Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago of around 140 islands and rocks sitting 28 miles off Land’s End, though only five are inhabited: St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes. Getting there is part of the experience — you can fly from Land’s End or Newquay airports in around 20 minutes, or take the Scillonian III ferry from Penzance, a crossing of about two and three-quarter hours that gives you a real sense of just how far out into the Atlantic these islands are.

What hits you first is the light. The Scillies have a clarity and colour that feels more Mediterranean than British — white sand beaches, turquoise water, and subtropical plants growing in the open air thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. Tresco’s Abbey Garden is the headline attraction, home to plants from over 80 countries that simply shouldn’t survive this far north. But every island has its own character: St Martin’s has arguably the finest beaches, Bryher is wild and exposed to the full force of the Atlantic, and St Agnes (the most southerly community in England) has a timeless quality that’s hard to describe without sounding sentimental.

Wildlife is everywhere. Seals, puffins, shearwaters and dolphins are regular sights, and the inter-island boat trips are one of the best ways to see them. There are no traffic jams, no chain restaurants, and barely any phone signal on some islands. The Scillies are genuinely unlike anywhere else in England — the pace of life alone makes the journey worth it.