{"id":10586,"date":"2023-07-06T21:01:23","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T21:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/kayaking-in-bryher-honesty-boxes-and-tropical-island-hues\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:27:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:27:52","slug":"kayaking-in-bryher-honesty-boxes-and-tropical-island-hues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/kayaking-in-bryher-honesty-boxes-and-tropical-island-hues\/","title":{"rendered":"Things To Do In Bryher, Isles Of Scilly In England: Kayaking, Cafes And Island Views"},"content":{"rendered":"

The very next morning, we got up bright and early and set off on a trip to the island of Bryher (which, by the way, is right next to Tresco Island<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Okay, I\u2019m being liberal with the truth here – I did not get up \u2018bright and early\u2019. I\u2019m not a fan of waiting around, so I got up early enough to catch the boat over with just a couple of minutes to spare, but in my book, that\u2019s early enough.<\/p>\n

And to be fair, sleeping without the sound of traffic and sirens or some sneaky light peeking into your room (despite the blinds being shut) \u2013 all of which I\u2019ve grown accustomed to in London, was quite a different experience and different in a very good way! I slept so soundly and refused to get ready until I had to.<\/p>\n

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In my eagerness to go out exploring, however, I didn\u2019t pay any attention to the weather. It was only when the boat left the harbour at Tresco (with me sitting outside with a huge grin on my face) that I started to notice the dark clouds. This was my first experience in understanding two things on the Isles of Scilly. <\/p>\n

One, even when it rains, it\u2019s still quite warm. Two, the rain doesn\u2019t last quite as long (this was my experience, though I\u2019m aware it might be partly due to the time of the year we were there). In any case, we made the quick crossing over to Bryher with the clouds brewing behind.<\/p>\n

\"Kayaking<\/a><\/p>\n

The crossing by the way, takes barely any time whatsoever. Like 5-10 minutes. The boat that took us over was the Firethorn Boat, but do check the schedule as it changes from day to day.<\/p>\n

Notice that dog in the water? It\u2019s one of the friendliest dogs I\u2019ve ever met, and it just seemed to follow us everywhere on the island! You\u2019ll see what I mean soon enough\u2026<\/p>\n

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We had an appointment to go kayaking at Bennetts Boatyard<\/a>, so we hot-footed it there once we were sure we weren’t gonna get rained on. To be fair, it got really sunny quickly, within minutes of arriving on the island.<\/p>\n

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One thing you\u2019ll notice in the Isles of Scilly by the way, are these honesty boxes.<\/p>\n

People make things to sell (or indeed grow things), and you can buy them from the stalls or holes in the wall (literally speaking) and pay for them using the boxes next to the items with no interaction whatsoever from the seller. You\u2019re trusted to pay for whatever you take with no one chasing you up for it, and coming from London, this was quite a surprise.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s such a throwback to a time when communities were closely knit and everyone knew (and trusted) their neighbours, which can sometimes be so hard to find, not just in London, by the way!<\/p>\n

I still found the concept so charming and a statement on what life on all the islands must be like, and I may have gotten carried away with photographing every honesty box I came across on all the islands in the Isles of Scilly from that point henceforth.<\/p>\n

Also, Veronica Farms does great fudge, so definitely try some when you visit. (If you\u2019re lucky enough to be around when they\u2019re making it, the smell alone with ensure you leave with a ferry full of fudge \u2013 it\u2019s so delicious and all home-made).<\/p>\n

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Random aside \u2013 I heard this random sound which was kinda like a dog barking except with a strange consistency that made me wonder out loud if it was some small robotic dog.<\/p>\n

This was till I looked up and saw a goose flying overhead. I know how silly this sounds, but I\u2019ve never seen a goose fly. (Told you it sounded silly). I\u2019ve seen them in water, and to see one fly (especially so loudly) stuck with me as one of my memories of Bryher. Sometimes, it\u2019s the (silly) little things, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

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Kayaking, by the way, was amazing!!! We coulda gotten a shared one, but Lloyd wanted to go off exploring the smaller and deserted Samson Island while I just wanted to play around in the harbour area, and so we did just that.<\/p>\n

This was actually my first time kayaking, now that I think about it, and it was such a great first time experience! (I was expecting to fall off my kayak at some point, so understandable I didn\u2019t take my camera in with me. I didn\u2019t fall off at all. Okay, I did once, but I was already pretty much on the shore, so it doesn\u2019t count, right?<\/p>\n

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Kayaking, however, is hungry work, and so after a couple of hours of doing this, the fierce rumbling of hunger started, and I knew there was one place I wanted to try out for lunch \u2013 Fraggle Rock caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Fraggle Rock is a really old kids programme by the maker of the Muppets, Jim Henson, and even though I have no idea what link the caf\u00e9 has to the programme, I just knew I wanted to visit it.<\/p>\n

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Walking to Fraggle Rock from the boat centre takes you right across the island, with its beautiful green and blue hues!<\/p>\n

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Oh, and I found the geese too!<\/p>\n

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We made a pit stop at Bryher gallery for a souvenir. Ended up getting two and an introduction to the art heritage of the island!<\/p>\n

Turns out Bryher is quite an artistic community, and this is no more evident than in the gallery. And it\u2019s not the kind of art that stands out as mass-produced for tourists (trust me, I\u2019ve bought my own fair share of those enough to know the difference).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actual art that stands out to you in one way or the other and makes you wanna take a little keepsake back home.<\/p>\n

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Rumbling tummies at the go again, we continued our search for Fraggle Rock cafe…<\/p>\n

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Random fact about me – I, really, really like chicken. I used to have almost 50 at one point as pets (I’d had them all since they were chicks at different points) and had to give them away to friends once I started travelling too much to look after them. Plus, I doubt I could fit them all into any flat in London.<\/p>\n

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Heralding your arrival at Fraggle Rock Caf\u00e9 is this abandoned phone box turned flowerpot. I\u2019m not how it came about, but I love the fact that it was still there and hadn\u2019t been thrown in the trash.<\/p>\n

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At about this point, even though I didn\u2019t realise it yet, Bryher was very quickly cementing its place as one of my favourites of the islands on the Isles of Scilly. Each island has its unique character, which I love, and you\u2019ll find yourself drawn to at least due to its character and the sights it has on offer.<\/p>\n

Read more: Best places on the Isles of Scilly to visit<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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12 Best Places In The Isles Of Scilly To Visit (Ultimate Island Guide)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n