Sunday 24 July. Tresco.

The weather is worse today but at least the wind is still in the SW so we are protected on the mooring, although the sea state is quite wavy. We’d planned to walk or hire bikes today but opted for walking as it’s really not pleasant enough to make good use of bikes. We got our stuff ready…. wet weather gear and a picnic, and set off in the dinghy. Boats were bobbing around all over the place. We were going against the wind and the waves were pretty big relative to a small dinghy and we got soaked! Both wind and waves against us, it was also very slow progress. Got round the little quay eventually into flattish blue shallow water with a lovely beach. Our rucksacks were very wet but fortunately the “dry bag” inside was still dry. We filled our water containers again and left them in the dinghy. We noticed the dinghy next to us belonged to Stroller ( Charlie and Dons boat) and we tied ourselves to the same chain. We walked in a northerly direction keeping to the coast path. We walked past all the boats on the line of moorings, and on up to Cromwell’s tower. It started to drizzle and the wind was blowing. It felt very like Scotland! But warmer! After Cromwell’s tower we climbed a steep peaty slope covered with lime green bracken, purple heather and yellow gorse. The white and pink granite stones breaking up the path making it lumpy. We eventually reached King Charles Castle… less grand than it sounds but nevertheless a good place to have our sandwiches out of the wind. The other side of the island.. Old Grimsby sound, was more protected and the boats all looked quite peaceful. No one is around .No watersports rentals and hardly anyone on the beach. Once down to Old Grimsby we made our way along the concrete roads round back to New Grimsby and went to dry off in The New inn. When we came out the sun had come out in a watery way and the sea had calmed down a bit. The return journey was a lot more pleasant and the evening was altogether better.

What I learned today…. today was a perfect example of a frontal system going through. Wind in the SW, then rain then wind goes round to the west and eventually northwest …..and once it’s gone through then the sun comes out🤗