Travel
Tropical Islands without Flying
As we all become more aware of the permanent and frightening damage being done to the atmosphere by flying, more people are looking at taking holidays which cause less damage to the natural environment. The trouble is that many of us have become used to exotic locations and tropical islands. For these seasoned travelers who have become more environmentally aware, the sacrifice of not flying can be considerable. So what is there nearer home that can compare with the sun and sand of the tropics?
The Isles of Scilly are one of Britain’s best kept secrets. These beautiful Cornish islands are just 30 miles from the south-west coast of England, and with their palm trees, turquoise water and stretches of white sandy beaches, they are the nearest thing Britain has to a tropical paradise. Amazingly few people have ever heard of them, perhaps because those that have there realise how special they are and want to keep the secret to themselves! The exotic feel of the islands is added to as the subtropical climate has allowed many rare plants to flourish including the agapanthus that has spread wild all over the islands. The whole islands are a delight for nature lovers, both botanists, and ornithologists, who flock to the island in the Autumn to spot rare migrating birds. The arrival of the bird-watchers each year has proved a bonus to the tourist industry by extending the season.
The islands are justly designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A visit is like taking a step back seventy years to a world with a saner pace of life and hardly any traffic. The islands are great for families who will feel happy letting their children loose in a clean and safe environment with virtually no crime. Perhaps the greatest attraction for those keen to cause less damage to the environment is that these beautiful islands are accessible without flying. By taking the train from London to Penzance and then the ferry to St Mary's, rather than flying, you save 271kg of CO² emissions.
The main industry now is tourism but the Isles of Scilly produce the first daffodils of spring, and many of the locals leave their usual jobs to help with the harvest. The local shops are friendly, and there are none of the multi-national chain stores that have ruined so many towns on the mainland. The pace of life is slower, and people are happy to stop and chat. Just don’t refer to “The Scilly Isles”, unless you want to offend the locals! It is either the “Isles of Scilly”, of just “Scilly”.
The air on Scilly is very clear due to the lack of pollution, and visitors need to take sensible precautions to avoid getting burnt in the summer. The weather can be very changeable, and there is occasional fog that can hang around for a day or two. Water is very precious resource on the islands so don’t expect to take a bath every day! After a holiday in the Isles of Scilly you will feel a sense of culture- shock on returning to Penzance, and appreciate the tranquility of the islands. One of the saddest things to appreciate after visiting these beautiful islands is how they will be affected by climate change. Most of the islands are low-lying and will be swamped by rising sea levels in decades to come, and the main town on St. Mary’s, Hugh Town, will be cut in two.
Travel to Scilly
A bonus for the green traveler is that the Isles of Scilly can be reached by combining the ferry with a train journey, so you don’t even need to bring your car to Penzance. The train journey from London Paddington to Penzance takes just over five hours. The timing of trains is a little unfortunate for linking up with the ferry and means that you may need to make an overnight stay in Penzance unless you take the sleeper train. There are seven direct trains a day, with fares from £17.50 one way with First Great Western (0845 700 0125, www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk). The ferry crossing on the Scillonian to St Mary's, the largest of the islands, takes about three and a half hours, and can be choppy in rough weather. The ferry costs from £70 return (adult), through Isles of Scilly Travel (0845 710 5555, www.ios-travel.co.uk) In addition to the ferry there are helicopter and plane flights, but since the whole point of going to the Isles of Scilly is to have a green holiday in the UK, we won’t go into details! Arriving by the ferry is an exciting and romantic way to travel.
Getting around on the islands
St Mary's is a compact island, just three miles by two miles, and by far the best way to get around is to hire a bike or walk. Bikes can be hired from St Mary's Bicycle Hire, Hugh Town, for £7 per day with a £15 deposit. There is very little traffic, although sadly many of the locals do drive around, their cars frequently suffering corrosion in the salty air. A regular inter-island boat service run by local people operates between the five inhabited islands, and there are also trips to other attractions advertised on boards by the harbour. Direct return to any island costs £7 (www.scillyboating.co.uk). The other islands really are worth a visit, and once you have seen them you will be tempted to stay on a future holiday.
Entertainment
The Isles of Scilly are a great place for nature lovers, sailing enthusiasts, walkers, and families with young children, however teenagers are likely to find the lack of nightlife and amusement arcades a bit restricting. There is one night club but it is a bit tame for most teenagers used to city life. The pubs and bars on the islands are friendly, welcoming places for the adults to escape to with a range of local real ales and pub meals. If you like diving, sailing or windsurfing the islands are fantastic. There is a windsurfing school on Port Mellon beach near the harbour on St. Mary’s, the main island, with tuition, board and wetsuit hire. Divers can hire equipment and explore some of the many wrecks around the islands’ coastline, and will enjoy the clear waters and unpolluted environment. If the weather is fine visitors can watch summer gig racing on Wednesday and Friday evenings from St Mary's quay, and watch the sun setting between the other islands.
Cornwall is a great place for garden lovers, with The Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan not to be missed. Less well-known but just as good are Tresco Abbey Gardens which are a must-visit attraction, with thousands of specimens, many of them exotic plants which thrive in the sub-tropical climate. The gardens were formed around the remains of a 12th-century abbey, and as well as the trees and plants there is a collection of maritime figureheads in the Valhalla Museum. Before the advent of radar and modern navigation equipment, numerous ships were wrecked around the islands on the approach to Cornwall. If you love history, then visit Old Town Church, St Mary's, where some of the 311 passengers and crew from the shipwreck of “The Schiller” were buried in a mass grave in 1875. Also buried here is former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who loved the islands and had a holiday retreat here. Old Town is a fair walk out of the main town, Hugh Town, and great if you want somewhere even quieter. Another place for history lovers is Longstone Heritage Centre, in Hugh Town, which gives a good idea of the islanders' way of life before tourism took hold, including the local fishing and flower industries.
If you love wildlife, and have a good stomach for choppy water, then take a two-hour trip with Island Sea Safaris (01720 422732, www.islandseasafaris.co.uk; £30pp) to search for shipwrecks, seabirds and seals. These safaris usually find the seals easily, but the best time is at low tide when they can be seen basking on the rocks. If you time your visit right you will also see puffins and a host of other birds.
Another place to visit on St. Mary’s is Carreg Dhu community-run garden, which is based in an abandoned quarry. Other entertainment is of a gentle nature as befits the pace of life on the islands, such as the history, shipwreck or wildlife talks and slide shows at various venues around Hugh Town.
Walkers are spoilt for choice, with numerous tracks and lanes to explore, and several nature reserves. One of the best short walks that is suitable for families with young children, is around the Garrison peninsula, which starts on the outskirts of Hugh Town on St Mary's. The Garrison includes a lighthouse and old gun emplacements from the second world war, and has fine views of the other islands. For the fitter and more ambitious, there is a wonderful coastal path round the whole island.
Food and Drink
If you want to get out, there are many great places to eat and drink on the islands, for a range of budgets. One place not to miss is Juliet's Garden (01720 422228), a lovely restaurant located a 20-minute walk along the coastal footpath from Hugh Town, on St. Mary’s, with beautiful views, and candlelit meals in the evening. They welcome children, and main courses are £10-£17. Much of the produce on the menu is homegrown and the owner also runs a shop selling flowers and bulbs.
If you want to get off the beaten track there is a pleasant café in Old Town. Another place to go for quiet relaxation is Carn Vean Café and Tea Garden near Pelistry Bay, where fresh crab sandwiches cost £6.75. At the pricier end of the market is The Star Castle, Hugh Town, St Mary's (01720 422317, www.star-castle.co.uk), built by Elizabeth I in the 16th century to protect the islands against the Spanish Armada. The Star Castle has two award-winning restaurants, and its own conservatory and snug Dungeon Bar. If you explore the other islands, Fraggle Rock Café and Bar, on Bryher, serves good pasties (£4.90) and locally caught fish.
Where to Stay
For the budget traveler, camping is available on the Garrison peninsula of the main island, St. Mary’s. The Garrison campsite has a steep access track and is quite a way out of the centre of Hugh Town, although a trailer will take your bags from the ferry. The campsite is quite basic and exposed but a beautiful location, and there are tennis courts nearby. Camping is also available on St. Martin’s, and if you really want to get away from it all, the “off-islands” are the place to go.
Self-catering accommodation is widely available but visitors tend to come back year after year and are given first refusal on booking again for the following year, so it can be very difficult to get a vacancy, and you may need to plan two years ahead or hope for a cancellation!. If you prefer to be looked after, you can stay upstairs in the centrally-located and friendly Boathouse guesthouse on St Mary's (01720 422688) which has its own sundeck. Another central guesthouse above the harbour is the Mincarlo (01720 422513, www.mincarlo-ios.co.uk) which has 12 bright rooms with a nautical theme and offers double rooms from £60.
For those who prefer hotels, and with more to spend, the modern Island Hotel (01720 422883, www.tresco.co.uk), on the second largest island, Tresco, offers three-star comfort, local produce, and wonderful views, adjacent to a beautiful, sheltered bay with white sand. Such comfort doesn’t come cheap. A large double room, with dinner, bed and breakfast for two people costs £300. The picturesque ruins of Cromwell's Castle are nearby. Another great but pricey hotel is Hell Bay (01720 422947, www.hellbay.co.uk), on Bryher, the smallest inhabited island, which is five minutes by boat from Tresco. There are 25 suites, most having spectacular views of the coastline. The hotel does its bit for the environment, and recycling initiatives mean that rainwater is re-used and food waste composted. Double room from £260, including dinner, bed and breakfast for two people.
Further information
If you need further information contact the Tourist Information Centre, Hugh Street, Hugh Town, St Mary's (01720 422536, www.simplyscilly.co.uk) who will supply a list of accommodation and also have details of current vacancies.
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Back to Nature
28th April 2008
With the credit crunch and inflation, many people are looking for a cheaper holiday, and camping is a real alternative if you want at the same time to get closer to nature and have less impact on the environment. Although you may not always get somewhere to plug in your hair-dryer, many camp sites have excellent facilities now, and modern dome tents have come a long way from the old-fashioned tents with a ridge-pole and canvass.
If you are keen to keep the cost down a lot of gear can be picked up second hand. And after a week camping you appreciate getting back to a real bed.
Some useful sites:
UKCampsite.co.uk - leading website for finding places to stay
Tents-for-Sale.co.uk - find a supplier
Hendra Holidays - if you want a family site with lots of facilities and entertainment, near the great surfing in Newquay, Cornwall, this is the one for you!
Yurt Holidays - authentic Mongolian yurts, but with some modern facilities, in beautiful Devon
Preloved.co.uk - great site for picking up second-hand bargains
CampingUK.com - another major website for finding where to stay
Ecofreak.co.uk - useful site for picking up camping equipment
Trellyn.co.uk- tipi and yurt holidays in Wales
Cornish Tipi holidays - get away from
it all. Wake up to the sound of birdsong, go swimming before breakfast in the clear water of a secluded lake. Cook your bacon and eggs over an open fire while you plan your day, or just laze it away in the peace and quiet of your own personal tipi. You can always go fishing tomorrow, and walk along the cliffs the day after that…
The future of holidays
All aspects of our lives are coming under closer scrutiny for their carbon emissions, including how we spend our holidays. Travel may broaden the mind, but it can also harm the natural eco-systems on which we all depend.
It is perfectly possible to have a holiday which causes minimal damage to the environment, for example a cycling holiday in the UK, or a rail journey to Europe. But as soon as you fly, you are undoing all the good you may have done switching off unwanted lights, re-using plastic bags, and recycling. One flight to New York uses up your entire annual “ration” of carbon emissions, and that is before you add on the amount of pollution caused by heating your home, travelling to work, and the food miles needed to feed your family. It is not a popular message, but there is no such thing as green tourism if it involves flying to get to your destination. Carbon off-setting is just a distraction intended to salve green consciences. As George Monbiot puts it in his book “Heat – How to Stop the Planet Burning”:
“Buying and selling carbon offsets is like pushing the food around on your plate to create the impression that you have eaten it.”
It is amazing when you think the very short time that mankind has been able to fly in planes, that many people now see it as an inalienable right to be able to take not one, but several foreign holidays a year. There are some very hard lessons to be learnt and we have a very short time. Once the permafrost of the tundra starts melting and releasing vast quantities of methane, a gas with a greenhouse effect many times more powerful than carbon dioxide, we will find that we have set in train a system of positive feedbacks, where warming triggers more warming, and we render the Earth uninhabitable. Sorry to spoil the party, but it is that serious.
As the realisation sinks in that we have to stop flying, people are going to want to take their holidays closer to home, which will see a revival in the British coastal resorts, many of which are only just recovering from years of sad decline. There will of course be a great effort from the airline industry to push carbon-offsetting and more fuel efficient planes, and by the tourist trade to promote eco-tourism, in which wildlife and forest reserves are protected with some of the money raised by tourism. There are a lot of people with a vested interest in promoting green travel, but consumers need to be able to see through the greenwash.
There are some positive signs, such as the recent Big Lottery award of £50 million to the charity Sustrans to improve Britain’s cycle network, and give more people the chance to leave their car at home and experience sustainable travel.
If anyone is in any doubt about the potential damage done by the tourist industry, one of the best recent books on the subject is Leo Hickman’s “The Final Call”, in which he examines many aspects of the industry, and concludes by promoting “slow travel”, in which the tourist goes for quality rather than quantity.
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