on her third of four painting visits –including two art residencies – scheduled for this year alone. And with the weather changing here from one hour to the next, each of Ellie’s paintings is as individual as the scene it depicts.

“Within one day, you can have every kind of weather. If you’re in the lee of the wind, behind a big granite boulder, with the sun shining, you can take your jumper off in December and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. Even in a deep storm, you still have that amazing turquoise on the sea. I actually love those dark days when everything’s rolling in off the Atlantic. It’s such an elemental place to be.”

Of course, painting on an island also has its logistical wrinkles, but for Ellie, this is part of the creative challenge.

“Because I’m travelling on foot or by bike, I plan my day around the weather and the tides. Travelling to islands for art means I’ve got to bring everything I may need with me. It has to be small enough to go on a small plane or helicopter, and then be carried around on my back. I like that this connects me to the resourceful spirit of the community that lives here year-round. I’m never happier than when I’m working here, and I take on the challenges with a smile!”

Once she’s arrived on the island, Ellie’s natural instincts as a collector can be given free rein. Along the shoreline, she seeks out driftwood and metal that has washed ashore, using these – as well as cotton papers and natural birch board – as evocative canvases for her work.

She also “collects” colour, taking samples of sand from her favourite beaches and making in-situ colour charts that she can work

from when she’s back at home. Each location has its own set of specific colours, as Ellie explains:

“I’ve got a series of four colour palettes that I made on Tresco. They’re all very different because the time of day, the weather and the season makes each moment unique. What’s also interesting is that sea glass here is a totally different colour to the sea glass I find in south Devon. There’s more aqua and turquoise sea glass on the islands than anywhere else I’ve ever been, and it matches the palette so brilliantly.

“Colour is so important to me”, she adds. “I want to get it right.”

While Ellie’s out in the landscape, she’ll also make a pared-back sketch of its features for future reference.

“Good design is using the least design possible, so I try to keep only things that tell the story of this place. The challenge is in deciding what not to include. Simple, very clean marks, with no need for detail. I’m not interested in painting a photograph.’

And yet, Ellie’s paintings have become much-loved representations of Scilly, with her deliberately clean and simple style evoking memories and becoming what she describes as “a piece of a place” for many.

“I want to make a painting that’s evocative, where our imaginations do the work to fill in the memories that we have of this place. I’m always most pleased with the paintings that have the fewest marks, because those are the most successful ones for me.”

For the last four years, Ellie’s work has been showcased at Gallery Tresco, and says she loves the fact that it’s “about ten steps from the sea”. As I’m writing, she’s busy working on her 2023 collection for the gallery, and full of excitement for the opportunities still to come.

“The way that Tresco Estate champions art is really quite something. It’s the centrepiece of the cottages, and adds a rich layer of experience to being on the islands. Anna Parkes, manager of Gallery Tresco, has the most incredible eye and has been an invaluable sounding board and mentor for my creative practice.”

While selling through the gallery, Ellie also receives commissions, often from those for whom Tresco has become an equally treasured place.

“I’m often asked to paint a certain spot or beach; for instance, if someone proposed there and wants to give a painting for their anniversary. Tresco is such a special place for those life moments, and this love of it is passed down through the generations too. It’s lovely to be a part of capturing that for people who love the island as much as I do.”

Good design is using the least design possible, so I try to keep only things that tell the story of this place. The challenge is in deciding what not to include.

You can see more of Ellie’s work at Gallery Tresco, or on Instagram @ellieverrecchia_artist

#MyTresco ANDREW LAWSON

WORDS: Megan Oldcorn

If you’re a regular visitor to Tresco, you’ll probably recognise Andrew Lawson. His is a familiar face around the island, and it’s little wonder: he’s been an integral part of the Abbey Garden team for almost 40 years.

Though he’s lived and worked here for much of his adult life, Andrew’s relationship with the island predates this by quite some time. He first visited with his parents – both botany lecturers and keen gardeners – back in 1976, when they stayed on Bryher. After this, the family made regular visits. Aged 14, Andrew worked, unpaid, in the gardens for a week to see if this was the career for him, and in 1985, after finishing training in amenity horticulture and arboriculture, he was offered the chance to become the propagator. In 1994, he was made Head Gardener.

“My passion is the temperate plants we can grow here”, he says. “There’s always so much in flower, even in the middle of winter. I’ll come in and do the New Year flower count, and it can take four hours and often exceeds 250 species.”

The Abbey Garden is a dream setting for someone of Andrew’s skills and imagination. Its mild microclimate means that you’ll find

things growing here that could never survive elsewhere. It’s a quirk of nature that’s seen the gardens described as ‘a perennial Kew without the roof’.

“Island life doesn’t suit everybody”, observes Andrew. “But if you find a place you enjoy, you stay. It’s a different way of life, and one in which you try more things. I’ve ended up joining in with sports like cricket and rowing, which I would probably never have done on the mainland. Here, you just give it a go.”

For Andrew, life is a balance between the small island community of Tresco and the limitless horizons of worldwide travel. Since the mid-1990s, he’s also worked as a tour guide in locations as diverse as France, Crete, Chile and Japan. In addition to this, he enjoys travelling far and wide to seek out new and unusual plants, and to see those he already recognises from the garden, growing in their natural habitats.

“I love the southern hemisphere, so in 2010 I spent six weeks driving the length and breadth of New Zealand. It’s always fun to see the range of plants that we have here at the garden, but growing in the wild.

Behind the scenes of the Tresco Abbey Garden, you’ll find a small team of hardworking gardeners. They’re led by one man; now an island legend in his own right.

“And then a few years ago, I went with my brother to Tasmania; what a place of diverse climates! It was amazing to see Eucalyptus regnans in its natural environment, growing to nearly 300ft in height: the tallest flowering tree. For me, it’s not just about looking at the plant and seeing how it grows, although that’s obviously important. It’s also about looking at what’s growing next to it – that can be even more interesting.”

Andrew gives me a tour of the Abbey Garden, in the kind of warm and sheltered conditions that perfectly demonstrate why temperate plants thrive here. Every now and then, he’ll stop and point to an interesting specimen, firing off names in Latin as if it’s his mother tongue. His passion is clear.

Unsurprisingly, Andrew’s Head Gardener’s tours (available all year at weekends) are enduringly popular, giving everyone from horticulture experts to families the chance to ask questions and gain more insight into the garden. “Tours are fun for me,” he says. “I enjoy what I do and I think that shows to its fullest extent when I’m talking to people.”

It’s not all ornamental at the Abbey Garden, however. As any visitor will know, there’s also a thriving productive acre, in which much of the estate’s fruit and veg is grown, and livestock such as ducks, chickens and bees are cared for. This is an island, after all, and a classic example of good old-fashioned self-sufficiency.

The Abbey Garden is a dream setting for someone of Andrew’s skills and imagination. Its mild microclimate means that you’ll find things growing here that could never survive elsewhere.

This “realm” of the garden is primarily tended by Andrew’s wife Kate, who’s also a part of his team. Working alongside your spouse could be interesting, but for this couple, it works: “We love our jobs”, he says. “We both consider ourselves very lucky with our lives and work.”

It would be easy to rest on your laurels in a garden as bountiful and picturesque as this one. But this isn’t Andrew’s style.

“We do like to change”, he admits. “Keeping things the same might feel boring. Every couple of years, we’ll rip something out and start again, even if it’s a big tree. I don’t tend to get stuck for inspiration, as going out and travelling gives you plenty of ideas. The garden is full, though, so if we want to add something in, we have to take something out.”

And of course, though the conditions on Tresco are typically milder than other places in the UK, the island can still be subject to damaging weather extremes.

“In the storm of ’87, we lost around 70% of the plants here”, Andrew recalls. “There was a foot of snow for five days, and a -23°C chill factor. Luckily, I’d already been here for a couple of years then, so I knew what I was trying to get back. At the same time, there were lots of changes, and they’re still happening.”

As we walk, a red squirrel crosses the path. These were introduced to the gardens in 2014, and now form a beloved part of the island population. They’re happy running free, but they know their place when it matters.

“They’re fed at 10am, so they know that they’re supposed to be here then”, Andrew laughs. “They’re very well trained!”

Throughout his nearly 40 years on Tresco, Andrew has clearly built up an enviable bank of knowledge when it comes to the garden and its collection. And yet, in his typically humble way, he’s happy to state that there are still things he doesn’t know for sure.

“Seven years ago, I began researching the Puya plants we have here, looking at when they were first introduced to the UK. In 1834, just as the garden here was being started, Charles Darwin travelled on the Beagle to Chile. He brought these back and gave them to Loddiges’, which was the biggest tropical glass house at that time. From there, they came to the island in 1848, so it’s entirely possible that they came from his expedition. So there are still things we’re learning about our plant collection.”

“It’s called the sheep-catching plant”, he adds. “So we have to wear oilskins when we go in there. But we haven’t lost a gardener yet!”

One dish, two perspectives

You know The New Inn is passionate about local produce when, gazing east out of its windows, you can spot one producer digging his potatoes, while another bobs along the waterline to the west.

WORDS: Tom Matthews

There’s a sunny, south-facing slope between The New Inn and the row of pretty little cottages at Dial Rocks.

The gently sloping field has some of the finest views on Scilly, looking down the channel towards Samson, St Mary’s and St Agnes. Not that Bartek Wypyszynski has time to look at the view.

“It’s my peaceful place,” he smiles. “I’m up there every evening and every weekend – when Magda and the children let me go!”

Bartek’s day job on Tresco is handling the islands’ supplies, meeting the freight launch every day, and delivering everything the island needs – from apples to building materials. If you need something moved on Tresco, Bartek is your man.

By evening and weekend, though, he can be found planting, tending, watering and harvesting his crop from the field just behind the pub. It doesn’t get more locally sourced than that.

“I’m from a farming family originally,” he reveals. “It runs in my family, probably five or six generations back. Growing produce is in my blood; I get everything I know from my mother and father.

“I started driving tractors in the fields when I was eight. I couldn’t reach the pedals, so I had to stand up to press the clutch when I needed to change gears!”

Bartek’s family farm in Poland started as a dairy concern, but when prices crashed, the family diversified into arable farming, growing crops like wheat, barley and rapeseed.

“In Poland, we use a very scientific farming method, where the soil is constantly monitored and supplemented. What I do here on

Tresco is the exact opposite, and I know which I prefer!”

On Tresco, Bartek and his wife Magda judge everything by eye and experience – but that’s not to say there’s no science behind it. Instead, the couple combines generations of farming knowledge and wisdom with a surprisingly scientific approach.

“My degree is in horticulture,” says Magda. “But to be honest, I’d forgotten most of it until Bartek started growing vegetables and using the practices and techniques his father taught him. After that, it all came flooding back.

“We try to do as nature does, to farm in a way inspired by biological cycles and respecting nature. For example, we use the ‘no dig’ method to minimise disturbance to worms so they can do their job, aerating the soil and pulling in all the goodness from the surface.

“When you use natural techniques, it’s rewarding to see the whole ecosystem that your crops are part of.”

Bartek and Magda use no chemicals or pesticides on their crops; their only soil supplements are natural products like seaweed, grass clippings and fallen leaves.

Yet, despite this more ecologically aware and arguably less commercial method of farming, there is still a strong link between Bartek and Magda’s methods on Tresco and at home in Poland.

“When we moved to Tresco, we wanted to grow our own vegetables for us and the children,” explains Magda. “We took our inspiration from Bartek’s mother. She’s less involved with the farm itself, but has always had a cottage garden.

“She is the perfect example of being almost entirely self-sufficient. She keeps chickens and grows fruit and vegetables. What she doesn’t have, she sells and trades for with her friends and neighbours. When she has a glut of something, she preserves it in jars or dries it to see her through winter.

“When we moved to Tresco, we wanted to live more like that.”

The couple started with a small vegetable plot outside their home on Tresco, growing vegetables for themselves and their two young children, Wiktoria and Antoni. To avoid waste, any surplus was left on the wall outside the house for neighbours and visitors to take.

Before long, the planting outgrew the plot and the produce outgrew the wall. The plot became a field; the wall, a stall. Stocked throughout the year, you’ll find it near the Flying Boat Cottages.

“I love how much people enjoy the produce on the stall,” says Bartek. “But it’s now quite a small part of what I do. Liam at The New Inn was looking for local produce, so most of what I grow now goes to the pub, The Ruin or Hell Bay.”

Much as Bartek and Magda’s farming methods are in harmony with nature, there is also a harmony between Bartek, Magda and head chefs Liam, Serge and Richard.

“If I have a glut of something, I will phone Liam and Serge and they will come up with a special to use a crate of courgettes or a tray of chard.

“Other times, I’ll get a call at ten o’clock at night saying they’ve run out of rocket and I’ll be out picking at 5am the next day so they have it fresh for lunch.

“It works two ways; I really value that.”

It’s this syncronicity that makes island life tick. Here, 28 miles off Land’s End, there are no wholesalers; no 24-hour supermarkets. Supplies have to be ordered a week ahead, and if the boat doesn’t sail, produce can be delayed.

Buying local, then, isn’t just best practice – it makes practical sense; something the island chefs embrace with gusto.

From potatoes to mixed leaves, microgreens to broad beans; cress to carrots and cavolo nero, if Bartek can grow it, the chefs will use it.

They like to challenge him, too.

“I’m constantly learning,” Bartek reveals. “The chefs will come to me and ask if I can grow a certain crop. If it’s something I’ve not grown before, I’ll read up on it, find out how other people have grown it successfully, and then put that knowledge into practice.

“Liam, Serge and Richard are really determined to reduce the amount of produce they’re buying in and focus more on seasonal cooking.

“They plan ahead months at a time, so in the winter they’ll give me a list of crops they need for their summer menus so I’ve got time to do my research and get the crops growing.”

So, what is Bartek’s next challenge?

“Liam really wants me to try growing mushrooms, but I don’t have enough experience for that yet. You need exactly the right conditions.”

“How about the Abbey wine cellar,” says Magda. “That would be perfect!”

You’ve got to admire their ambition…

“We point the boat out to the diners all the time,” says Hannah.

“Yes, we say, ‘See the little rowing dinghy with a mizzen mast?’” laughs Jordan. Hannah rolls her eyes.

At just 16 feet long, Viddy – meaning happy in Cornish – proves that small can be best. She challenges preconceptions, much like her young crew.

Jordan’s path to fishing was relatively traditional. Sun-drenched Scillonian summers messing about in boats under the watchful eye of his grandad, the St Mary’s harbourmaster. Teenage years working on tripper, fishing and dive boats before qualifying as a marine engineer. The inevitable pull back to Scilly, where he worked up to his current role as Senior Fire Officer at Tresco Heliport.

Hannah’s path to fishing on Scilly was less traditional.

“I was working on the cruise ships as a croupier,” she reveals. “It was a great life, being paid to travel the world, but then the pandemic hit.”

Spotting an advert to work on Tresco, Hannah’s skills and passion have seen her work for departments as diverse as Cottages, The Flying Boat Café, The New Inn, and the Abbey.

While the young couple’s days are busily occupied with helicopters and hospitality, evenings and days off see them swap fire kit and front-of-house uniform for lifejackets and salopettes, boarding Viddy and pointing her bow to the horizon.

“I went from being a glamorous croupier on the biggest cruise ship in the world to working on a tiny island and fishing in my free time,” laughs Hannah. “My friends from the cruise ships expected no less!”

Given his island upbringing, strangely, it was not Jordan but Hannah that was the driving force behind the couple’s fledgling business, Penhaligon’s Fish.

“My grandfather bought Viddy for his retirement back in Looe in Cornwall,” explains Jordan. “He fished her for a few years, but he mainly looked after her for his grandchildren. He kept offering her to me, but I was always so busy.”

When Jordan and Hannah met, he told her about the boat and with their day jobs leaving the seafaring couple relatively landlocked, Hannah immediately saw the potential.

“’Yes, Jordan, we do want the boat,’” she insisted, and Jordan journeyed to Looe to help his grandad prepare Viddy for a new life on Scilly.

“It was real, quality time together. Grandad said he wished it could be like this always; it meant a lot.”

While Jordan readied the boat, Hannah was setting up the business, designing a logo and coming up with a name.

“That was a pretty simple process,” she laughs. “He’s got such a good, strong Cornish name – Penhaligon – so we kept it simple: Penhaligon’s Fish.

“Plus, it keeps the pressure on him to make me a Penhaligon one day soon!”

The pair’s straightforward approach is reflected onboard. They don’t use GPS or fish finders, preferring a pared-back, traditional approach to fishing. The only electronics onboard are a radio and navigation lights. Instead, the couple let nature be their guide.

On any summer night on Tresco, given a fair sea and a westerly wind (‘Wind from the east, fish bite the least,’ I learn…), both The Ruin and The New Inn might have Penhaligon’s Fish on the menu.

“I know the waters of Scilly from my upbringing,” shares Jordan. “And for the fishing, we let nature help us. We watch out for flocks of seagulls or slicks on the water from where a shoal is feeding. It’s about reading the water and the sky.

“Everything is hand-caught; we use handlines for fishing and pull the pots by hand. That’s why I prefer fishing at low tide; there’s not so far to haul the pots,” he laughs.

“Catching by hand means we’re as sustainable as we can be,” explains Hannah. “We stop when we’ve caught enough, so there’s never any wastage. If we can’t sell it, we don’t catch it.”

Their fishing methods might be traditional, but the couple embraces technology to get the word out, using their Facebook page to share their catch with locals and visitors alike, often while still at sea.

“I have to pick my fishing grounds by the strength of the phone signal,” jokes Jordan.

Their laid-back approach might not work for some businesses, but for Jordan and Hannah, Penhaligon’s Fish is about ethics and pleasure, not profit and pressure.

“We both work full-time,” says Hannah. “So we aimed to keep it simple and not put stress on ourselves. We don’t guarantee orders in advance, so we can focus on our motto, ‘Fresh. Delicious. Sustainable.’

“What we catch, we sell straight from the sea; we don’t cook or prep the fish. People love that we deliver to their cottage in our fishing gear, bucket in hand.”

So how does such a laid-back approach work when delivering to Tresco’s busy pub and restaurants?

“Liam, the Head Chef at The New Inn, told me he’s always looking for great local produce,” explains Jordan. “He likes our approach; he gets to put on some great, locally sourced specials and be creative and spontaneous, which he loves.

“We might call him and Serge, the Head Chef at the Ruin, on our way in from sea, and if we’ve got 40 mackerel, they will have 20 each.”

On any summer night on Tresco, given a fair sea and a westerly wind (‘Wind from the east, fish bite the least,’ I learn…), both The Ruin and The New Inn might have Penhaligon’s Fish on the menu.

“It’s amazing seeing the different things our talented chefs do with our catch,” says Hannah. “Mackerel pate, tandoori mackerel, mackerel burgers, grilled mackerel…

“I’ll never forget the first time we dropped our fish at the pub and went for dinner a couple of hours later, and there was our mackerel on the menu. Sitting down to be served our fish and hearing the waiting team telling guests about our fish and our business was such a proud moment.”

“I’ve got a lot to thank Granddad for,” says Jordan. “He bought me my first boat – The Jordanian – when I was about five years old and taught me all about boat handling and safety. I used to take my gran on trips around the harbour!

“She’s still in use today as a flowerpot on the road into Looe. The Jordanian, not Gran,” he adds.

So, what does the future hold for this young couple and their fledgling micro business? A bigger boat, perhaps?

“I’m putting my foot down; we’re getting married first,” laughs Hannah.

WHOLE BBQ SCILLONIAN MACKEREL

INGREDIENTS

MACKEREL

2 whole mackerel, gutted

200g boiled new potatoes

2 knobs of butter

2 limes cut in half

100g washed mixed leaves

CHIMMICHURI

1 red chilli

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch fresh coriander

Juice & zest of 1 lime

100ml extra virgin rapeseed oil

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

METHOD

ONE Add all the chimmichuri ingredients into a liquidiser and blend until smooth. Place in fridge to chill.

TWO Light BBQ and wait for the coals to go past the white stage (if the coals are too hot, the fish will burn). Place a frying pan on the BBQ.

THREE Lightly crush the potatoes and add to the hot frying pan with a small drizzle of oil. Once the potatoes start to colour, add the butter and season with sea salt and black pepper, then move to a cooler spot on the BBQ to slowly heat through and soak up the butter.

FOUR Generously oil the mackerel and season with sea salt, before placing onto the hot part of the BBQ for 4-5 minutes, surrounded by halved limes. Try not to move the fish as you need the crust to form on the skin.

FIVE Once you have the crispy skin, turn over and leave for a further 4-5 minutes.

SIX Once cooked, squeeze the grilled limes over the top and place on a tray to rest.

SEVEN To plate, lightly dress the washed leaves, place the potatoes on the plate and pour the butter over, place the mackerel on top and dress with chimmichuri.

The quiet season

For many, it’s associated with sunshine-flooded white beaches and days spent in the water. Yet there’s another side to Tresco; with dark nights, dramatic skies and cool, crisp mornings, our island comes alive in winter.

THE WINTER WARMER

As summer ebbs away, the community comes together and the sheer magic of Tresco comes to light. Sit by the fire, take a brisk walk along the beach or spend a few hours in the spa. Our Winter Warmer break for 2023 includes a four-night stay at The New Inn, breakfast and dinner each day, and entry to Tresco Abbey Garden and Island Spa.

For up-to-date infomation on our events and the latest offers and breaks visit:

50YEARS 1973 –2023

A short excursion down Memory Lane, by ‘The Birdman’, David Rosair

Next week, I shall purchase my train ticket from Whitstable to Penzance, staying with Fran and Stuart Brint at Keigwin House before taking the morning flight to St Mary’s.

I can already feel the excitement of soaring over the Eastern Isles and past the Daymark; those stunning blue waters, the Firethorn visible. Then, hopping across to Bryher to meet all the guests at Hell Bay Hotel for an introductory walk.

With nearly a hundred visits to The Fortunate Isles under my belt, how did it all start?

My Liebfraumilch Infancy Years 1973-1978

As a lowly Production Manager with a large multi-national food company, I spent much of my free time visiting Dungeness Bird Observatory. There, I met my dear friend and mentor, the late Peter Grant, one of Britain’s most well-known and respected birders.

“I’m taking you to the Scillies this autumn,” he exclaimed one day. “Why?” I replied. “You’ll see,” came the answer.

The Scillonian eventually arrived at St Mary’s; I had ignored the plethora of skuas and shearwaters en route (never mind the birds, pass me the bucket!) The hell on water continued with a wet crossing to St Agnes aboard the Sea King. An inauspicious start, but finally reaching terra firma, we were met by Maurice Barker and escorted to Myrtle Cottage, home for the next two weeks.

“No time to unpack, David; there’s a red-breasted flycatcher in the parsonage!” said Peter. The next day, it was a yellow-browed warbler in the Chapel Fields, a red-throated pipit on the cricket pitch the day after. So it continued, and we celebrated these new ornithological wonders in The Turk’s Head with new friends and copious amounts of rum and shrub. It was a whole new world, an exciting world.

My Adolescent Oaked Chardonnay Years 1978-1993

I enjoyed my autumn breaks on St Agnes, but cooking every evening was not really in my repertoire. As I climbed the managerial ladder, the extra pennies allowed me to move to Graham and Penny Browing’s Wingeltang Guesthouse on St Mary’s.

The rare birds kept coming, my list grew longer, and ‘twitching’ was fun as I reached the dizzy heights of No. 9 in the British ‘Listers’.

But something was amiss: I hated my job. The overnight drive to Penzance for my annual visit to Scilly was always an overwhelming joy. Peter Grant to the rescue: “Start your own birdwatching business!” Island Ventures was born.

My Mature Malbec Years 1993 – Present

One wet day on Tresco, The Island Hotel’s lights shone like a beacon as I sought caffeine and shelter. Dare I go in? Yes, I can hide in the corner, but can I afford a cafetière? £2.20 – but I did get a chocolate biscuit!

“The manager is off today, Sir,” said the charming waitress, “but if you come back tomorrow, I’m sure he will be delighted to see you.”

I had a spring in my step, and I met with General Manager Ivan Curtis the next day. “By all means, arrange an autumn birdwatching tour,” he said. “But I suggest you incorporate the words ‘In Comfort and Style’”.

The following autumn, I escorted five guests around the islands; the next year, ten. Abbey Garden Curator Mike Nelhams cleverly suggested adding a spring option. Sue Shone (now Hopkins) and Rachel Young encouraged me to add The New Inn to the venues. Beyond doing what I truly wanted and making many new friends.

Guests marvelled at Peter Hingston’s Sunday evening buffet (“More quail, Madam?”). Mike and Isobel were so welcoming; the late Bruce Christopher kindly allowed us to birdwatch in his Borough Farm fields.

Henry Birch would always ask, “How’s the Mrs?” while the late Eddie Birch would consult me over which binoculars he dared ask for as a retirement gift. I can see him now, leaning on his rusting Massey Ferguson (incidentally the same vintage as myself!).

I became close friends with resident bird artist Ren Hathway (“Ren, you have two commissions from my guests, but I need them tomorrow!”). The late Richard Barber would request the next ‘Birdman’ article for the Tresco Times. Reverend Donald Marr and Margaret always greeted me with, “Welcome home, David.”

The biggest thank you must go to Mr Robert Dorrien-Smith for his constant support, encouragement and interest, with thoughtfully added back-up from Jackie Hughes. Where would the Swarovski Hide be without him?

At seven o’clock one Sunday morning, I sadly watched the start of the demolition of The Island Hotel, and we migrated across the water to Bryher’s Hell Bay Hotel.

My Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc Dotage Years

Civilised, incredibly comfortable, with excellent food and lovely staff in beautiful surroundings, Hell Bay is simply the best hotel on Scilly. With Francesca McNeil deservedly becoming General Manager, Jeanette so helpful, and Sarah and Richard as Head Chef and Restaurant Manager, how can it fail?

Bryher’s natural beauty and wildness are complemented by the warm welcome from its islanders – most notably Ruth and Graham at Hillside Farm and Kris and Geoff at Veronica Farm. It’s heartwarming to see so many island businesses making such strides: Issy’s Scilly Succulents, Olivia (and Dad Philip) at Olivia’s Kitchen, Amanda at Island Fish and Zoe’s Bake Box.

So, what’s changed in 50 years? Most notable is the reduction in the number of common migrant birds – cuckoo, yellow wagtail, turtle dove – passing through the islands, following the pattern nationwide. Gone is the sound of the generators switching on at 4.30pm in Dolphin Town and the prolific cut flower industry.

On the plus side, we revel in en-suite accommodation and good food, The New Inn upgrade, the Spa and the Sea Garden Cottages, Tresco Stores and jetboats (frowned on at first; now an integral part of island life).

Graham rents out more bikes than ever, my library now boasts four Richard Pearce paintings, and birdwatching apps tell us what’s about (though I still like to call Will Wagstaff personally if I discover anything exciting).

Change is necessary, inevitable and not always evil. In my humble opinion, Tresco Estate must be congratulated for its forward thinking in sometimes difficult times. I am incredibly proud to be celebrating fifty continuous years of visiting Scilly and being associated with the Estate. A very sincere Thank You.

David Rosair – July 2022

30-year Tresco Islandshare Tresco re-sales

MON CHANGEOVER

MON CHANGEOVER

Curlew Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 12 20 Mar 2023 £10,725 Week 40 02 Oct 2023 £16,705 Week 41 09 Oct 2023 £15,580 Week 42 16 Oct 2023 £15,580 Week 43 23 Oct 2023 £15,580

Farmhouse Band 9 | Sleeps 10 Week 40 02 Oct 2023 £39,520

TUES CHANGEOVER

Green Band 5 | Sleeps 6 Week 13 28 Mar 2023 £12,870 Week 14 02 Apr 2024 £17,715

Merrick Band 7 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 21 Mar 2023 £17,000

Norrad Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 21 Mar 2023 £17,000 Week 13 26 Mar 2024 £17,000 Week 39 26 Sep 2023 £37,830

Phoenix (FB) Band 7 | Sleeps 6 Week 42 15 Oct 2024 £32,100

Seagrass (SG) Band 7 | Sleeps 6-8 Week 42 17 Oct 2023 £36,905

Wigeon Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 12 21 Mar 2023 £10,725

WED CHANGEOVER

THURS CHANGEOVER

Friendship (FB) Band 7 | Sleeps 6 Week 42 19 Oct 2023 £32,100

Hilltop Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 41 12 Oct 2023 £18,730 Week 43 26 Oct 2023 £18,730

Mincarlo Band 7 | Sleeps 8 Week 41 12 Oct 2023 £24,750

Rockpool (SG) Band 7 | Sleeps 6-8 Week 43 26 Oct 2023 £36,905

Sail Loft Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 23 Mar 2023 £17,000

Tern Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 23 Mar 2023 £17,650 Week 39 28 Sep 2023 £39,195

FRI CHANGEOVER

Heron Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 12 17 Mar 2023 £10,725 Week 13 24 Mar 2023 £10,725

Rowesfield Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 42 13 Oct 2023 £20,000

Sandpiper Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 13 24 Mar 2023 £10,725 Week 14 29 Mar 2024 £14,745 Week 42 13 Oct 2023 £15,580 Week 43 20 Oct 2023 £15,580

Plover Band 3 | Sleeps 4 Week 36 04 Sep 2023 £25,550 31yrs

North End Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 39 25 Sep 2023 £19,350 19yrs

TUES CHANGEOVER

Teal Band 3 | Sleeps 4 Week 43 24 Oct 2023 £6,950 14yrs

WED CHANGEOVER

Old Mill Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 22 Mar 2023 £13,005 20yrs

THURS CHANGEOVER

Dial Rocks Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 12 23 Mar 2023 £15,360 32yrs

FRI CHANGEOVER

Pentle House Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 41 06 Oct 2023 £9,075 11yrs

SAT CHANGEOVER

School House Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 35 24 Aug 2024 £142,000 38yrs

Coastguards

Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 12 22 Mar 2023 £17,000 Week 43 25 Oct 2023 £24,750

Dolphin Cottage Band 5 | Sleeps 6 Week 41 11 Oct 2023 £18,730

Gadwall Band 2 | Sleeps 4 Week 12 22 Mar 2023 £7,770

Old Mill Band 8 | Sleeps 8 Week 41 11 Oct 2023 £27,240 Week 42 18 Oct 2023 £27,240

Pearl Band 5 | Sleeps 4-6 Week 39 25 Oct 2023 £44,265

Thatch Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 12 22 Mar 2023 £12,870

Seaspray Band 6 | Sleeps 6 Week 13 24 Mar 2023 £15,895 Week 39 22 Sep 2023 £35,295

SAT CHANGEOVER

Sea Horse (SG) Band 7 | Sleeps 6-8 Week 39 23 Sep 2023 £56,420

Starfish (SG) Band 7 | Sleeps 6-8 Week 42 14 Oct 2023 £35,905

SG Sea Garden Cottage | FB Flying Boat Cottage Tresco Spa membership is included in all Islandshare weeks.

Please note: dates are shown for guidance only and do not necessarily indicate the first year of occupation.

TRESCO ISLAND IS AN RCI GOLD CROWN RESORT

Please contact the Islandshare office on +44 (0)1720 424111 or email islandshare@tresco.co.uk for further details.