My no-fly break in the UK's sunniest place felt like being abroad

Huge-winged white gannets are diving into the sunlit surf just feet from the ferry. As we head towards Cowes Harbour, inviting sandy beaches stretch along wooded shores. Averaging 1,594 sunshine hours annually, or 205 in its sunniest month (July), the Isle of Wight regularly tops the UK sunshine leagues.

Today’s weather is changeable, but there are growing patches of blue sky.

Airport delays in the EU and high jet fuel costs that come with the fear of flight cancellations have boosted bookings for holidays in the UK. The Isle of Wight is a convenient alternative to the Continent, offering the feel of somewhere overseas that is also easy to reach.

I have just a weekend for a break, squeezed between a Saturday morning meeting in Reading and work again on Monday. CrossCountry trains from Reading to Southampton take just 51 minutes, so I am heading to the Isle of Wight by rail and ferry with minimal luggage, and I am already relaxing into holiday mode.

It’s a quick hop from Southampton to the Isle of Wight by ferry (Photo: Procam Films)