Often described as the UK’s answer to the Caribbean, the Isles of Scilly are one of Britain’s most appealing destinations for a beach holiday.
The beautiful Atlantic archipelago is a firm favourite of the Royal Family too, who regularly spend summer holidays there.
And here to inspire you to book your own island adventure is Andrew Walder, head distiller and owner of SC Dogs Distillery, who grew up on the island of St Martin’s and is an expert on everything the archipelago has to offer.
After a career in the merchant navy, Andrew returned to St Martin’s to open the Isles of Scilly’s only rum distillery, and lives there with his wife and three children.
Find out which culinary delicacy you need to taste, when the ideal time to visit is and which is the best uninhabited island…
The best island to visit
While Andrew admits to a healthy amount of bias, the St Martin’s native picks out his own island home as the gem you won’t want to miss.
He explains: ‘We’ve got a lot going here at the moment. There’s the St Martin’s Vineyard and Winery, then our distillery which is the only rum distillery on the islands.
Andrew Walder grew up on the island of St Martin’s and is an expert on everything the archipelago has to offer. After a career in the merchant navy, Andrew returned to St Martin’s to open the Isles of Scilly’s only rum distillery
The beautiful Atlantic archipelago is a firm favourite of the Royal Family who regularly spend summer holidays there. Pictured above is Pelistry Bay on St Mary’s island
‘Then we’ve also got the Observatory for dark skies which is relatively new.’
The COSMOS Observatory is one of the country’s leading destinations for stargazing. Andrew also recommends visiting Fay Page jewellers for original silver creations.
Despite his personal preference, the expert says all the inhabited islands have their ‘own unique charm’.
‘You need all the islands to be working really well together because people come to visit the Isles of Scilly as a whole place,’ explains Andrew.
He tells MailOnline Travel he loves to ‘jump in the punt’ and go over to Tresco ‘for a pint in the evening’ while the island of Bryher has the best summer fete.
The uninhabited island you should visit
While Scilly has just five inhabitated islands, visitors can also travel to some of the archipelago’s more than 100 uninhabited islands.
Andrew says: ‘Some of them are more difficult to get to than others. You’d need special permission to go to Bishop’s Rock which has a lighthouse. But others you can just get to with a kayak.
St Martin’s is Andrew’s favourite island. Pictured above is Par Beach on the island
The islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean. Pictured above is St Agnes island
‘Hanjague, off the coast of St Martin’s, is a personal favourite. It’s a big rock that looks a bit like a volcano.
‘On a very calm day, you can go out there in a small boat and climb to the top of it. And it’s got amazing views from there.’
History fans might want to tick off Nornour island which has the ‘remains of an Iron Age settlement on its beach’, says Andrew.
The best local delicacy
A family-run restaurant on St Martin’s, Andrew recommends Adam’s Fish and Chips as the islands’ best spot for food.
He says: ‘Adam goes and catches his own fish and grows his own potatoes. He also does lobster scampi, which is my personal favourite.’
The best activity
Andrew recommends exploring the islands’ coastline with a hired kayak. Tourists can also join an organised tour.
And animal-lovers won’t want to miss seal snorkelling.
‘You go out to the Eastern Isles which are uninhabitated islands,’ explains Andrew. ‘And there’s a sanctuary there and people can actually snorkel with the seals.’
He adds: ‘You can also go for a swim in our lovely blue water. But remember, the water might be gorgeous and blue like the Caribbean but it’s definitely not as warm.’
The best time to visit the islands is during September, says Andrew. Pictured above are Tresco and Bryher
Tresco Abbey Gardens are home to 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries
The best time to go to the Isles of Scilly
While the peak tourism season is summer, Andrews reveals that September is a ‘really nice time of year to come’.
He explains: ‘The weather’s still really nice, it’s still warm. It’s not quite as busy and manic as it is in the summer.
‘I do quite like the winter but it is the off season so it becomes a little more difficult to get between the islands because of the weather.’
Find out more about SC Dogs Distillery here.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .