Bembridge

The eastern tip of the Isle of Wight feels properly remote once you roll into Bembridge. This sailing-mad village sits where the Solent meets the English Channel, and the sea dominates everything here - from the harbour crammed with yachts to the clifftop walks that offer cracking views across to Portsmouth.

Bembridge Down rises behind the village like a green whale's back, perfect for stretching your legs after the chain ferry crossing. The climb to Culver Millenium Beacon rewards you with panoramic views, while the Old ROC Post reminds you this coast was once Britain's front line. Further inland, Gander Down offers quieter walking without the crowds.

Down in the village proper, the sailing scene is the main event. The harbour fills with serious sailors and weekend warriors alike, and you'll find decent pubs that know their way around fresh crab. St John the Baptist church sits prettily above it all, worth a look for its Victorian stonework.

The Yarborough Monument on the downs marks one of the island's highest points and makes for a proper walk on blustery days. These eastern cliffs can be wild when the wind's up.

Reaching Bembridge means taking the chain ferry from Sandbanks or driving the long way round through Newport - either way, it feels like a proper expedition. The nearest towns are Ryde to the north and Sandown to the west, but Bembridge keeps to itself.

Staying at one of the holiday parks scattered around this corner of the island makes perfect sense. You're close enough to explore the sailing culture and clifftop walks, yet far enough from the summer crowds that swarm Cowes and the Needles.