St. Agnes is one of those rare unspoilt environments, an island where life continues at its own, seemingly, leisurely pace and where the traditional values of community life are maintained in their own unique style and at their own speed.

A small farming community still thrives and the growing of outdoor narcissi for the sale of blooms to wholesale markets on The U.K. mainland is still continuing, though all growers have had to seek schemes into which they can diversify to maintain their incomes and continue living The Island life that they have chosen.

Some offer self-catering holiday accommodation for rent, others produce local eggs, milk, meat, honey, vegetables etc., and there is a St. Agnes soap making enterprise involving the growing and distillation of floral oils. Even, in 2006, the production of St. Agnes made ice-cream!

Our own diversification, at Highertown Farm includes the sale, by post, of narcissi and pinks blooms to our customers’ homes and, in the early autumn, the sale, by post, of narcissi bulbs for gardens. We also offer self-catering cottages for rent and our farm and gift shop is open during the summer months offering a range of Scillonian products and fairly-traded items from around The World. These all contribute to the ongoing viability of our small-holding and allow us to live and work on The Island that we love.

Of course for those choosing to holiday with us on St. Agnes, the initial experience involves a boat trip to reach The Island and St. Agnes is fortunate to enjoy its own boat service, run by an Island Family, using a large, comfortable, catamaran, providing an excellent and reliable service to both locals and visitors alike, even continuing to run during the, frequently stormy winter months.
Those visiting St. Agnes will enjoy differing aspects of Island life and scenery depending on the season when they visit; In the early spring narcissi are still flowering in the hedgerows and fields along with a colourful variety of wild flowers and arable weeds, which speckle thebulb-fields with vivid splashes of crimson, magenta and lemon yellow, remaining until the bulb foliage dies down and the bulbs are lifted from the ground by machine for grading, cleaning, re-planting or for sale.
Of course in high summer the sea surrounding us brings us other visitors in yachts and other small boats and the anchorages in our coves and bays fill with an assortment of vessels of many nationalities and types. It’s not unusual, in The Bulb Shop to be asked for bulbs that will flourish in the soils of Brittany or The Irish Republic!

The locals enjoy their boating too (as you would expect in a place where boat ownership replaces car ownership) and early August brings the spectacle of a fleet of local sailing craft of all sizes and classes and crews of varying skill and ability storming ( this rather depends on wind conditions, flat calms are not unknown!) across the finish line at Per Conger, St. Agnes’ main harbour, where participants enjoy a pint and a competitive tale or two at The Turks Head pub. It’s all good fun and is held in aid of our local medical launch Trust which provides inter-island transport for medical personnel and Islanders.

Those visitors who prefer to regain terra firma enjoy walking our coastal footpaths and the granite rock formations are truly astounding in scale and shape and many bear apt. names, Nag’s Head, Devil’s Punch-bowl and sun rock to name but three. The sea is crystal clear but usually very chilly so snorkelling is interesting but either a hardy constitution or a wet or dry-suit are recommended!

There are two good cafes to refresh visitors and walkers and home-baked scones, cakes and simple lunches are on offer. The afore-mentioned Turks Head Pub also offers good pub food, local ales and a great view.

In The Autumn The Island is well-known for sightings of migratory birds and Islanders are well used to sighting “flocks” of migratory bird-watchers who bring a welcome extension to our visitor season and many of whom are old friends who know St. Agnes and its residents well and are a traditional part of our autumn season.