When I received  an email about “the only private island in the UK”,  an exclusive escape with its own beach house,  I had visions of  long walks on an isolated windswept landscape followed by hot toddies by the beach house fire.

I quickly realised that while the hot toddies by the beach house fire are perfectly feasible, any long walks on this particular island  - Towan Island in  New Quay, Cornwall – are not  advised, unless you are into abseiling.

Click here for more photos……

Calling it an island  may be  a bit of a stretch –  The House in the Sea, as it’s called,  is really a house perched on a rock with its own suspension bridge. According to Unique Home Stays,  the island and bridge is fenced and the fact that there are steep cliffs on all sides “should be of no concern, indeed that is one of the main attractions of this unique property! (For younger children, see Practicalities section below).”

The Practicalities section  goes on to say “please consider carefully before bringing younger children who may be tempted to climb a fence or play on the bridge.”  However Unique Home Stays however says it’s a perfectly safe structure ” and has never had any problems in the 8 years it’s been let as a B&B!”

The house in the sea costs €2,145 for a four-night stay in high season and accommodates up to six people.  Built in the  1930s, it was once owned by  Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, inventor of the spark plug and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is thought to have visited there. The previous owners were  Lord and Lady Long who sold it last year for  a reported  £1 million – they paid £500,000 for it in 2001.