Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly district covers an archipelago of more than 140 islands and rocks off the south-western coast of England. Five islands are permanently inhabited — St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes — and Hugh Town on St Mary’s is the main settlement and service centre. The islands are formed from granite outcrops with sandy beaches, dunes and intertidal flats; narrow channels and ledges shape local routes for small boats and light aircraft. A few thousand people live across the islands, with communities focused around harbours, farms and small shops.

Local life mixes fishing, horticulture, conservation and seasonal tourism. Tresco Abbey Garden grows palms and tree ferns suited to the mild maritime climate, and St Agnes is joined to the tiny island of Gugh by a sand bar at low tide. There are prehistoric burial sites, breeding seabird colonies, and regular seal haul-outs; sheltered pools and reef channels are the focus of marine protection and local wildlife work. Transport, utilities and planning reflect the islands’ scale and maritime setting.