Walk Scilly is now in its 7th year and set to start the 2013 season on the islands with 24 wonderful walks (and counting) covering all the islands and filling the week before Easter.

The event starts on Saturday 23rd and runs through to Easter Saturday on the 30th.

The Isles of Scilly are a cluster of outstandingly beautiful islands just off the coast of Cornwall, they are uncrowded, unspoilt and just waiting to be explored.  And the best way to discover them is by foot.

Walk Scilly 2013 – the Isles of Scilly Walking Festival, offers a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy the five inhabited islands guided by local experts.  You will take hidden pathways that curl across this stunning natural landscape soaking up its unique history and beauty along the way.

March is a perfect time to visit the islands, providing some of the best conditions for walking, with warm days, budding hedgerows and abundant bird and wildlife.  Washed by the Gulf Stream, the Isles of Scilly have the UK’s mildest climate and see spring bloom early each year.

What’s on offer?
The seven day festival sees a series of themed, guided walks taking place across the islands’ 60 miles of pathway.  Expert walking guides, with intimate knowledge of the islands and the British countryside, will lead the walks through this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  The festival presents a perfect opportunity to hop between the islands … without the worry of having to plan your walking routes around each island yourself!

In addition to its beautiful, white-sand beaches, Scilly – to name just a few of its attributes – has the greatest concentration of prehistoric burial sites in the UK, one of the highest numbers of historic shipwrecks in Europe and is a mecca for rare migrant bird species.  The themes of the walks will include the islands’ archaeology and gardens, flora and fauna, castles and cliffs, beaches and birds and even bats and boats!

This year’s festival sees the return of many ‘old favourite’ Scilly walks, in addition to new routes, from short, gentle, coastal strolls to more strenuous day walks that raise the heart beat.

The event coincides with the Isles of Scilly Folk Festival (which runs from 27th March – 1st April), and what better way to end a day in the fresh Scilly air than sitting back and relaxing to the merry sounds of folk music with a warming supper and ale.

There will be additional evening activities to enjoy across the islands including an opening night celebration and specialist talks and presentations.

For more information and to download the 2013 Scilly Isles walking programme visit the Simply Scilly website