IF you yearn to get far from the madding crowd, we have scoured the country for the most amazing offshore escapes you have probably never heard of.
From Kent’s Teapot Island – with its museum dedicated to our beloved cuppa – to the remote wildlife haven of the Isle of Eigg, we reveal our faves.
Inner Farne Islands, Northumberland
WITH Sir David Attenborough’s “seal” of approval, it is surprising more of us don’t know about the Farne Islands, the telly legend’s favourite place in the UK to spot wildlife.
A few miles out to sea from the village of Seahouses, the National Trust-protected islands are home to grey seals and seabirds. Inner Farne is one of two accessible islands, with a path to the 14th-century chapel. Admission for non-NT members is £5.20.
Seahouses offers family fun through its crazy-golf course and cosy self-catering such as Archway Cottage, a stone terrace sleeping four with an open fire. Three nights costs from £322. See northumbria-cottages.co.uk.
Osea Island, Essex
ONE of the more glamorous islands in Essex, where A-listers such as Poppy Delevingne party – not surprising, as its owner is pop producer Nigel Frieda.
A private island in the Blackwater river near Maldon, the 400-acre speck has a cute village of houses including an Edwardian manor and smaller cottages, a clubhouse, green space, two outdoor pools and a pair of grumpy donkeys.
You need a passcode to drive across the causeway to the island, available twice a day. And you may need an A-lister’s bank balance – the Sweetshop Cottage has a warming wood burner, sleeps two, £245pn. Two-night minimum. See oseaisland.co.uk.
Lundy Island, North Devon
THIS tiny Bristol Channel gem is just three miles long and a mile across but there is loads to do – walking, bird and wildlife watching, stargazing, diving, climbing, kayaking, snorkelling and fishing. There’s a 13th-Century castle, a pub-shop-restaurant and two working lighthouses. Kids will love the Letterbox trail, hunting for 27 hidden boxes.
Between March and October the MS Oldenburg ferry departs several times a week from Bideford and Ilfracombe.
The accommodation includes a converted castle and a school. Four nights in a lighthouse (divided into two apartments) sleeping five is from £403. See landmarktrust.org.uk.
Brownsea Island, Dorset
IN the middle of Poole harbour, Brownsea is the largest of eight islands in the harbour and is within waving distance of Sandbanks, home to millionaires and celebs such as footie boss Harry Redknapp.
Boy Scouts founder Lord Baden-Powell held his first camp here in 1907, close to forest trails and beaches. Those who struggle to walk can book free tours via electric buggy.
Boats leave every half-hour from Poole quay and Sandbanks’ jetty.
Brownsea’s campsite is in the same spot as the Scout camp, with an Eco Adventure available from April to September. See pooletourism.com.
Calf of Man, Isle of Man
ONE of the British Isles’ most isolated islands, this is a tiny tuft in the Irish Sea just across from the Isle of Man.
It’s a great spot for twitchers, so if that includes you, bring your binoculars to spot some of the island’s 30-plus species of birds, as well as sharks. Most visitors come for a day. Boats make the half-hour crossing in the summer, weather permitting, from Port Erin or Port St Mary on the Isle of Man.
If you can rough it, stay in the Calf of Man Bird Observatory during summer months. Forget glamping – this is bunkhouse style, so bring your own food and a sleeping bag. Costs £80 for two nights. See visitisleofman.com.
Walney Island, Lake District
BOASTING miles of unspoilt coastline, stunning wildlife and a rich history, Walney is linked to the mainland town of Barrow-in-Furness by the toll-free Jubilee Bridge. A new stretch opened this year, opening up beaches, dunes and salt marshes, wildlife and dramatic views of the Irish Sea.
Gorgeous sandy beaches include one for nudists, who clearly aren’t put off by the fact that the local population numbers more than 10,000 – although it might be chilly for peeling off right now.
Stay in 2 Lighthouse Cottage, a 19th-century home adjoining the lighthouse. Sleeps six, two nights costs £688. See sykescottages.co.uk.
Teapot Island, Kent
IT is little surprise that this island has a museum dedicated to the nation’s favourite hot brew – but more surprising that so few have heard of it.
Named after the shape of the tiny river peninsula in Yalding, nestled between the rivers Medway and Teise,
Teapot Island displays 7,500 teapots decorated with celebs, Disney characters, animals and royalty – Charles and Camilla visited a few years ago. A cafe serves ice cream and cream teas.
The Premier Inn in nearby Maidstone has a Chef & Brewer serving pub classics, an open fire and smart rooms with Hypnos beds. Doubles are £50pn, room only. See premierinn.com.
Isle of Eigg, Scotland
GO off-grid on Eigg, the second-largest of the aptly named Small Isles. It is just five miles long by three miles wide, set ten miles off Scotland’s western coast.
Owned by its 100 residents, the island is home to wildlife and great for walking and kayaking. It has beaches, a couple of museums, restaurants and shops.
Take the Small Isles ferry service from Mallaig to Eigg. The most scenic way to reach Mallaig is by train from Glasgow.
Self-cater in cottages such as Lageorna, a stone croft house turned cosy bolthole with log-burning stove and views across Laig Bay to the Isle of Rum. Sleeps six, £101 per night. See airbnb.co.uk.
Thorney Island, West Sussex
THIS remote, windswept peninsula in Chichester harbour in West Sussex is owned by the Ministry of Defence.
Public access is limited, so you must stick to the marked posts along the seven-mile coastal footpath.
Visitors can spot seals, skylarks, deer and hawks. At the peninsula’s tip, a hide offers views of Pilsey Island RSPB nature reserve, now joined to Thorney by a sandbank.
You can’t stay overnight but Chichester has plenty of accommodation, such as the red-brick Goodwood Cottage’s ground-floor apartment with rustic beams. Sleeps up to four, three nights costs £774. See expedia.co.uk.
Cei Ballast, Gwynedd, Wales
A REAL secret, Cei Ballast is a man-made island metres from the Welsh harbour town of Porthmadog in Gwynedd. As the name suggests, it was made by trading ships dumping rubble and rock used as ballast in Victorian times.
Reached on foot at low tide, the overgrown island is home to plenty of wildlife and has a warm pool at one end.
While in the area, visit the Italian-style village of Portmeirion, famous for its botanical pottery and where telly classic The Prisoner was filmed.
Stay in harbourside cottages such as the family- and pet-friendly Greaves Wharf House, sleeping four, from £295 a week. See walestouristsonline.co.uk.
- Some may have visitor restrictions due to coronavirus crisis, see websites for details.
