My fiancé Jay and I recently set ourselves a challenge: a thrifty day out without spending any money. So we went somewhere without shops, cafes or restaurants.

Hilbre Island is a nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. We checked the tidal times then set out across the beach from the town of West Kirby. Having quickly explored the first island, Little Eye (it’s tiny) and the next, Little Hilbre, we reached Hilbre proper. It’s a wild and windy place – perfect for de-stressing and looking out to sea. On a good day you might even spot some grey seals.

We were lucky with the weather. On reaching the island, the clouds parted, the sun came out and it seemed the only thing to do was to simply lie in the grass watching the sky and listening to the waves crashing below. We’d have stayed all day if it wasn’t for those pesky tides…

Be sure to take a bag with waterproofs, a picnic and make sure you wear sturdy shoes or wellies. And don’t forget your camera. Even the most amateur of photographers can’t fail to get some beautiful pictures. And I guarantee that after all that fresh sea air you’ll have a great night’s sleep!

Images by Sarah Hardman