Walk Scilly 2019
Grab your gaiters and walking boots: our biggest annual festival, Walk Scilly, is back from 3rd - 12th April 2019 and to celebrate, Hell Bay Hotel is offering 10% off accommodation throughout the festival!
The Isles of Scilly are made for walking and the 2019 festival is bigger than ever before: 40 walks across 9 islands in 10 days – and all of them designed to showcase the very best islands’ wonderful unspoilt beauty, stunning scenery and superb wildlife.
Each walk is led by expert guides or local islanders, who will bring the treasures and hidden gems of each island to life.
This year there will be a total of five fantastic rambles taking place around Bryher throughout the festival – not bad for Scilly’s tiniest isle!
New for 2019 is fisherman Mark Pender’s "My Island Home" walk, an entertaining insight into being brought up on Bryher, where he still lives and works (Tuesday 9th April). On your travels, you’ll discover the origins of Hangman Island, and how Anneka Rice once came to the island’s aid; how Bad Place Hill got its name, and climb Gweal Hill to enjoy some spectacular views as you look yonder towards America.
There’s also chance to join local Seabird Ecologist Vickie Heaney to discover the Shearwaters of Shipman Head (Thursday 11th April). Vickie will take you to the exposed, northern tip of Bryher to learn about the nocturnal shearwaters incubating their eggs right beneath your feet.
There’s also a chance to join local artist, fireman, water technician and all round islander, Chris Potterton on his Bryher Top to Toe walk (Sunday 7th April). Celebrate the colour and contrast of his Bryher home, with a route taking you to see – well – everything!
The following day, meet Graham Eggins for a Tour of Hillside Farm - their traditional working island farm (Monday 8th April). Meet the cutie Saddleback pigs, chickens and North Devon cows, and find out how Graham and his family are living the island dream having made Bryher their home after years of family holidays!
Expect an interesting and intriguing foray on the shores of Bryher with author Rachel Lambert’s Foraging Walk and discover a range of edible seaweeds on offer across Scilly (Wednesday 10th April). Be guided through tastes, textures, recipes and nutritional benefits of seaweed before heading to Hell Bay hotel where Head Chef Richard Kearsley will prepare you a small selection of foraged tasters to try.
There are also a number of walks on neighbouring Tresco during the Walk Scilly Festival, including a Wildlife Walk with expert Will Wagstaff (Thursday 4th April), an Insiders’ Guide to the Abbey Garden with the Head Gardeners (Friday 5th April), a Mediterranean Stroll with George Teideman (Sunday 7th April), a Tresco Top to Toe with islander Tom Matthews (Monday 8th April), and a foraging and tasting exploration with Rachel Lambert (Tuesday 9th April).
On Wednesday 10th April, enjoy live music at St Nicholas’ Church, Tresco where the modern ladies’ choir from Cornwall, inTune, will sing a wide range of songs from their repertoire at this short, informal concert.
Elsewhere across the islands, a whole range of fantastic walks are just a boat journey away.
The brand new Observatory on St. Martin’s opens just in time for this year’s Walk Scilly bringing a new dimension to the popular starry skies walks. The sunrise stroll returns to St. Mary’s as does a sensory amble around St. Agnes introducing island sounds and experiences.
Families with children will be able to enjoy a special Easter walk and egg hunt with mini-quests and a picnic lunch at the Garrison. They’ll also be able to turn bat detective using their very own bat detector kit and enjoy one of three wildlife sea safaris.
All this, plus old favourites such as uninhabited island adventures, food foraging forays, farm walks, wildlife discovery tours, beachcombing, top-to-toe rambles and so much more.
So pull on your boots, and get out and enjoy Scilly's incredibly beautiful natural environment this April. You can view the whole programme at the Walk Scilly website.
To celebrate the Walk Scilly Festival, Hell Bay Hotel is offering 10% off accommodation throughout Walk Scilly. To book, simply call our friendly reception team on 01720 422947 and quote 'Walk Scilly'.
Isles of Scilly Travel are also offering 10% off travel, which must be booked by calling 01736 334220 quoting WALK2019.
Back To Blog