A TINY island found inside a busy UK city will open to the public later this month.
Found on the River Thames in Twickenham, Eel Pie Island is home to around 120 people.
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The name is believed to have come from the eel pies, which were served on the island back in the 19th century.
The tiny island is mainly used by artists living there, including painters, potters and sculptors.
It’s not an easy place to visit because tourists and holidaymakers are banned from stepping foot on the island.
However, the artists open their studios to the public on set days throughout the year.
Visitors to the island will be able to talk to the locals about their art and may be able to purchase a piece of artwork or two.
This summer, the residents of Eel Pie Island will open their studios for two weekends of the year.
The island will open for two weekends this summer, on June 29 and 30 and July 6 and 7.
Entry is free and the island will be open from 11am to 6pm daily.
No pre-booking is required, visitors are simply asked to walk over the footbridge that connects the island to the mainland.
A statement on the island’s website reads: “Although the island is private and visitors are not allowed, twice a year, usually in early July and early December, thanks to the graciousness of the private residents who live on the island, we open up our studios to the public, so that you can view inside a working studio and browse, purchase or commission unique works of art!”
Those Brit holidaymakers who already have plans on those weekends will get another chance to visit the island in December when it opens to the public.
The island became popular with tourists after the opening of the Eel Pie Island Hotel, which hosted ballroom dancing in the 1920s.
Several famous people are said to have performed at the hotel too, including The Rolling Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd.
However, the hotel closed back in 1967 because of rising costs, although it briefly reopened as a club before closing down again.
The island has been positively reviewed by visitors on TripAdvisor, with one person saying: “A wonderful but private island famed for its history of music.”
Someone else said: “A fascinating place, in the heart of Twickenham.”
A third person added: “It’s a curious and pretty little spot in the River Thames, reached by an arched pedestrian bridge from suburban Twickenham in London.
“It’s definitely worth a visit if you are over in that corner of London.”
Other little-known islands to visit in the UK
Staycations are becoming increasingly popular with Brits who aren’t keen on forking out for flights and hotels abroad, and luckily enough there are plenty of little-known islands to visit.
- Caldey Island, which lies just off the coast of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, is owned by monks and is home to a grand monastery. The island welcomes daytrippers from Easter until the end of October, but it’s closed to visitors on Sundays.
- Foulness Island, which sits just off the coast of Essex, is home to 150 residents. Brit holidaymakers can visit the English island on the first Sunday of every month. To step foot on the island, visitors will need to complete a registration form on the Foulness Island Heritage Centre website before arriving.
- During World War II, Cramond Island was fortified in preparation for an enemy invasion. While it was left unscathed at the end of the conflict, it was abandoned. Today the island, just outside of Edinburgh, remains as it was left all those years ago – waiting for a war that never arrived.
Here’s another UK island that’s like Cornwall from the 1970s.
And an island in Scotland has been dubbed the “Hawaii of the North”.
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