Beautiful car-free island is the ‘quietest place’ in the UK –

Brits looking to escape the crowds this summer may not need to travel to the other side of the world. While one tiny New Zealand island was ranked the quietest place in the world by a new index, fifth place went to a small British island with stunning white sandy beaches, just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall.

Tucked away in the Isles of Scilly, St Martin's clear water and coastal walking routes may trick you into thinking you're further afield – and that is exactly why it is sometimes called the Caribbean of the UK. Visitors can search for rock pools at Lawrence's Bay, swim in the turquoise waters at Par Beach, or try their luck at spotting Atlantic grey seals.

Despite its small population, a surprising amount of activities are on offer, including a flower farm and vineyard, a jewellery studio, artisan bakery and of course, a gallery showcasing local artwork.

The island has just 135 residents and is virtually car-free, with only a small number of local vehicles, meaning peace and quiet, and plenty of opportunities for uninterrupted hiking in nature.

After dark, the lack of artificial light makes the islands ideal for stargazing. Visitors can head to Scilly's only observatory and be awed by skies that are far darker than those in most parts of the UK.

The island's combination of open space, low traffic and natural scenery may help explain its high ranking in a new index from retreat marketplace BookRetreats.com, which placed St Martin's among the world's quietest islands.

With insight from silence researcher, author and psychology professor Olga Lehmann, the Unspoilt Index ranked 100 islands according to rich nature, few roads, low air traffic, uncrowded space, dark night skies and natural coastal spots.

“Quiet means something different for each of us,” said Lehmann, “but there are factual markers that count. Low decibel levels in our surroundings are important, and the natural and architectural qualities of a place can all shape the soundscape we experience and whether it lets us truly rest.”

Visitors can reach the Isles of Scilly by ferry or plane from Cornwall, before taking a boat from St Mary's to St Martin's, making the island remote enough to feel like an escape without a long-haul journey.

Scotland's Isle of Skye came in 11th in the ranking, while Herm, the car-free Channel Island home to around 60 people, took 14th place.

"Islands have always been where we go to escape, but very few are still as quiet as they once were," says Sean Kelly, co-founder of BookRetreats.com.

"Our Unspoilt Index maps where the last genuinely quiet ones are, and what’s clear from the data is that they’re peaceful because people chose to protect them, and still do."