St. Martin’s

A subtropical island with some of the finest white sand beaches in the British Isles.

Around two miles long, St. Martin’s is the third largest of the Scilly islands. We visited the island in April on a day trip whilst staying on St. Agnes and wish we could have stayed longer. Often listed as among the best in the UK, the beaches are breathtaking, even by Scillonian standards.

The island comprises three settlements: Higher Town, Middle Town and Lower Town. Lower Town’s quay is used at low tide, with the high water landing quay around a mile & a half’s or so walk away at Higher Town.

Higher Town is also where you’ll find the island’s bakery, tea rooms and well-stocked general store and Post Office.   Even though it was a gloriously sunny day, we had the beaches virtually to ourselves and didn’t meet another soul on our meandering walk up to the other end of the island.

It’s easy to see why so many visitors fall in love with this island, choosing to return year after year to enjoy its laid back atmosphere and natural beauty. There seems to be quite a lot of accommodation options to choose from for such a little island – from camping at St Martin’s Campsite right next to the beach to a luxury new beachside resort at the water’s edge with spectacular views.

With its long sweeping beaches and shallow crystal clear waters, St Martin’s is perfect for families. Hopefully we’ll be returning soon with the rest of the family!

Just a short walk up the hill from Lower Town Quay, the Seven Stones Inn is the only pub on this tiny island and seems to be the island’s social hub. The pub has a fabulous view over St Martin’s Flats across to Tresco and St Mary’s and jam jars filled with wild flowers decorate the outdoor tables.

Getting There

You can catch a boat to St. Martin’s daily from St. Mary’s throughout the main season, although these are sometimes varied due to tide, weather and numbers.