O V E R   2 5 0 0   S O L D   NOW ON DVD

Full Text of the Commentary on the DVD Details of DVD Content | Gallery of Images from DVD   A PORTRAIT  OF SCILLY A 1 Hour Video * Covering St. Mary's, St. Martin's,  St. Agnes, Bryher, Tresco & Samson. Featuring Richard Lethbridge in Melody Time,  St. Mary's Theatre Club, Scillonian Entertainers, St. Mary's Choral Society, Wayside Music, Shearwater Special, Gig Racing. * Running Time 58 Minutes Approximately

O V E R   2 5 0 0   S O L D   NOW ON DVD

This video on DVD is organised in 8 parts which can be selected separately or played as one continuous tour:

Part 1: Arrival and The Garrison
We are off to the Isles of Scilly which lie in the Atlantic ocean 28 miles South West of Lands End. Only five are inhabited. The first recorded people lived here in the bronze age approximately 2000BC when the islands were all joined together. In Penzance we board Scillonian III for the relaxing leisurely voyage to Scilly, a name which comes from "Sulli" meaning Sun Isles. Hugh Town is the capital of St. Mary's. Our first walk is around the garrison, a small hill which adjoins Hugh Town. It was once fortified and there is still a wall around the outside. The guard gate was built in 1742 when the garrison had 18 batteries, all with cannons. After the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 Queen Elizabeth 1st had Star Castle built as a protection against further invasions. Finished in 1594 it was built in the shape of a star with ramparts 18 feet thick. After our walk tonight we have booked to see the Scillonian Entertainers who put on a variety show for visitors.

Part 2: Bryher
Next morning is fine, clear and calm - a perfect day for a boat trip. One of the things that makes a holiday on Scilly different are the trips by boat to other islands, to the Eastern Isles to see the variety of birds, the Western Isles to sea seals and if the weather is kind out to Bishop Rock lighthouse. Today we visit Bryher which is the smallest of the inhabited islands. The plaque "A jetty for the people of Bryher may your feet for ever be drier" proudly announces the new low-water jetty built in 1991 by Annika Rice's Challenge programme. Climbing slowly up the hill to the North we can see Hell's Bay. In an Atlantic gale it is a sight never to be forgotten. Little wonder there have been so many shipwrecks here. Moving further round we come to the great pool which is a bird sanctuary, a lovely setting for the Hell Bay Hotel. St. Mary's Theatre Club present a play tonight. The club, formed in 1968, produce a summer play and a new-year pantomime each year.

Part 3: St. Mary's South
Today we walk round the south of St. Mary's to see Buzza tower, an old windmill, Penninis lighthouse, built in 1911, Pulpit rock and then along the path round the coast to Old Town church where there is a flower festival. Sunday evening services are held here by candle light. Old town bay is a delightful spot, well sheltered and facing south. Following the path past the end of the airport runway we soon reach Porth Hellick bay, carpeted with yellow Hottentot figs. Here there is a monument to Sir Cloudesley Shovell, whose body was washed ashore here after his ship the Association was wrecked on October 22nd 1707. We also see the first of several cairns shown on this DVD. These formed a cemetery or group of family shrines built around 2000BC. We return to Porth Hellick bay from where we can walk through a nature reserve, stopping to observe from one of the public hides. Then we take the road back to Hugh Town. Tonight St. Mary's Choral Society to entertain us.

Part 4: St. Agnes
On our trip next morning to St. Agnes we are fortunate to see a fisherman bringing in his catch. St. Agnes is 2 miles long by 1 mile wide. With a population of about 65 it is the most south westerly community in Britain. The Turks Head, famous for its pasties, stands close to the quay. There is a disused lighthouse on the island but the well known Bishop Rock lighthouse out to sea can be seen clearly today. Troy town maze, a maze of pebbles, is thought to have been made by a lighthouse keeper in the 18th century. At Beady Pool you can still sometimes find beads in the sand from a Dutch ship wrecked here in the 17th century. St. Agnes is linked at low tide by a sand bar to the tiny island of Gugh. Gugh is noted for its rare wild flowers, the Napoleonic houses and for the sanctuary it offers for nesting gulls. Tonight we take to the boats again in search of puffins and Manx sheerwaters. This trip is aptly named Sheerwater Special.

Part 5: St. Mary's North
Today we cover the north of St. Mary's, starting at Hugh Town bay. After a short walk we see Harry's walls, a fort overlooking St. Mary's harbour, started in 1551 but never completed. We stop for a coffee and cakes with leftovers eagerly taken from the hand by the local birds! Then on to Bants carn which dates back to the bronze age and is the ancestral shrine of a small farming community. Hallangy Down is a wonderful scenic location with the remains of 11 huts dating back to the iron age. This village was used for several centuries. We continue our walk eastwards to two more bronze age carns at Innisidgen. St. Mary's has two duck ponds and the occupants are always happy to see visitors, especially with bread! We continue on to Watermill Cove and then return to Hugh town. We pause this Sunday afternoon in the centre of Hugh town to listen to Wayside Music playing "I'll go in the strength of the Lord".

Part 6: St. Martin's
Another fine day so we are off to St. Martin's, a narrow island about 2 miles long, best known for its paradise of fine sheltered beaches. From the headland the mainland is often visible on a clear day and the Seven Stones reef can be seen seven miles to the north, usually breaking with white foam. This reef is the graveyard of the Torrey Canyon. Small enclosed flower fields lead down to long white sandy beaches. The Daymark on the East of the island was built in 1683 as a daylight navigational aid. St. Martins has three towns but the word town is rather misleading. The only buildings are a scattering of houses for the 90 people who live here plus post office stores, a handful of shops, a school, pub, hotel and a church, re-built in 1886 after being damaged by lightening. The hotel, built in recent years, is designed to look like a row of cottages. The views around the island are amazing. Tonight we reminisce with Melody time.

Part 7: St. Mary's Centre
Today we walk through the centre of St. Mary's. Stopping at the Church we admire the window dedicated to Vic Trenworth - co-founder of the Scillonian Entertainers and famous for his hilarious bus tours. Next stop is the pottery where a warm welcome is assured from John. We then see Carreg Dhu, a peaceful garden converted from a quarry by a hard working group of islanders with many exotic plants like the fascinating tree echiums, found in many places on the islands. We carry on through Holy Vale, believed to have been the site of a convent, to the secluded Pellistry bay with Tolls island reached by a sand bar, accessible only at low tide. Here we see kelp pits, once used for burning seaweed. Kelp ash went to Gloucester, Bristol and London, for making soap, alum and glass. Along with fishing, kelping was then Scilly's chief export. Tonight we go to watch the regular Friday evening gig racing. Some gigs are well over a hundred years old, originally built to carry pilots to passing vessels, and for smuggling, but now used only for sport.

Part 8: Tresco
Tresco is the second largest and the most sheltered of the inhabited islands and the southern part of the island is a tropical paradise. Tresco church, built in 1882, is dedicated to St. Nicholas. Passing the Island Hotel we find King Charles Castle, an artillery fort built around 1550 to cover New Grimsby harbour. Below is Cromwell's castle with its round tower over 60 feet high built in 1651 to defend from the Dutch. Passing Tresco Pool we walk southwards to Tresco Abbey House where we find the world famous sub-tropical gardens which surround the ruined Benedictine Priory. Many of the plants are grown from seedlings brought back by ships captains in the last century. There are plants from all over the world with many rare and exotic species. Adjoining is the Valhalla, a collection of carved figure heads from the many local wrecks. Tonight we see "Scilly Fringe", by St. Mary's Theatre Club. A light hearted look at holidays.

And Samson: Our final port of call is Samson, now uninhabited. It was here in 1965 that Prime Minister Harold Wilson gave his famous press conference. On top of the south hill remains of cottages can be seen. Now the only inhabitants are the nesting birds. On the summit of the hill is a large stone coffin, the burial chamber of a great tribal chief. There is no quay here so visitors always walk the plank.

As a potential visitor to Scilly we suggest you look carefully at the various types of accommodation available. There are hotels, bed and breakfast (or B&B), flats to rent, rooms to rent and cottages to rent. If you need accommodation on the Isles of Scilly, that is accommodation on Scilly or accommodation on the Scillies we suggest you look at the Isles of Scilly Tourist Office link below where you will find links to accommodation on St. Mary's, accommodation on Tresco, accommodation on St. Martin's, accommodation on Bryher and accommodation on St. Agnes.

If you are looking for information on travel to the Isles of Scilly then we suggest you select the travel link which will give you details of travel to the Isles of Scilly, travel to Scilly Isles or travel to the Scillies. There are various options for transport to the Isles of Scilly, or transport to the Scillies such as boat (the Scillonian), plane and helicopter, all available from Panzance.