Here are just a few precious British offshore UK islands just waiting to be discovered.

Tresco, Cornwall

Tresco – one  of a group  over 200 islands, islets and rocks which make up the isles of Scilly.

A nature lover’s paradise, white sand beaches,  coves and wildflower meadows . A sanctuary for wildlife and migrating birds and for escape seeking nature-lovers.

Tresco is a small green island with a rugged north coast,  historic forts, and spectacular views. A wonderful off the beaten track escape treat for walkers and explorers.

Their golf club looks nice too -the most south-westerly course in England, small greens, benign or a windswept challenge – either way the views look pretty good, stay tuned for my review if I ever play it!

Just a short flight from Land’s end or, for boat lovers a ferry from Penzance.

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Lundy, Devon

Located in the Bristol channel – in protected coral waters, Lundy is a  reef of granite and heathland. Packed with wildlife, in fact it was  the first  marine wildlife reserve in England with some of the best diving sites in the British isles. You’ll find  shipwrecks and sea creatures in clear waters.  For those who prefer dry land,  there are walks aplenty.

Ferries depart from Bideford or Ilfracombe.

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Isle of Man

An old mentee of mine lives there now, must check in with him again some time.

Mountainous and cliff-fringed, the Isle of Man’s patchwork of delights include golden beaches, snow-capped peaks, wooded glens, rural villages,

This island is a self governing, sort of part of the UK but not,  between Ireland and England, offers rollicking rambles along windswept coastlines and rugged hills. Mountain railways, seafood, waterports, golf nature escapes, boat trips.

Ferries to the capital Douglas depart from Liverpool, Birkenhead, Heysham or Belfast.

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Guernsey

Channel Islands – another self governing, sort of part of the UK but not island.

An extremely  peaceful, vibrant and pretty island, you can almost feel your blood pressure lowering as you land, it just gives off an aura of content, relaxed and friendly.  Guernsey offers a heady mix of coastal and country vistas. Like some of the other channel islands parts of it  feel a little bit French and quite a lot British. , For historical explorers there are relics from the German occupation during the Second World War. For boat lovers, St Peter Port is great for boatwatching. Admire the beautiful landscapes that inspired some of Renoir’s loveliest paintings. or clifftop walks, or beach walks.  Water sports galore, I loved kayaking, and one day hope to organise a kayak round the island – stay tuned if I can make some plans!  Never got to play golf there, or play padel tennis, but there was a lot of awfully good seafood for culinary escape seekers.  A la prochain/until the next time.

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Mersea, Essex

Just off Essex’s southern coast, Mersea offers a seaswept dose of nature and traditional beach life. Hard to believe it is so close from  Colchester.

Escape the stress be exploring Jurassic cliffs, sandy beaches,  mudflats, the island  even has its own vineyard.

The whole island walk, is a 20km challenge, but the views and wildlife watching are worth it. You can spot marsh harriers, water vole, red squirrels, and numerous migrating seabirds.

Britain’s most easterly inhabited island is also a seafood haven. Mersea oysters have made it to the mainland but try them in one of the oyster bars or beach shacks for the perfect culinary escape

Mersea is cut off from the mainland when the high tide rises above the Strood, the causeway that joins the island to the mainland.

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Fair Isle, Scotland

Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the UK, has only 55 residents. And they’re almsost all engaged in  rural arts, crafts an farming/wildlife pursuits.

Famous for its knitwear and historic shipwrecks, this is a tiny island between Orkney and Shetland, which lives up to its name on sunny days. The views are magnificent and the air is filled with the sounds of the North Sea and the cries of sea birds.

During summer, the Shetland Isles are bathed in near-perpetual daylight. This phenomenon blankets the islands in a silver sheen at midnight – the ‘simmer dim’.

There are lots of fabulous walks. ‘Complete Fair Isle’, is a 15km trek of coastal  scenery and rock formations. You’ll also come across the island’s famous bird sanctuary.

Take a flight or overnight ferry to Shetland from Aberdeen, then a flight or ferry to Fair Isle.

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Isle of Wight  

Promenades, bucket-and-spade resorts, wild beaches, blustery downs and rolling hills.   Nearly half of the island is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and with 800km of footpaths, it’s a walkers’ dream.

You may find fossil remains and dinosaur footprints at low tide  on the stretch from Brook to Freshwater along the sandstone cliffs to Compton Bay.  Enjoy the vistas of the chalk downs, before descending into the picturesque cove of Freshwater Bay.

If you need a temporary escape , Queen Victoria’s favourite home, Osborne House, is on the Isle of Wight.

Ferries depart from Portsmouth and Lymington.

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Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Isolated by fast-moving tides which submerge the causeway twice a day, this is a holy island full of history and mythology. The island’s main feature is a sixteenth century castle, which rises from the rocks, but it has  some marvellous scenery, if  deserted beaches, dunes teeming with wildlife, are your thing, you’ll find it a beautiful island.

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Rathlin, Northern Ireland 

With only  around 100 people living here this is Northern Ireland’s only inhabited island. Explore its  cultural heritage and seafaring history. The island has a terrain combining  fields, sea-cliffs and coastline walking tours for views of the coastline and wildlife such as seals, irish hare and curlew.

Ferries to Rathlin leave from Ballycastle.

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Tiree, Hebrides, Scotland

Sparsely populated a windswept, treeless ‘desert island’ which is one of Scotland’s sunniest places, but It’s also one of its windiest. Ideal if you like windswept walks sailing and windsurfing.

Walkers will enjoy miles upon miles of mainly flat coastline complete, with craggy inlets and glorious deserted beaches.

Ferries to Tiree depart from Oban, or fly from Glasgow.

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Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales

A small  island off the west coast of Anglesey, a perfect escape for history and nature lovers to chillax. Enjoy exploring  forests, beaches, mountains and wild seas.Ideal for walking, paddling, and swimming,even snorkelling for crab and lobster.

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