CORNWALL - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 414

Holy Vale (daily 10am-3pm; usually closed Oct-late Mar), where you can learn about
island life.
Tresco, which has the most luxurious hotel on Scilly, has an exceptionally mild
climate and its famous Abbey Garden attracts large numbers of visitors.
St. Martin's has a rugged northern coast and a glorious beach, Great Bay, in the
northeast. It's a good place for diving as well as for walking. St. Agnes is perhaps the
most laid-back of the inhabited islands, and the most southerly, too. It doesn't have a
hotel and is extremely popular with bird-watchers.
Abbey Garden GARDEN Started by Augustus Smith in the mid-1830s,
this area was once a barren hillside. Today, the gardens are a nature lover's dream,
with thousands of exotic plants from 80 different countries. The ruined priory was
allegedly founded by Benedictine monks in the 11th century, though some historians
date it from a.d. 964. Of special interest is the Valhalla Museum, a collection of 30
figureheads from ships wrecked around the islands.
Tresco. & 01720/424108. www.tresco.co.uk. Admission £10 adults, free for children 15 and under. Daily
10am-4pm.
Shopping
St. Mary's has plenty of good arts-and-crafts shops, including Phoenix Stained
Glass Studio, Portmellon Industrial Estate ( & 01720/422900; www.phoenix
stainedglass.co.uk), where you can watch stained-glass items being made.
Where to Eat & Stay
ST. MARY'S
Star Castle Hotel This hotel, built as a castle in 1593 to defend the Isles
of Scilly against Spanish attacks, offers views out to sea and over the town. A young
Prince of Wales (later King Charles II) took shelter here, in 1643, when he was being
hunted by parliamentary forces. Eight rooms are in the castle and three on the ram-
parts. The 27 rooms in the annex open directly onto the gardens. The rooms in the
castle are more characterful, with four-poster beds and beamed ceilings, but the
garden apartments are more spacious. The Conservatory restaurant specializes in
fish, and both the hotel's restaurants are open to non-guests in the evening.
The Garrison, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly TR21 0TA. www.star-castle.co.uk. & 01720/422317. Fax 01720/
422343. 38 units. £170-£286 double; £258-£378 luxury garden suite. Rates include half-board. AE, MC,
V. Closed Jan. A 4-course meal in the restaurants is £35. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; indoor pool;
room service; Wi-Fi (free). In room: TV, hair dryer.
TRESCO
New Inn An interconnected row of 19th-century fishermen's cottages and shops,
the New Inn is situated at the center of the island. The bedrooms are tastefully deco-
rated in a modern style in blue and creamy yellow shades; each features matching
twin or double beds. The more expensive units offer sea views.
The New Inn has a good restaurant as well as a bar. The menu features plenty
of seafood, such as crayfish and crab linguine, and baked sea bream with fennel and
a white-wine sauce. Burgers with chips are also on offer, as are vegetarian dishes. In
summer, drinks and food can be enjoyed in the patio garden.
Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ. www.tresco.co.uk. & 01720/422844. Fax [phone] units.
£150-£240 double. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; 2 bars; beer garden; outdoor pool. In room: TV,
hair dryer.

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