St Martin's Bay

The track runs uphill from the eastern end of Higher Town Bay to the Chapel Down and the Daymark.

The smaller of the two quays on St Martin’s. The larger quay at Higher Town is the one used for freight deliveries, but is inaccessible at a low tide. The island behind is the uninhabited Tean (pronounced tea-an).

From within the ruins of the Admiralty signal station of 1805. The signal station is included in the Scheduled Monument comprising the whole of Chapel down and is described thus: In 1804, an Admiralty signal station was built on northern Chapel Down to communicate with naval vessels by signal mast and to report on enemy shipping movements. It was decommissioned in 1815, superseded by semaphore operated from St Mary's. Its main building stands to 2.3m high in the north of a subrectangular enclosure 38m long, NNW-SSE, by up to 21m wide. List Entry Number:1016508 Link The Daymark is separately listed Grade II* List Entry Number:1141204 Link

On of the most beautiful spots on the islands.

Erected in 1683, St Martin’s Daymark is the earliest surviving beacon in the British Isles. The 40 feet high stone beacon was built by Thomas Ekins, near the northeast corner of the island island of St Martin’s. Originally white, the beacon was later painted red and now boasts red and white bands. Its daymark is visible from miles away, situated as it is on one of the Isles of Scilly's highest points. It is a Grade II* listed building (List Entry Number:1141204 Link Historic England).

The large red-and-white Daymark stands on St Martin’s Head, at the northeast corner of the island of St Martin. It was erected in 1683 by Thomas Ekins, and is a Grade II* listed building (List Entry Number:1141204 Link Historic England). The Daymark is a circular tower made of rendered granite, measuring 4.8 metres (16 ft) in diameter and 6.4 metres (21 ft) in height. It has a conical termination, which makes it a total of 11 metres (36 ft) high. Originally, it was painted white until 1822 but by 1833 had been painted red, and is now painted in alternating bands of red and white. The daymark is built on the highest point of St Martin's (the second-highest point in the Isles of Scilly); the position and relative height mean that the Cornish mainland is visible (when the weather allows) and the daymark is identifiable from the mainland too.

The beautiful St Martin's Bay

Divers at Higher Town bay

Higher Town Bay

The red and white conical granite daymark was erected in 1683. There's an internal block of stairs - unfortunately now blocked off.

Well they're looking for something. Is it a seal, a jellyfish or something that just blew out the boat?

Mullet Pool on the SE side of St Martin's

Looking SW, Tresco in distance

The westerly view from Middle Town. Tresco on the horizon.

Passengers on the St Martin - St Mary ferry boat. Many of these will be returning from a week's stay on St Martin's.