Walk Overview
This 10-mile walk follows the perimeter of the island of St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, passing picturesque beaches, pretty villages and rocky cliff-tops.
The entire Isles of Scilly archipelago has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and St Mary’s alone has more than 30 miles of nature trails to explore on foot.
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St Mary’s is the lsle of Scilly’s largest island with a population of 1,800. Hugh Town is its central hub – with air and sea links, shops, restaurants, galleries and museum – but for walkers there is so much more to discover. The island is a birdwatcher’s paradise and the coastline is a mixture of sweeping white sand beaches, rocky coves, rugged cliffs and fascinating archaeological sites.
A sense of history abounds on St Mary’s – with tales of raiding pirates, lost treasure, Bronze Age settlements and a coastline littered with the remains of shipwrecks.
But it’s the wildlife that draws so many walkers to the Isles of Scilly. Basking sharks, dolphins, puffins, Atlantic grey seals, red barbed ants and lesser white-toothed shrews are just some of the amazing St Mary’s residents you could meet on this magical island walk.
This route was voted 74th in a 2017 ITV poll to find Britain’s Favourite Walk.
TOG VERDICT: This walk can be done in a single day, but the memories of the island’s landscape, history and wildlife will last a lifetime.
Nearest Train (or tube) Station(s):
Penzance, Plymouth
