Eel Pie Island, Twickenham

With a name (locally caught eel pies were once sold to passing boats) as colourful as its past, this privately owned island has a boho vibe and its artists’ studios can be visited on several Open Studios weekends each year. Back in the 1960s, the ballroom of the Eel Pie Hotel regularly hosted many rock legends, including the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and the Who. Now it’s home to artists’ studios and about 120 residents. Find out the history of the island at Eel Pie Island Museum on Richmond Road. 

Monkey Island 

In the 12th century, monks fished here; in 1666, rubble from the Great Fire of London gave it a solid base; and in 1723 the Duke of Marlborough bought the island as a fishing retreat. His Palladian Temple and Pavilion form part of Monkey Island Estate, a luxurious hotel. Don’t miss the bar, decorated in fashionable 18th-century singerie: scenes of monkeys acting as humans.

Penton Hook Island, Chertsey

Located at Penton Hook Marina and joined to the mainland via a footbridge across two other islands. Once on the wooded island you can picnic or stroll, watching out for wildlife as you go. Notice the ladder that allows migrating fish, including salmon and eels, to bypass the lock and weirs.

Ham Island, Old Windsor

An inhabited island reached by foot or car created by a channel dug in 1822 that stretches across the neck of a large meander of the Thames. Apart from some 40 private houses and a well-screened water treatment plant, the island is home to the Blue Acre Horse Rescue Sanctuary, where volunteers are welcome.