Help For Disabled and Elderly Visitors
Across Tresco Estate we aim to help visitors of all ability and disability status to enjoy their visit to the full. We pride ourselves on the high quality of our service, where each staying visitor soon becomes personally known to us, and can be looked after on that basis.
The Isles of Scilly are an officially recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and all around are dotted many ancient and scheduled monuments, or old structures. These features are very much what make the islands so popular, but visitors must be aware that these are not always suitable for disabled access.
Tresco has a few miles of concrete track on which buggies and wheelchairs may travel. Neither may go ‘off road’.
Neither Tresco or Bryher has a public transport service, and with the exception of buggies on Tresco, mobility around the islands is the responsibility of the visitor.
For those arriving by boat to Tresco or Bryher wheelchairs may be carried by prior arrangement with Bryher Boats (Telephone 01720-422886). Help can be offered at the quayside to lift wheelchairs, but the visitor must be able to traverse steep and narrow steps, with supporting assistance.
For those travelling by helicopter please contact British International (Telephone 01736-364296) to discuss arrangements.
On arriving by helicopter to Tresco, we have a carry off / on chair, for us to carry the visitor from the helicopter. We also have a wheelchair for access to and from the heliport building, and a toilet for use by the disabled.
Tresco Abbey Garden is but 300 yards from the heliport, and again a wheelchair can be reserved for use. Please telephone 01720-424108 prior to booking your flight, to ensure availability.
The Estate has a small number of buggies for hire by the disabled and elderly. These are bookable by the day (£25.00), or the week (£150.00). Buggies are available for collection from the Estate Office, 15 minutes walk from the heliport, or 10 minutes from New Grimsby quay. Able bodied visitors are able to collect and drive a buggy on behalf of a disabled or elderly companion. Telephone 01720-422849 to discuss your requirements.
Bryher has no made up roads, and is only accessible by boat. Once you have arrived at the newly refurbished Hell Bay, we are able to deal with most requirements of the disabled. We have a public toilet, ground floor bedrooms, and can provide a wheelchair. There are no buggies on Bryher. We do transport staying guests from and to the quay on your arrival and departure days. Telephone 01720-422947.
If staying on Tresco transport is arranged on your days of arrival and departure, from the quay, or Tresco Heliport, to and from your chosen accommodation.
Most rooms at the Island Hotel are on ground floor level. A buggy for half-day hire, or wheelchair can be available for use during your stay. Telephone 01720-422883.