Winning tip: The Creel Seafood Bar, Fionnphort, Mull

Many make the pilgrimage from Mull to Iona, but by going straight from the car or coach onto the ferry, they miss out on possibly the best meal of their lives, in one of the most idyllic locations in Scotland. Don’t let the unassuming Creel Seafood Bar (Fionnphort harbour, Mull, 07743 924570) fool you. It’s run by a local fisherman and his family: the catch of the day is always cooked to order and ranks among the finest seafood in the world. Sit with your fresh langoustines, crab, lobster or mussels overlooking the turquoise waters and white sands – it’s bliss.
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Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides

Barra is a feast for the senses. The day we cycled to Tangasdale beach (pictured above) the sun was shining and the beach was completely empty but for a lonely sheep. The coastline is fantastic for kayaking and cycling, with local companies offering guided tours. Take a peek at medieval Kisimul Castle (a five-minute ferry trip from Castlebay) for great views, too, and make sure you eat scallops at some point – they are massive and impossibly sweet.
Kayak hire and tours with clearwaterpaddling.com
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Foula, Shetland Islands

If you ever make it to Shetland, go one step further with a short flight to Foula, 20 miles west of Mainland and one of the UK’s most remote inhabited islands, with a population of about 30. There are six flights a week from Lerwick to Foula’s unpaved and slightly bumpy airstrip, taking about 15 minutes and costing from £77 return. Ask nicely and you may be able to sit next to the pilot as you skirt over the west edge of the mainland, which is home to many birds, including arctic terns and divers.
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Herm, Channel Islands

Herm, a 20-minute ferry ride from Guernsey, has turquoise sea, several white sand beaches and (from April to July) puffins. Kayak round the island with Outdoor Guernsey, walk along the cliff path enjoying the wildflowers and sea views, have lunch at the Mermaid Tavern, and be back on the boat in time for tea. You can camp there, too, if you really want to escape.
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Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland

As you sail towards Rathlin, off Northern Ireland, you’ll see porpoises, gannets and black guillemots among other wildlife. The island offers much in the way of escape – hiking and biking, creamy pints of Guinness and traditional music in the pub, and locally caught fish and exquisite crab burgers in Emma’s Chip Ahoy (the award-winning local chip shop). Take an early-morning swim with the seals too – if you’re feeling brave. There is also a quirky museum full of mementos of island life, friendly locals, and three lighthouses to visit, so you’ll quickly fill a weekend.
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The Calf of Man, Isle of Man

This island is a square mile of cliffs, gorse, heathland and carpets of wild flowers just off the south-west coast of the Isle of Man. Walk the path all the way round, past abandoned lighthouses and old crofts and you’ll see Manx shearwaters, kittiwakes, razorbills and shags and possibly peregrines, hen harriers and choughs. Hundreds of small birds feed outside the estate ornithological warden’s bothy, where you can stay in shared dorms with a communal kitchen. On the boat trip there you’ll probably see seals and possibly basking sharks.
Self-catering dorms from £15 per person per night (available April-September), 01624 648000, manxnationalheritage.im,
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Caldey Island, Pembrokeshire

As a holy island with monks in residence, Caldey, which is only accessible by boat from Tenby, Pembokeshire, is closed to the public on Sundays. When we arrived, we were greeted by an expanse of golden sand. There are beautiful coastal walks and unspoilt nature trails as well as a post office, which added the special island stamp to our letters. The highlight for my children was discovering that to reach the boat at low tide we were driven through the water by an adapted ex-second world war army vehicle.
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Lundy, Devon

Stepping on to Lundy is like stepping back in time. Just getting there is an experience, with a two-hour boat trip or exhilarating seven-minute helicopter ride. Walking is the only way around the island but as it is only three miles long by half a mile wide, this isn’t a problem. The island’s letterbox trail – a treasure hunt of hidden boxes containing message pads – is a great way to enjoy the amazing views and wildlife, with seals, sika deer, soay sheep and puffins among the many species that live here. And until May next year you can see one of Antony Gormley’s Land statues gazing out across the Bristol Channel. There are a number of unusual properties to stay in, with no television, radio or telephones. The Marisco Tavern, in which mobile phones and gadgets are banned, serves excellent food.
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Papa Westray, Orkney Islands

Papa Westray (Papay to the locals) is a small island in the north of the Orkneys. Go by ferry or air and when you arrive the beauty of the place and friendliness of the locals will be hard to beat. Stay in the island’s community-run hostel at Beltane House and you could be the only visitors to the island at the time. Explore the nature reserve to the north of the island and visit Knap o’ Howar, at 5,800 years old, northern Europe’s oldest preserved house. Playing dominoes in the pub while listening to live folk music was our highlight. For added remoteness, ask a fisherman to take you out to the small adjacent islet, Holm of Papay, to explore the large neolithic tomb there.
Papa Westray Hostel, doubles from £40
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Unst, Shetland Islands

Perched at the top of the Shetland Islands, Unst is the final outpost of the British Isles and has a population of about 500. Visit the Unst bus shelter, which reflects the island’s idiosyncrasies – every year a new theme is chosen and you can sign a guest book. Pick up some oatcakes made with seawater at the village shop and stop at the Valhalla brewery in Haroldswick for an ale. Drive to the end of the road and walk out to Hermaness, one of the largest bird colonies in Europe, with thousands of pairs of gannets and puffins in the summer and a view out to Muckle Flugga lighthouse.
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