Today we visited Tresco in the Isles of Scilly. We started with a guided tour of the subtropical wonders of Abbey Gardens. The gardens contain exotic plants from around the world. At this time of year, the gardens are full of vividly-coloured and wonderfully-shaped flowers, lush vegetation, and heady aromas. We saw lots of red squirrels darting up and down trees. These delightful creatures were flown in in 2013 and are now thriving and propagating in the gardens. We also enjoyed other attractions of the place, such as the Valhalla Museum with its display of ships’ figureheads and the picturesque ruins of the old Benedictine Abbey.

Some of us wandered around the island after our tour, taking in the views of pure white beaches and blue seas that could easily be mistaken for somewhere much more southerly, even venturing as far as the delightful town of New Grimsby.