Things to do in St Martin’s

Located just off the southwestern coast of England, St. Martin’s in the Isles of Scilly is a picturesque gem, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and local charm. This idyllic island, with its sweeping white-sand beaches and panoramic views, is a haven for travellers seeking an escape from the ordinary. From hiking along scenic coastal paths to diving into the crystal-clear waters, exploring St. Martin’s promises adventure and relaxation in equal measure. Join us as we delve into the best things to do on this enchanting island, revealing its hidden treasures and showcasing the vibrant culture that makes it truly unforgettable.

Visit one of St Martin’s beaches

The only difficult thing about St. Martin’s is deciding which beach to visit, as its whole coastline is fringed with spectacular white sands and crystal-clear water. Great Bay on the north coast is a long, wild stretch of sand that was recently voted the Best Beach in Britain. A family favourite is dune-backed Lawrence’s Bay which stretches between Lower Town and Higher Town, its sands gently enter the shallows of St Martin’s Flats making it perfect for a swim.

For rock pooling the granite strands of Pernagie Point at the north tip of the island has large pools, as does Lawrence Bay in the south, where you’ll find anything from Sea slugs, Squat lobsters and Pipe fish to Strawberry Anemones, Starfish, Clingfish and Crabs.

Walk to White Island

An extraordinary boulder-strewn causeway crosses from St Martin’s to the tidal island of White Island. Once there you can follow a faint path around the coast to see the rarely visited ancient chambered cairns, prehistoric field systems and a dramatic geo called Chad Girt. The high point, 31 metres, at the north end of the island offers great views of the northern rocks of this archipelago.

There’s a very sheltered sandy beach at Porth Moran which makes for an excellent, secluded swim. If time permits, once back on St Martins, head north and scramble 500 metres across the tidal rocks to Pernagie Island.

Star gazing on St Martin’s

Star gazing is one of the joys of the unpolluted night skies of Scilly. Run by the islanders, the observatory on St Martin’s is the only one on Scilly. The observatory is open to the public on Tuesday evenings from mid-May to end October, with specific events held throughout the year. More information here, or book by emailing cosmosscilly@gmail.com. £5 per adult.

Starting in 2021, there is also a Scilly Dark Skies Week on St Martin’s with plenty of star gazing, guest speakers and island-based events.

Seals off St Martin’s, Scilly

Swim with St Martin’s seals

Snorkelling with seals is one of the  best things to do in the Isles of Scilly. Here you can experience wild nature at its very best. These guys aren’t shy, so expect an up-close experience and watch out for your flippers as they love to play and nibble. These Atlantic grey seals, and their pups, never fail to impress. They are always seen off the Eastern Isles and in the kelp forests west of Nornour.

We can’t recommend Scilly Seal Snorkelling on St Martin’s highly enough.  For more information and booking check them out here.

Wild swimming in St Martin’s

Outdoor swimming on St Martin’s, Scilly is sublime. With gin-clear waters, white sands and sheltered bays there is something for everyone. Here are our favourite spots. Great Bay, St Martin’s was once voted the best beach in the UK, its location on the north side of St Martin’s is both remote and unspoilt.

There is a stretch of multiple bays and coves divided by rock outcrops and a tidal pebbly bar across to White Island, which also has a sheltered swim spot within Porth Morran. The area is generally sheltered beach and great for swimming and snorkelling. Lower Town Bay and the Quay, St Martin’s with their underlying white sands and shallow depth of water make swimming in the sparkling, clear waters an absolute must – the visibility is amazing. This is also a great spot to have a quick dip whilst waiting for the inter-island ferry. Check the tides though as at low tide there isn’t much water here at all.

For hot drinks and great snacks there is the Island Bakery in Higher Town and the Seven Stones Inn a firm favourite if you need something a little stronger.

White Island’s Porth Moran is a very sheltered swimming spot, on the east coast of White Island – which can be walked to at low tide form the north west tip of St Martin’s.

St Martin’s is renowned for it’s flower growing

Camping in St Martin’s

This is an island of sweeping award-winning white-sand beaches, rock pools and secluded swimming spots, a great bakery and one of our favourite pubs in the UK. St Martin’s campsite nestles amongst hedgerows and is only a few metres away from the soft white sands and crystal clear waters of the stunning ‘Campsite Beach’.

Location: Middletown, in the southwest of the island Lat/Long 49.965, -6.297

Campsite facilities: rated a 4 Star campsite; 8 toilets; 8 wash basins; 4 coin-operated showers (£1.00); coin-operated hair-dryers; baby-changing facilities; 2 washing up sinks; 2 washing machines, tumble dryer, a spin-dryer, two sinks for hand-washing and an iron/ironing board; free wifi; eggs, milk (UHT), BBQs, Campsite honey, Campsite marmalade, freshly baked croissants and pain au chocolat and seasonal vegetables are all available from the site; charging for electronic devices; lockers; 2 freezers for ice-packs; camping fuel and disposable BBQ’s. No hire of camping equipment.

Dog friendly: Yes (limit of 4 can be booked onto the site at any one time; no dogs during school holidays)

Local facilities: from a luxurious local lobster supper to a simple cream tea or a pasty picnic on the beach there’s a wide range of delicious foods, many of them sourced locally. ​Karma St. Martins Hotel,  Lowertown great for a beachside drink or snack; Seven Stones Inn, Lowertown, one of our favourites with real ale, quirky events and one of the best views from a pub lawn in the UK; the wonderful  Island Bakery, Highertown for freshly baked breads, pasties, savouries, cakes and takeaway pizzas; Adam’s Fish & Chips for fish caught from their boat and potatoes grown in their garden.

Getting to the campsite: There are two quays on St Martin’s. The Lowertown Quay (at Karma St Martin’s Hotel) is very close to the campsite, being only some 400m along the road and an easy 5 minute walk. Highertown Quay is rather more distant at about 1,500m with a fairly steep hill as soon as you leave the quay. If you have pre-booked luggage transport, Ben and Caroline from the campsite, will meet you upon arrival at the quay with a tractor and trailer. Whatever quay you arrive at, you’ll have to walk.

Walk around St Martin’s

A delightful coast path circumnavigates the whole of St Martin’s – check out our Islandeering book for more details or the Islandeering walking route blog for further details