The Essentials:
What you need to know
When to come
Two Day Event 2026
> Arrive Wednesday 16th September, depart Saturday 19th September
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On Wednesday 16th September in the afternoon we will have the Two-Day registration and mandatory swim briefing. You will need to stay on St Mary's until Saturday 19th September, as we will have the 2 Day party on Friday evening.
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One Day Event 2026
> Arrive Saturday 19th September, depart Monday 21st September
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On Saturday 19th September in the afternoon we will have the One Day registration and mandatory swim briefing. You will need to stay on St Mary's until Monday 21st September as we will have the One Day party on Sunday evening.
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Getting There
Three options:
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The Scillonian III ferry -the cheapest and most reliable option, but slower. This can be a wonderful way to arrive on the islands, however to enable maximum enjoyment of the journey we recommend using Kwells/Stugeron if you are prone to motion sickness, as it can be a bit queasy-inducing in rough weather! Leaves Penzance at 9.15am every morning and from St. Mary’s at 4.30pm. (https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk).
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Skybus fixed wing aircraft - more expensive but quicker and more departure points and times (Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter). Can be affected by poor visibility or crosswinds. (https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk)
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Helicopter - new service since 2020. Quick and reliable but more expensive. Flies from Penzance to St. Mary’s & Tresco (https://penzancehelicopters.co.uk)
DON’T FORGET YOUR IOS 10% PASSENGER TRAVEL DISCOUNT
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If you are booking ferry or plane tickets from Land's End (only), take advantage of our SSC attendees 10% discount on passenger travel applicable for travel between 12/09/26 and 26/09/26.
Customers can either book using the code SWSC26 online at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk or alternatively, via the Travel Centre over the phone, quoting SWSC26 at the start of the call (01736 334220 option 1 sales)
If using the discount online, input the code into the promotional code field on the home screen before starting to book.
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TRAIN
One good option which isn’t well known is the sleeper train from London to Penzance which links up with the ferry. https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/journey-information/on-board/night-riviera-sleeper
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Where to stay
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However gorgeous the off-islands are (that’s the smaller ones excluding the main island of St. Mary’s) you’ll find it far more convenient to stay on St. Mary’s where our events are based. If you do want to stay on an off-island you may have to arrange a water-taxi to get you back after the acclimatisation swim and event day as we anticipate finishing after the last scheduled boats. This can be quite expensive. Staying near to Hugh Town can be more convenient, but wherever you stay on St Mary’s you’re never more than about 2km from the event base. For the Tresco 360 event, you are very welcome to stay on Tresco however we will be running boats to and from St Mary's for this event at the start and finish of the day - as most people will be based on St Mary's. Registration and acclimatisation will also be on St Marys so you would need to make your own way over (and back) for these if staying on Tresco.
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When do I need to book? SOON!
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Scilly gets booked up a long time in advance so it’s worth looking at as soon as you’ve got your place on the swim. Some people have been booking up even before we launched and finding it hard to get somewhere. Sometimes this is because providers haven’t put availability online yet - use the links below if you need help.
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www.visitislesofscilly.com - general information about the islands including accommodation search
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Isles of Scilly Accommodation Facebook page
Up-market hotels:
https://stmaryshallhotel.co.uk
Mid-range hotels:
https://www.tregarthens-hotel.co.uk
https://www.schoonershotel.co.uk
Camping
If you are keen to camp, Jared and Melissa, the owners at The Garrison Campsite on St Mary’s are offering 10% OFF the plots for your own tents, or 5% OFF for their Readi-Tents. Book online at www.garrisonholidays.com, email them at info@garrisonholidays.com or call them on 01720 422670 if you have any queries. Quote : ScillySwim2026 to get your discount. They look forward to meeting you all!
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Swim Speeds
We do not record individual times for swims but do monitor the pace of the swimmers to ensure we are on schedule for the day (this is important because our schedule is based on tide times to make sure you don’t have to swim against the tide).
If we do need to get you out of the water, our aim is to put you back in later on the swim or drop you at the end of the swim, to allow you to continue with the day.
Remember this is NOT A RACE and we aim to get everyone around the course safely - however you will be expected to swim at a minimum of 35 mins/mile (One-Day Event) and 40 mins/mile (Two-Day Event) .
The tides will not wait for us (!) so if we do have to get you out of the water or move your forwards, please be courteous.
How things work
A brief explanation!
At the swim start we meet the swim safety boats, kayakers and baggage boat. Get into your swim gear and put your kit bag on the baggage boat - this goes forward to the end of each swim. Your lovely pod leader (green, orange or red) will register you for the swim.
On command, get in and swim in your pod. You will be flanked by kayakers and safety boats. On exit from the water after each swim, ensure you sign in with your pod leader (very important!), collect your baggage, get warm kit on, have food/ drink and await command to move by foot (5-45 minutes) carrying your baggage to the next swim. Many choose to wear wetsuits rolled down to the waist between swims with warm layers on top , skins swimmers usually get into a dry swimsuit and add lots of layers.
But these are just suggestions from past experiences and ultimately what you choose to do is up to you and should be what works for you. This continues throughout the day ... !
Other Considerations
Insurance
We strongly recommend you have personal accident, medical, and cancellation insurance to cover your participation. Whilst you should not expect any issues with travel, we also highly recommend travel insurance! Being an island on the edge of the Atlantic, the weather can be very changeable and sometimes travel is affected.
Travelling Solo?
If you’re joining us on your own, please don’t worry—you won’t feel “solo” for long! Many of our guests come independently, and friendships form quickly both in and out of the water. You can even pop a message on our Facebook group before your trip to connect with fellow swimmers—it’s a great way to break the ice and start building those bonds early.