Exploring Bryher

Whether it’s messing about in boats, exploring the rugged coastline or embarking on an island-hopping adventure, we’re here to help you make the most of your time here. We’ve jotted down a few good ideas below – but be sure to ask the team for their favourite things to do on and around Bryher…

Clear turquoise waters gently lap against a sandy, untouched beach under a bright blue sky. Sparse vegetation lines the shoreline in the distance, creating a serene, idyllic coastal scene.

Beaches

Simply perfect for relaxation or exploration, whether it’s basking with a book, roaming the rockpools or searching for shells. A few of our favourite things to do include relaxing on Rushy Bay, exploring the crystal clear waters of Green Bay by kayak, or heading to Popplestones – just a stone’s throw from the hotel – for a dawn sea swim.

A small sailboat with red sails and an outboard motor is on a calm, turquoise sea. Two people are aboard, and a sandy shore with green grass is in the background under a clear blue sky.

Take to the water

Picnic on an uninhabited island, fish for your supper, or enjoy a different perspective on the archipelago. Hut62 on Bryher hires small motor boats, sailing dinghies and day boats, stand-up paddleboards, pedalboards, sit-on-top and transparent kayaks. Watersports tuition is available from the Sailing Centre on neighbouring Tresco.

A blue and white passenger boat named Firethorn of Bryher travels through calm waters. It is filled with people enjoying the ride. The background features green hills under a clear blue sky.

Boat Trips

Tresco Boat Services puts the whole archipelago within easy reach, with boats to Tresco, St Mary’s and St Martin’s or St Agnes each day. Cheer on our island rowing crews aboard a gig race spectator boat, search for seals, seabirds, dolphins and more on a wildlife trip, or head to Tresco for an evening out on the supper boat.

A rustic art studio with a wooden ceiling and large window at the end. The walls are adorned with landscape paintings. An assortment of canvases and frames are arranged on the floor and shelves. Sunlight streams through a skylight.

Galleries & Workshops

Bryher is a natural haven for artists and creatives. Visit Richard Pearce’s beachfront gig shed studio, enjoying one of the finest views on Scilly. Witness potter Alex Bagnall at work in The Potting Shed. Or visit Bryher Gallery, next to our island shop, for a wide range of art and giftware.

A person swimming underwater towards the surface, with sun rays filtering through the blue water, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

Wild Swimming

Rise with the sun and head to nearby Popplestones beach to start the day with a dive into Scilly’s crystal clear and invigoratingly fresh waters. The best thing about an island is that no matter the direction of the wind, you can usually find a sheltered spot for a sea swim.

A scenic coastal landscape with people walking on a grassy, rocky hill. The ocean is visible in the background, along with distant rocky outcrops under a clear blue sky.

Island Meanderings

Whether you want to climb the 7 peaks of Bryher as part of a five-mile island circumnavigation or simply take in the views from a grassy clifftop, Bryher provides ample opportunity for island adventures. We’re always on hand to advise on the best routes and things to see.

A person wearing a life vest and gloves is handling a lobster pot over the side of a boat on a clear day at sea. The ocean is calm and the sky is blue with a few clouds.

Catch of the Day

Complementing our restaurant, bar, and Crab Shack, Bryher has plenty of fodder for foodies. Catch fresh fish and shellfish to eat in or take away from the Pender family at Island Fish, or enjoy delicious meals and drinks at our island local, Fraggle Rock Bar & Cafe, or Olivia’s Kitchen.

People walking through shallow water on a sunny day, heading towards a distant beach. Some are carrying backpacks. The sky is clear, and the terrain is a mix of sand and water.

Walk the Channel

There aren’t many places in the world where you can walk between neighbouring islands where, just hours before, there was 20 feet of seawater! The channel between Bryher and Tresco dries enough to make walking possible on spring tides; speak to the team for the best (read: driest!) route.

Two children with light hair stand at an outdoor vegetable stall. Boxes labeled with prices contain courgettes, cucumbers, and tomatoes. A sign reads Please Pay Here. Baskets of produce and herbs are displayed on the grass-covered counter.

Retail, Bryher Style

Our island honesty stalls are stacked with everything from island-made bags, jewellery and cards to vegetables and flowers grown under the Scilly sunshine and Bryher’s most famous export, Veronica Farm Fudge! The stalls are dotted across the island – how many can you find?

Child relaxing in a hammock made of blue netting, tied between trees. The area is grassy with scattered leaves. The child is wearing a sweater, shorts, and sneakers, surrounded by a wooded environment.

For the (Big) Kids

Bryher Community Centre has a small outside play area and a range of toys, games, activities and books to enjoy inside, including pool, table football and table tennis. Or, head to Heathy Hill in search of the treehouse built from fishing nets, floats and pallets by island and visiting children.

Gone Fishing

One of the most purposeful ways to spend a sunny afternoon is catching your supper. Pop to Island Fish, pick up a shrimping net, and head off to sift through the seaweed at low tide. Alternatively, hire a fishing rod to catch something a little bigger from a boat or the rocky coastline.

Lose Yourself in a Story

Regular visitor and former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo was so captivated by Bryher that he set several novels here. While away a sunny afternoon lost in the pages of Why the Whales Came or cosy down with Wreck of the Zanzibar as an Atlantic Storm lashes the window.

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The setting is idyllic and the food even better

– The Times