It’s that time of the year when social media feeds are inundated with cliché holiday snaps of turquoise waters, summer fruit platters and the token airplane wing against a pastel sky. A summer break on a secluded beach is every Englishman’s dream though, whether you’re a sun worshiper or not. There’s no need for you to save up for a Caribbean holiday or head to the Amalfi Coast to get the best of summer however, as you can get it right here on our shores. The English Channel, Scotland’s Inner and Outer Hebrides and the south coast of Cornwall are home to the most divine islands – and best of all, you don’t need a passport to get to them.
Here are UK’s top five islands you need to visit this summer.
SARK, CHANNEL ISLANDS, , The most quaint, unspoilt and romantic piece of land in the Channel Islands, Sark does things very differently. With its no car and no phone reception policy, you’re guaranteed a detox from technology from the minute you set foot on the island. You can leisurely explore the island’s overpowering cliff-tops, hidden caves and its sandy beaches either by foot or on a horse carriage. Sark takes its Elizabethan period charm very seriously, and so should you.
JURA, SCOTLAND, , Considered as one of Scotland’s very last unspoilt wilderness islands, Jura is the perfect place to get away from it all. The island gets its name from the Old Norse dye-a (deer island) – an apt appellation as the island is home to around 6000 red deers, dramatically outnumbering the human population on Jura. And suitably so, the local single malt whiskey distillery attracts most of the gentlemanly crowd, adding a little more drama to the tranquil evenings on the island.
TRESCO, ISLES OF SCILLY , , A horticultural paradise – Tresco is the only privately owned island in the Scilly Isles, and it shows. The white sandy beaches of Pentle Bay create a dreamy contrast against the intensely blue sea, something that you might only expect out in the Caribbean. When not indulging in water sports or reading a book on the beach, there are numerous 16th century shipwrecks just off the coast, all waiting to be explored. There is only one hotel on the island, however the private cottages and luxury beach houses are the preferred choices for most travellers.
ISLE OF BARRA, SCOTLAND , , An English island getaway without a castle in the vicinity almost sounds like a travel crime in this country, one that you can avoid committing by visiting the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. You’re not just guaranteed a breathtaking sight of denim blue skies (due to the weather being mostly overcast all year, one can dream!) and the shimmers of granite-grey seas, but also a gasping view of the ancient Kisimul castle just offshore at Castlebay. If a strenuous hike is your idea of relaxation, Isle of Barra has Heaval hill on offer with its unbeatable view of a stretch of wildflower-backed beaches.
ISLE OF COLL, SCOTLAND, , A wild retreat at its best, Isle of Coll is for those travellers who like to get away from tourists, road signs and information centers. This peaceful island has a population of 200 residents, and the journey to its sandy shores is much more rewarding than the destination. Accessible only via ferry or a seaplane, Isle of Cole is as far away as you can get from civilisation, being on the western-most tip of the UK. It’s world-famous for its sweeping landscapes of carpeted summer flowers and impressively high sand dunes set against the backdrop of the turquoise ocean.
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