Tiny English island with 85 locals and a beach that ‘turns people into mermaids’ – where you can stay for £12.50 a night
AN island just off the coast of Cornwall has become a popular place to visit among staycationers looking for a remote getaway.
St Agnes, one of the islands in the Isles of Scilly, has a population of around 85 people due to its out of the way location.
It’s the most southerly island in the Isles of Scilly and furthest from the main island of St Mary’s.
But its secluded setting and wild, unspoiled scenery are why so many people want to head there.
There are plenty of beautiful beaches in St Agnes considered among the best in the world.
Some of the most popular ones are Bar, Beady Pool and Periglis Cove.
According to the travel photographer Gordon Stokes, Periglis is the most south westerly bathing beach in Britain.
He said of it: “It’s known as Mermaid’s Beach because there’s lots of mica in the sand which leaves people who sit on it with shiny scales attached to them.”
Bar is a sandbar which at low tide connects the islands of St Agnes and Gugh.
When the tide is out, it’s a popular spot for bathing in the shallow waters and for exploring rock pools.
Beady Pool is famous for small ceramic beads that wash up on its shore, which are remnants of a 17th century shipwreck.
Periglis Cove offers an opportunity for kayaking and stand up paddle boarding, and some say it’s the best place on the island to watch the sunset.
Visitors can also enjoy stunning views across to the bird sanctuary that’s Annet, the Western Rocks and out to Bishop Rock.
Another popular attraction in St Agnes is the Troytown Maze – a seven-ring pebble maze that’s the subject of speculation about its origins.
Some say it was built by a lighthouse keeper in 1795, but remains of an earlier maze were found when it was dug up in the 1980s.
It can be found on the coast path around the island for those looking to explore by foot.
The whole of Scilly is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and rife with wildlife.
Seals can be seen around the islands and puffins breed on Annet.
In the Autumn, St Agnes is often host to rare migratory birds.
There’s no hotel or guesthouse on the island, but there’s Troytown Farm campsite, set on one of the beaches.
Despite its remote location, the campsite offers many modern facilities.
The farm generates its own electricity with solar panels and collects rainwater.
There’s hot showers, washing machines and dryers, kayaks and paddle boards to rent, and camping mats, chairs, and stoves for hire.
If you’re looking to level up from a tent, the campsite also has bell tents for hire, pre-erected and fully equipped, and self-catering holiday cottages to let.
Troytown Farm is the only dairy farm in Scilly, making a range of produce from fresh milk, butter and clotted cream to ice-cream made in its tiny on-site dairy.
This is all available from its little farm shop, along with beef and pork reared on the farm.
It currently costs just £12.50 per night for adults to camp at Troytown Farm and £6.75 for children under 5.
There are few ways to get to St Agnes, including plane and ferry.
The Scillonian ferry sails daily from Penzance to St Mary’s from March to November, and on Sundays in the summer.
Three camping tips from an expert
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
The crossing takes about two hours, 45 minutes, and from St Mary’s you can take a connecting boats to St Agnes.
Skybus is the Isles of Scilly’s own airline with flights from Exeter, Newquay and Land’s End.