The UK’s sunniest spot has been named and it just so happens to have ‘lovely’ beaches with ‘wonderful views’.
The Isle of Wight officially has the honour of receiving the most sunlight. It’s loved by many for its coastal scenery, impressive landscape and mild climate.
The island has been a popular holiday destination since the Victorian times and even Queen Victoria herself had a retreat there, which has now become a tourist attraction.
Let’s face it, finding a literal UK hotspot with stunning scenery and sunlight is no easy feat as British summers tend to come and go swiftly.
However, new data published this month by the Met Office, which was collected over three decades, found the Isle of Wight, located off the south coast of England, to reign supreme above the rest for being sun-drenched. It’s the only UK destination that relishes in more than five hours of sunshine a day.
On the mainland the honour belongs to Kent, which is also in southeast England, which finishes in second place overall. It’s followed by East and West Sussex.
The top 10 sunniest counties in the UK
The data below includes the average hours of daily sunshine recorded between 1991-2020.
- Isle of Wight – 5 hours 8 minutes
- Kent – 4 hours 47 minutes
- East Sussex – 4 hours 46 minutes
- West Sussex – 4 hours 42 minutes
- Essex – 4 hours 35 minutes
- Dorset – 4 hours 34 minutes
- Suffolk – 4 hours 34 minutes
- Hampshire – 4 hours 32 minutes
- Surrey – 4 hours 29 minutes
- Cornwall – 4 hours 29 minutes
How to travel to Isle of Wight
Travelling from London takes just two hours which is why it is often marketed as an ideal spot for a short break.
Trains leave from Waterloo station to West Cowes via Southampton Central Station. Tickets can be purchased on Trainline.com and according to the website, prices can start from as little as £45.70.
After the train journey, you can then hop on a ferry. There are over 200 crossings a day, according to the official Visit Isle of Wight website and you can find more information about routes here.
There are also coach stations at Portsmouth and Southampton which are just a short distance from the passenger ferries.
What’s the weather like on the Isle of Wight
The weather is one of the greatest draws of the island. It has a mild climate and the warmest months are May-September, with an average daily high above 17°C, according to Weather Spark.
The hottest month of the year in Isle of Wight is August, with an average high of 19°C and low of 14°C.
Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo!
Things to do and places to visit on the Isle of Wight
Now that we know the weather will be gorgeous and the sun will be shining this summer, where exactly on the Isle of Wight should you spend your weekends?
The island has several beaches for the hot summer days, including Ventnor and Steephill Cove.
The former, which was once hailed as the ‘new Notting Hill’, is a great sun trap with a wide variety of restaurants and pubs along the esplanade while the backdrop of the nearby town and the cliffs look incredible.
Charles Dickens described Ventnor as ‘the prettiest place I ever saw in my life, at home or abroad’. It has its own unique microclimate and a botanic garden.
You can watch traditional fishermen at work in Steephill Cove.
Appley Beach is highly rated on Tripadvisor. Visitor Sandy H commented: ‘Wonderful views across to the spinnaker at Portsmouth. Lucky to have visited several days in a row and the tide was out so I was able to fully walk the extensive sands and soak up all the views in the sunshine, lucky us.’
And a contributor known as Lucy named her review ‘lovely beach’ and shared: ‘Really cool that you can go out super far! Loved the vibe and atmosphere, would definitely come back to Appley Beach!’
There are also a number of attractions to see, including Osbourne House, the former retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Godshill Model Village, which will whisk you back in time to the 1920s and 1930s, Carisbrooke Castle, large chalk formations at the tip of the island called The Needles, Quarr Abbey and the historic gorge Shanklin Chine.
It’s also home to the iconic Isle of Wight Festival, which takes place this year from June 20-23, 2024.
Where to stay on the Isle of Wight
The summer season lasting from May to September will be busy, but fear not.
The major towns on the Isle of Wight where you may consider booking accommodation via Booking.com are Shanklin (136 hotels), Sandown (125 hotels), Ryde (58 hotels), Newport (41 hotels), Cowes (52 hotels), Ventnor (104 hotels) or Yarmouth (129 hotels).
A search for a two-night stay across these towns in May 2024 brings up accommodation with ‘impressive’ and ‘exceptional’ ratings from as low as £60 per night to around £150.
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