Bryher: an untamed island of contrasts
Just one and a half miles long by half a mile wide, Bryher is a beautiful island of vibrant contrasts - the ideal place for a perfect island holiday.
Enjoy paddling, sunbathing or a BBQ on the safe, white sand beaches of Popplestones or Rushy Bay. Hire a boat and explore the crystal clear waters at your own pace. Marvel at the Atlantic rollers pounding the cliffs at Shipman Head. Hop on a tripper boat and enjoy island hopping around Scilly's varied and beautiful islands. Enjoy fresh local produce from the island honesty stalls or any of our great eateries. Indulge yourself at Bryher's gallery or the Hell Bay treatment shed.
Whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway or a fun-packed family break, Bryher has everything you could possibly need...
Islands I Wish I'd Invented...
Scilly for me and for most who visit it becomes an annual habit, one that is very hard to break, largely because we have no wish to break it.
We spent the first couple of days exploring Bryher, our island. Everywhere we stopped and simply stared, from Rushy Bay to glowering Samson, from Popplestones out to the Scilly Rocks, from Hell Bay out across the open Atlantic towards America.
On one side of the island, dunes and gently shelving soft white sand, the sea lapping listlessly; on the other, grim grey cliff faces where the sea surged and seethed, waiting only for the next storm, it seemed. We could have tea at the Vine Cafe, an ice cream for the children at Fraggle Rock, and a bottle of Chablis on Green Bay as the sun set, watching the oystercatchers taking off, or a gig – a traditional, six-oared working boat – rowing up the Tresco channel.
It was strange. On every other island I felt like a visitor. Back on Bryher I felt I really belonged.
Michael Morpurgo, Author and former Children's Laureate
What a truly beautiful place Bryher is...
The kids loved scrambling onto rocks posing like explorers, sandcastle building, kite-flying, shell collecting, paddling, making little dams on the beach, playing with other children, shell-painting with poster paints and more.
It’s an idyllic, Enid Blyton-esque dream for children. The colour of the sea is amazing with the different shades of blue and vivid turquoise – it was hard to believe we were still in the UK.
Fluffymonster, MumsNet
Credit: Gareth Tibbs, Veronica Farm