14 Lundy Island, Devon

Marooned in the middle of the Bristol Channel and often cut off for days through bad weather, this island feels like a lump of the Hebrides mysteriously dumped in the south-west. It is a wild, beautiful and almost treeless place, with a tiny resident population, no cars, a lot of sheep, cattle and ponies, and kilometres of footpaths. The chief attraction is the cliffside breeding puffins (best April-july), but the chance to get away from it all ensures that few visitors only come here once. All the accommodation is self-catering in historic properties, including a castle and a lighthouse, now owned by the Landmark Trust. HB www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland