8 Lesser-Known Islands To Explore Around The UK

Mersea is the UK’s most easterly inhabited island with a population of just under 7,000. Sitting off the Essex coast and reached by a causeway at low tide, the island has a wonderfully unhurried feel, with views across the Blackwater Estuary, sandy beaches, salt marshes, countryside and traditional villages to explore. The coastline is the main draw. Spend the day walking beside the water, exploring the beaches or simply finding a spot to sit and watch the tide come in. Mersea is also a good choice for anyone interested in wildlife, with plenty of opportunities for birdwatching, seal spotting and crabbing along the shoreline. The West Mersea Circular is an easy way to take in some of the island’s varied landscapes, winding through woodland, meadows and coastal habitats. Food is another reason to make the journey. With the surrounding waters known for their seafood, you’ll find plenty of traditional pubs and restaurants serving local produce alongside well-loved British classics. Our pick is The Company Shed, which has been running since 1985. The team receives fresh crab each morning, dressing and serving it that day. For something a little different, make time for Mersea Island Vineyard, where you can sample award-winning wines made from grapes grown on the island itself. Pack walking shoes, leave plenty of time for seafood lunches and keep an eye on the tide times – the causeway is submerged at high tide.

Where to stay: There’s accommodation to suit different types of trip, making Mersea particularly good for families and groups. Camping and caravan sites include Fen Farm. There are also plenty of B&Bs and holiday cottages if you prefer something more private. The Victory Hotel off the beach in West Mersea is a popular option.

If you want a British island break with a slightly Mediterranean feel, look towards the Channel Islands. Herm and Sark are both car free, beautifully scenic and small enough to explore at a leisurely pace, making them ideal for a long weekend or a few days away. Just three miles from Guernsey, Herm can be reached by boat (a 20-minute journey) and is small enough to discover in a day or two. Despite its size, it has plenty to keep visitors occupied, from beaches and coastal walks to pubs and restaurants. One of the best ways to explore is to follow the circular coastal route from Belvoir Beach. Make sure to stop at Shell Beach, one of the island’s best-known spots, where the sand is made up of tiny shell fragments and the water is wonderfully clear. Herm’s lack of cars adds to its appeal. There’s no traffic to contend with and no need to plan around getting from one place to another – just bring comfortable shoes and explore on foot.

A little further away from Guernsey, Sark feels even more like a step back in time. At just three miles long, the island is compact, but its landscape is surprisingly varied, with quiet beaches, hidden coves and dramatic cliffs. Horse-drawn carriages regularly pass through the historic lanes, adding to its old-world atmosphere, while the absence of cars makes walking and cycling particularly enjoyable. Grand Grève is one of the beaches to seek out, with clear waters and pale sand that could easily be mistaken for somewhere much further south. La Seigneurie Gardens are another highlight, home to an impressive collection of tropical plants, while Window in the Rock offers spectacular cliff-top views. Food is simple but good, with Hathaway’s worth seeking out for its focus on local seafood, including mussels and scallops.

Where to stay: On Herm, the White House Hotel – which is right on the sands – is the most popular choice on the island. Then on Sark, Stocks Hotel has 23 luxe bedrooms and is close to pretty Dixcart Bay. For glamping options and cottage, look on the island’s dedicated website.

Northumberland’s coastline is one of the UK’s great unsung travel destinations, combining sweeping beaches, dramatic dunes, ancient landmarks and a wonderfully wild atmosphere. The county is England’s northernmost, stretching along the North Sea towards the Scottish border. The Northumberland Coast Path is a good way to explore, with Beadnell Bay and Ross Back Sands among the beaches worth seeking out. For something more unusual, Haggerston Riding Centre offers horse-riding trips along the coast. Wildlife is another major draw. Book a boat trip or plan a sunset outing to look for dolphins and seals, or head towards Holy Island (Lindisfarne), which sits within the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve. The island is accessible by foot across its causeway when the tide allows, so checking the tide times before setting off is essential. Once there, Lindisfarne Priory is a must-see. The ancient monastery dates back more than 1,000 years and offers a glimpse into the island’s remarkable history. Nearby Lindisfarne Castle, now owned by the National Trust, dates from the 1500s and is another of the area’s landmarks. The island’s position within the national nature reserve means there’s plenty of wildlife and plant life to discover, while its twice-daily isolation by the tides gives it a particularly atmospheric quality.

For even more wildlife, take a boat from Seahouses harbour and head out around the Farne Islands, where thousands of birds and seals gather to breed each year between May and July. This National Nature Reserve is home to one of the UK’s largest colonies of Atlantic grey seals, as well as around 200,000 breeding seabirds in early summer. Puffins are the undoubted stars, with around 43,000 pairs nesting here, alongside Arctic and Sandwich terns, eider ducks, guillemots, razorbills and shags. From the water, you can get a close-up view of seals bobbing alongside the boat or lounging on the rocks, while the sheer scale of the bird colonies is quite something to see. Keep your eyes peeled – if you’re lucky, dolphins or even orca can sometimes be spotted offshore.

Where to stay: The National Trust looks after a number of holiday homes and cottages within reach of both islands. Lookout Cottage is simple, snug cottage and right next to a HM Coastguard radio room, which is just a 15-minute drive to Seahouses, where you can join a boat to the Farne Islands. St Oswalds Cottage is a Grade II-listed cottage on Holy Island, designed by Lutyens. And Glen House is a simple, mid-terrace cottage on the island's main street, just half a mile away from Lindisfarne Castle.

Off the south-west coast of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly offer one of the UK’s most distinctive escapes. With white-sand beaches, clear blue water, exotic gardens and a noticeably slower pace of life, the islands feel a world away from the mainland. And getting there is part of the adventure. Ferries are the traditional option, but approaching the Isles of Scilly by air from Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter – or helicopter from Penzance – gives you an extraordinary view of the subtropical-looking islands and the intensely blue water surrounding them. Of the five inhabited islands, Tresco is our pick. Car free and privately owned, much of the island can be explored on foot, by bike or by boat. The landscape is varied, with rocky outcrops, Bronze Age burial sites, castle ruins and secluded beaches all within easy reach. On the food front, The New Inn in New Grimsby offers a menu of classic pub food and seafood, including potted crab, monkfish scampi and lobster with chilli and garlic herb butter. For lunch beside the water, head to Ruin Beach Café. The wood-fired oven turns out pizzas, seafood pasta and homemade bread, while the seafood platter is ideal after a morning swim. It’s equally appealing for coffee, a long lunch or a bottle of wine at sunset.

Where to stay: Accommodation ranges from traditional Scillonian cottages to contemporary Sea Garden Cottages, which sleep between two and ten people. Set within landscaped gardens close to the shoreline, the cottages have open-plan living spaces, private decks and gardens, bespoke fabrics and coastal-inspired artwork. For a more traditional stay, The New Inn is a cosy seaside pub with en-suite rooms and views across the sea or countryside.