10 UK island adventures

With no TV and no Wi-fi, there's no excuse to stay indoors

Somewhere, several miles off England's coastline, a simple cottage clings to a hillside surrounded by volcanic rock walls. Far below, white lines of torn surf wrap around black lava headlands and in front of the cottage, a few steps from its porch, a lawn soars like an aeroplane's wing searching for lift. Standing on that lawn, it feels like you're flying. The UK's myriad islands are some of the most enchanting places on earth. Even the tiniest of them has its own character and charm: dramatic sunsets, spectacular scenery and a traditional welcome are just a few of the things that await. WideWorld went in search of some of the best – often there is no electricity, no TV, no computer, no phone. And there is definitely no excuse to stay indoors.

St Mary’s, Tyne And Wear

St Mary's Island, situated on the north east coast, just off Whitley Bay, is a three-mile-long sanctuary of unspoilt natural beauty. The seas around it can be treacherous, and shipwrecks on the rocks were commonplace before the lighthouse was built. Today, the island has became a landmark and is said to be the most photographed and painted beauty spot on the north east coast. The lighthouse has 137 spiral steps from ground level to the lantern room. From the top of the tower, there are sensational views of the Northumberland Coast and the River Tyne. The rest of the island is a nature reserve comprising rock pools, beaches, freshwater ponds and clifftop grassland which all provide habitat for a rich variety of marine life and spectacular flights of resident and migrating seabirds and waders. St Mary's is also a perfect novice dive sport for shipwrecks and sealife.

Getting there

The Island and lighthouse are reached along a causeway which is covered by the rising tide twice each day.

Foula Island, Shetland

Foula island, 20 miles west of Shetland means “bird island” in old Norse. It is considered one of Great Britain's most remote, permanently inhabited islands and is known for its landscape, flowers, birds, cetacean life and the 1938 Michael Powell film The Edge of the World. Foula's famous five steep hills drop sharply to the sea on the west side and are the highest sheer sea cliffs in Britain. North Bank and Wester Hoevdi are around 700 ft and the stunning vertical cliff Kame is 1,200 ft high. The Sneug is the highest point of Foula and offers the adventurous climber superb views of the west of the Shetland and the hills of the Orkney Islands. The cliffs and rocks are inhabited by numerous seabirds, including the largest colony of great skuas in UK. To outsider, Foula's residents might seem a little different – they still celebrate Old Yule, for example, which places Christmas on January 6th and New Year on the 13th.

Getting there

Catch a ferry from Ham to Walls and Scalloway on the Shetland Mainland. From Tingwall Airport catch a flight to Foula's airstrip.

Lundy, Bristol Channel

In the mouth of the Bristol Channel lies Lundy – a three-mile-long and one-mile-wide granite outcrop. This island offers a very rare experience: large enough to have a life of its own but small and far enough away to be a world apart and unspoilt. The island has three lighthouses, a castle, church, shop, tavern, working farm, several handsome houses and cottages and a population of about 18. People travel to Lundy for rock climbing, diving in the Marine Nature Reserve, canoeing, birdwatching, walking, taking photographs and socialising at the island pub. If we have to recommend one place to go, head for Devil's Kitchen. It's not the island pub – it's actually a group of rockpools and a great place to see some of the weird and wonderful plants and animals that are uncovered by the tide each day.?

Getting there

The journey to Lundy is made on a ferry called the MS Oldenburg. She travels to Lundy from Bideford and Ilfracombe and the journey takes under two hours.

Anglesey, Wales

The largest island off the Welsh coast, close to the beautiful Snowdonia mountain range, is Anglesey (Ynys Môn in Welsh) with its wide beaches, Victorian seaside towns and the village with the longest place name in Britain Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch or, in English, "The church of St. Mary in a hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and near St. Tysilio's church by the red cave". Like all the other islands, this is a place for birdwatching. Towering over Ynys Lawd and its lighthouse, the cliffs at South Stack annually house thousands of seabirds. Just north along the coast is an estuary formed by the Afon Cefni. Much of the river flows through a low-lying valley, forming the Malltraeth Marsh. The biggest town in Anglesey is Newborough and a  good place to visit is the Roman fort and the historic St Cybi's church built within the fortress wall.

Getting there

Anglesey is easily reached via the main A55 north Wales dual carriageway.

Bute, Argyll

The Isle of Bute, tucked into the spectacular sea lochs of southern Argyll, was once a popular Victorian holiday destination, less than two hours from Glasgow. An exploration of the island will reveal standing stones, cists (small stone-built ancient coffins) and a vitrified fort in the south at Dunagoil Bay. “West Island Way” is a walking route which runs the full length of the island (30 miles), giving you a glimpse of every detail of the geography of Bute and spectacular views of Arran, the Mull of Kintyre and the Cowal Hills along the way. The Maids of Bute, the painted rocks on the northwest coast, are a well known landmark. The highest point is Windy Hill, just 900 feet high.

Getting there

The main way to access the island is to get the ferry from Wemyss Bay which is a short car or train ride north from Glasgow. This crossing from the mainland only takes 30 minutes.

Jura, Inner Hebrides

Wild and unspoilt, Jura has one road, one hotel, one distillery, 5,000 deer and 200 inhabitants. The island is designated as a National Scenic Area and is dominated by three conical mountains known as the Paps of Jura which rise to over 2,500 feet. Walking on the island is a very popular pastime. The island's lochs and burns are excellent for trout fishing, and sea angling is popular off the coast. A number of boat operators in the area offer trips to explore one of the world's most notorious whirlpools, the mighty Corryvreckan. Further on, the road reaches Jura's main village at Craighouse looking out to a broad bay protected by the Small Isles. Craighouse is also where you find the Jura Distillery. The ruined castles at Clag and Glengarisdale, Iron Age forts, standing stones and keills are all testimony to the island's past.

Getting there

Drive to Kennacraig on the west coast of Scotland and take the Calmac ferry to Port Askaig on Islay. At the same port, board the Jura island ferry.

Tiree, Inner Hebrides

In 1883, George, eighth Duke of Argyll wrote that Tiree's 'fragrant turf, full of wild thyme and clover, its miles of pure white sandy bays equally pleasant for riding, driving, or walking, or for sea-bathing, and last not least, its unrivalled expanses for the game of golf, all combine to render it most attractive and wholesome in the summer months. And the climate is far better than that of the mainland.' Tiree (“The land of corn”), although very flat, is indeed one of the sunniest places in Britain. Only 10 miles long and five miles wide its sky and sea stretch from horizon to horizon. With unusually high wind, the island is also a windsurfing paradise. Wild Diamond Surf School gives windsurfing, kite-surfing and kayaking lessons and charters are available for diving and fishing trips. There are several interesting archaeological remains including a 30 foot-diameter broch (Iron Age drystone building) at Vaul Bay. Another curiosity of the island lies between Vaul and Balephetrish. This mysterious boulder, known locally as 'the Ringing Stone' because of the metallic sound it makes if you hit it.

Getting there

There are frequent flights operated by British Airways / Flybe from Glasgow, and Caledonian MacBrayne runs regular ferries from Oban.

Fair Isle, Shetland

Fair is the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom and is famous for its bird observatory, traditional style of knitting and historic shipwrecks. This tiny jewel lies half-way between Orkney and Shetland and is mostly surrounded by impressive cliffs, rising to over 100 metres at the spectacular Sheep Rock. Fair Isle's lighthouse was designed and built in 1891 and there are 96 steps to the top.  The other two things the island is noted for: Fair Isle mouse, and electricity. The Fair mouse is found nowhere else and has the distinction of being the only mammal truly native to the island. As far as the electricity goes, Fair Isle is forced to make its own electricity and does so mainly by harnessing the power of the wind – which is usually in good supply.

Getting there

The Good Shepherd sails between Fair Isle and the Shetland Mainland.

Sark Island, English Channel

A visit to Sark, being the smallest self-governing island in Europe, is a step back in time. Here you find no cars and locals get around on a bicycle, buggy or on foot. Sark is a rambler's paradise, and there are far more coastal walks, bays and caves than there are days to explore them. For example the Boutique Caves are 200 feet long and lead into a lofty middle chamber with a sea view. The dry areas are said to have been used by smugglers in past times for storage. Dark caves indent into the cliffs and huge austere-looking perpendicular rocks lie in isolated and detached masses off-shore. Island's pearl is La Coupee, a  razor-edged isthmus joining the main island to Little Sark. The waters around Sark are arguably the clearest in the Channel Islands and conceal a treasure chest of marine life. Dolphins and porpoises can often be seen off the coast but for those visitors who choose to explore Sark underwater, the rewards are just as plentiful.

Getting there

Sark is reachable by ferry which takes around 45 minutes from Guernsey.

St. Kilda, Outer Hebrides

St Kilda is Europe's most important seabird colony, and one of the major seabird breeding stations in the North Atlantic. This remote British Isle lies 41 miles from Scotland's Outer Hebrides. The predominant theme of life on St Kilda is isolation because the island is extremely hard to get to.
"It is very remote and a very small island on a very large ocean, a long, long way from the mainland,” said Angus Campbell, who operates Kilda Cruises, sailing to the islands four or five times a week in summer. “It is very basic." Other than a small group of soldiers who continue to man the army radar base, and the birds and wildlife, St Kilda is uninhabited.

Getting there

Book a tour in advance or use own transportation such as a private boat or yacht.