Easter: Family Fun On The Isles of Scilly
Raisingkids’ Editor, Catherine Hanly, takes trains, boats and planes on her trip with her family to the far-flung Isles of Scilly.
 It's official. I'm now a Scilly bore. If someone makes the mistake of asking where we've been on holiday recently, they now have to set aside half an hour (minimum) while I sing the praises of the Scilly Isles. But I'm also torn by wanting to tell everyone what a great family holiday we had there, while wanting to keep the islands all to myself.
If you're wondering where on earth the Scillies are – head for Land's End and then jump! This group of islands are the UK's most south-westerly point. Once there, only the rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean separate you from the United States. Certainly part of the fun of going on holiday to the Isles of Scilly is the journey there. My family decided to try almost every available form of transport for our trip there, taking in trains, planes, boats, a helicopter and even a tractor over our four-day trip.
 All Aboard!
The first mode of transport was the sleeper train from London to Penzance. We'd taken this before we'd become parents and had the laughably idealistic idea that our three year old daughter could be plucked sleeping from her London bed, transferred to Paddington station at 10 in the evening and then slipped into her bunk bed while her parents enjoyed a nightcap in the train's dining car.
Things didn't go quite according to plan. Instead, delighted at the prospect of going to a train station, at night, in her pyjamas and then on to a train with bedrooms, Emily took another three hours to go back to sleep. But who can begrudge a few hours missed sleep when after a night trundling through the country, you wake up in Cornwall to the sound of seabirds and crashing waves?
 A Dramatic Entrance
Our next mode of transport was by helicopter to the island of Tresco – a thrilling way to arrive on this privately-owned island where we were met by a tractor to take us to the Island Hotel. Operated by the Dorrien Smith family who own Tresco, the Island Hotel has a fabulous location, right on the seashore. Emily got to see her first seal as it popped up to say hello while we were having breakfast – a truly magical moment.
Our two days on Tresco passed in a haze of bike rides (there are no cars allowed on Tresco), sandcastle building and healthy walks. Emily and I even fitted in a swim in the hotel's heated outdoor pool during a moment of particularly good weather.
 For a family holiday it ticked all the boxes – plenty to keep Emily occupied, and a free babylistening service at night so her weary parents could enjoy dinner and a drink! For a small island (it's just one mile wide by 2 miles long), there's enough to keep any active family busy with the world-famous Abbey gardens to visit, a lovely pub, a ruined castle and countless white, sandy beaches that you'll probably have entirely to yourself.
 At Home In Hell Bay
For our final night in the Scillies, we took a boat over to the neighbouring island of Bryher to the Hell Bay Hotel. A sister establishment to the Island Hotel, Hell Bay is a slightly more informal hotel – our room was a huge suite on top of a converted boat house - with a central restaurant and bar building. But for an informal hotel it has a world class art collection – once again courtesy of the Dorrien Smiths. Where else could you nibble on a prawn sandwich while gazing at an original Patrick Heron or Barbara Hepworth?
Guests were a fun mixture of ramblers, twitchers and young families, which meant my husband and I had plenty of people to chat with while the kids were having high tea. There's a brand-new playground complete with sandpit near to the pool for smaller children while older kids had a games room stocked with table football and gameboys. But what really made both the Hell Bay and Island Hotels particularly memorable for us were the great staff who completely cosseted us and made a huge fuss of Emily.
 Our trip home was equally eventful, consisting of a boat ride to the largest island of St Mary's followed by a propeller-plane ride back to the mainland. The Isles of Scilly are a magical destination for any family holiday; just don't tell anyone I said so!
Travel Information
The Island Hotel
http://www.tresco.co.uk/holidays/island_hotel.asp
Hell Bay Hotel
http://www.tresco.co.uk/holidays/hell_bay_hotel.asp
The Riviera Sleeper
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk
Flying to the Isles of Scilly
http://www.ios-travel.co.uk/
Taking the helicopter from Penzance
http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/
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