TOP 10 BRITAIN'S BEST BOAT TRIPS

Melanie O'Shea heads on a grand coastal tour to discover the UK's greatest island-hopping experiences

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The Isles of Scilly, Cornwall

After boarding the Scillonian Ill in Penzance, stand on deck as you slip out of the harbour to gain a unique perspective of the West Penwith Peninsula before heading to St Mary's, the largest island of the Isles of Scilly. The route passes hidden smugglers’ caves, picture-perfect harbour villages and sandy coves nestled between soaring cliffs. The architectural feat of the clifftop open-air Minack Theatre heralds the approach to Land’s End before you head into open waters.

Sailing where the English Channel meets the open Atlantic puts you within rich marine feeding grounds, home to bountiful wildlife. The resident dolphin pods of Mount’s Bay regularly chaperone the boat along the coast, while grey seals, sunfish and basking sharks are frequent sightings from the deck.

The largest archipelago in the UK, the Isles of Scilly may only be 28 miles off the coast of mainland Britain but the islands feel utterly unique, otherworldly and breathtakingly beautiful. Each of the five inhabited islands has its own character and devoted fan base among regular visitors and, once you're on the archipelago, hopping between islands is relatively easy with the inter-island ferries (scillyboating.co.uk). Hiring a motorboat or kayak enables you to explore some of the 140 smaller, uninhabited islands yourself, where you can rock-pool, ramble and indulge any Robinson Crusoe fantasies.

The Scillonian Ill sails from March to November and the journey takes two hours and 45 minutes; dogs are permitted on board. Pre-book tickets at islesofscilly-travel.co.uk.

Brownsea Island, Dorset