Some of my favorite towns were discovered on vacation with my husband Rob. One favorite trip was an exploration of the Southwest coast of England. We enjoyed many lovely places, from Penzance to Portsmouth. Rob drove cautiously along the snaking country roads that weaved precariously in and out of towns, up and down the coastal hillsides.
But for the most enchanting part of the trip we left the car in Penzance and took the ferry to The Isles of Scilly. This archipelago of 50+ islands sits 28 miles west-south-west of Land’s End. Its temperate climate warmed by the Gulf Stream has long been a favorite for British tourists.
Scillonian III = photo credit Chris Walpole
(see Geograph.co.uk)
Like hardy Brits, Rob and I made the two and a half hour sea crossing on the islander-owned passenger ferry, the Scillonian III. We were blessed with an easy crossing. Not so for travelers crossing two days before us, who suffered in a stormy and sickening sea, taking twice the time to cross.
On approach, The Scilly’s jaggy and sparse landscape looks rugged and unwelcoming. Only a few of the islands can sustain human habitation. It’s no wonder only a couple thousand hearty souls call The Scilly Islands home.
Scilly Rocks – photo credit John Rostron
But the islands enjoy a climate tempered by (as well as beaten by) the sea, which makes them the garden of England, providing for the famous flower stalls of London. Most residents live on the Isle of St Mary’s. St. Mary’s anchors the Scilly Islands; Hugh Town, where the Scillonian III docks, anchors St. Mary’s.
Hugh Town straddles an isthmus that is virtually two blocks wide. It has one very main street serving the port and a secondary main street opposite, running along a sandy public beach. This is the skinniest part of the island. But even the fattest part of St. Mary’s would only require an hour or so to walk from one side to the other. There are only nine miles of roads total on the island, but there are 30 miles of trails. That’s what I call “pedestrian friendly!” Indeed, most of the locals get around on foot or bicycle.
Hugh Town, St. Mary's (Source: ScillyOnLine)
This pedestrian pace may be partly the reason Hugh Town is so delightfully low key. People take time to chat at the shop and the post office. The town streets enjoy a pleasant hum of activity during the day. Everyone knows one another. And though there is not a lot of modern entertainment (for instance, I did not see a movie theater) the townspeople do not seem to mind. I sensed they knew how to entertain themselves. After a day of museum browsing and coastal trail hiking, Rob and I ambled cross-town to the 17th century Star Castle, and found many of the locals enjoying a rousing chat in the cozy dungeon bar.
Hugh Town Doors
I often find myself homesick for The Scillys. I miss the young innkeepers at the Mincarlo Guest House and its view of the harbor. I miss the gig pilot boats lined up on the buoys. I miss the ferry boats and the regularity of life lived by tide and transport. I miss Hugh Town with its quaint, two hundred-year-old town houses with short front doors, each of a different color, adorned with unique knobs and knockers. I miss being able to walk from one side of the island to the other.
What makes Hugh Town work so well? Definitely, its people. Perhaps even its isolation. The town is so compact, yet complex. It has to be. It has to accommodate the citizens’ every need. I found the interdependence of the town embracing. Is Hugh Town one of the best towns? I am not sure. I better schedule a return trip to research it further…
All photos taken by the the author, or her camera.
The Best Towns 