The 2025 low down

Another season has flown by and what a rich, full year it has been. Over 7000 people have come to stay on Tresco or at Hell Bay Hotel and we have welcomed faces old and new to our shores.

This year, the start of the season was particularly exciting as we welcomed in the spring with our inaugural Festival of Wellness. It was a wonderful week of sunshine and there was a buzz about the island signalling our return to life. Guests and locals alike started the day with morning meditation, then went to fermentation and seaweed workshops in the spectacular Blockhouse cottage, and ended the day with breathwork and yoga as the sun dipped behind Bryher. It was a delightfully calm and fulfilled start to the year, and we strive to grow it year on year.

As the gardens came into bloom and the echiums began to litter the sand dunes and stone walls, April arrived and with it, the Low Tide Event. It was a brilliant day with hundreds of people journeying to the sand bar for a drink, some seafood from Island Fish and a chance to search the seafloor for weird and wonderful discoveries. The sun shone and our lovely Tresco team enjoyed their unconventional office for an hour or two before the tide came back in!

Also in spring, Will Wagstaff and Dr Katharine Sawyer returned with their brilliant walks. Our resident ornithologist and archaeologist offered walks throughout the year and each one is different. They are both incredibly knowledgeable in their respective subjects and the number of stories and secrets you uncover on a stroll about the island is amazing.

New to Tresco this year is the Bennett family with their team of boat enthusiasts and their fleet of water sports gear, sailing boats and punts. Dan and Robyn Bennett have run Hut 62 on Bryher for many years but now have a hut on Ravens porth and are here to provide for all watery adventures! Although new to Tresco, they have been on the islands for decades - and generations in the case of Robyn! - so it is wonderful to have them on board.

As we approached May, excitement had built up for World Pilot Gig Championships. Everyday the Firethorn loaded up and followed the races, landing on St Mary's to let everyone join in the party. Meanwhile on Tresco, peace and tranquillity continued as if nothing was different - except perhaps the sighting of a few gigs pulled up the beach below The New Inn...

Also in May, regular evening boats began once more, taking people between Tresco and Bryher for dinner with a difference. The windy walk down to Hell Bay with Bishop in the distance never gets old and the Crab Shack certainly didn't disappoint.

Once summer was in full swing, the long evenings were punctuated by outdoor theatre with performances of Around the World in 80 Days, Twelfth Night, Cinderella and As You Like It. The New Inn was filled with music from visiting Seth Lakeman to local Touching Cloth and The Pie Trio and the more. At these events, guests and islanders come together and in the evening glow amidst the hub of happy faces, Tresco is extremely special.

This year has been poignant for all creatures great and small with a mysterious pod of Iberian Orca visiting the islands twice so far. Their presence out at the Western Rocks was felt across the islands and, as I write, they have returned to our archipelago. Although we are always fascinated by the creatures that realm the deep, those that soar in the sky as just as special. We were very proud to have Plovers nesting on our shores this summer and the Tresco & Bryher school children helped the Wildlife Trust out on their Plover Lover campaign! These rare birds used to be a common sight but now need to protected at all costs.

Speaking of the landscape and plans for the future, we were delighted to welcome Alasdair Moore back to Tresco. He is now Head of Estate and Gardens and hopes to work with our gardeners, Natural England and the Duchy of Cornwall on maintaining Tresco's beauty and recovering the landscape, particularly when it comes to our island farm. As such, also new to Tresco are Ruth and Graham Eggins who have just taken on the task of revitalising our farm. Together with Al, they hope to make Tresco more self-sufficient and have plans for chickens, beef and a plethora of fruit and veg.

July and August provided us with some brilliant off-island fetes and the Tresco party was one of them. Well done to Duffy and the committee who put on a brilliant day and raised lots of money for the community centre - a building at the centre of island life.

In September, everything changed when our island community faced the heart-breaking loss of our friend and colleague, Martin Belcher. Martin was a much-loved part of the Tresco and Hell Bay family – a talented chef, and a kind, caring and joyful soul who embraced life on the Isles of Scilly with warmth, generosity and his unforgettable smile. Whether in the kitchen or in the community, his presence lit up every room, and his loss is deeply felt by us all. Our team came together in honouring Martin and our love and thoughts are with Martin’s family and friends every day. We hope he may rest in peace.

By this time, we had reached October and we felt that there was one more celebration to be had before the end of the season. To mark the beauty of Autumn, we held Autumn Tide Festival - a chance to highlight the rich culture these tiny islands hold. Like the Festival of Wellness at the start of the season, it was a brilliant week and there was a wonderful atmosphere around the island. Locals learnt more about the place in which they live and guests left feeling that they were part of the island community. From sand bar pop ups to garden tours and shipwreck talks, we are so grateful to our local experts who are so full of passion for the archipelago. As part of Autumn Tide Festival, Gallery Tresco held Crafted by the Tide - an art auction in aid of The Island Haven. We raised over £5000 selling donations from islanders as well as professional artists and it was a wonderful celebration of artistic inspiration on the islands.

And that brings us to now. We are amidst October half term and the clocks are about to change. There is a slight chill in the air on some mornings and the sunsets are beautiful. The smell of burning wood fills the atmosphere as chimneys smoke for the first time in months and every crisp white beach is deserted. We are entering into the winter and we look forward to seeing you next season.