Dog-Friendly Isles of Scilly: The Complete Guide

The single biggest draw is the beaches. Across mainland Cornwall, most popular beaches impose a dog ban from around Easter or May to the end of September. The Isles of Scilly (a National Landscape and one of England's most important wildlife sites) have no such blanket seasonal ban, so dogs can enjoy the famous white sand year-round - a genuine rarity in the UK.

The islands are also slow and largely car-free, with a gentle pace that suits dogs: short walking distances, frequent boat trips between islands, and a string of dog-friendly pubs and cafes. The main responsibilities are around wildlife - Scilly is hugely important for ground-nesting seabirds and has fragile dunes and a rare blue-carpet of spring flowers, so dogs should be kept off fenced dune systems and under close control near nesting areas and the grey seals that haul out on the rocks. The wider context is on the islands' Wikipedia overview.

There are two ways across and both take dogs. The Scillonian III passenger ferry sails from Penzance to St Mary's (around 2 hours 45 minutes) and carries dogs - they travel with you on the open decks and in designated areas. Skybus flies from Land's End, Newquay and Exeter in about 15-30 minutes; small dogs can travel in the cabin in an approved carrier and larger dogs in the hold, subject to the airline's current rules, so book the dog on in advance.

Once there, the inter-island boats that link St Mary's to the off-islands all carry dogs, usually for a small fare, which is how you hop between beaches. There are very few cars on the islands, so most of your time is spent on foot or on the water.

The good news is there is no blanket seasonal dog ban on Scilly's beaches as there is on the Cornish mainland, so dogs are welcome on the sand all year. The responsibilities are about wildlife: keep dogs off the fenced dune systems, which protect rare plants and nesting birds, and under close control near ground-nesting seabirds and the grey seals that rest on the rocks.

Always clean up after your dog and carry water on the off-islands, where facilities are sparse. Tresco's Abbey Garden allows dogs on leads; check current rules for any individual attraction or boat before you travel, as small operators set their own policies.