Burgh Island

Burgh Island lies off the coast of South Devon, just beyond the village of Bigbury-on-Sea. A narrow strip of land appears at low tide, linking the island to the mainland, while at high tide it becomes a true island surrounded by water. The most striking building is the Burgh Island Hotel, an Art Deco structure built in the 1930s. Nearby stands the Pilchard Inn, parts of which date to the 14th century and may have begun as lodgings for a monastery. The island’s name has changed several times, once appearing as Borough Island and earlier as St Michael’s Island. A small chapel once crowned the summit, later used by fishermen to signal shoals of pilchards. During the Second World War the island was fortified with anti-tank blocks and pillboxes to guard against invasion. The island is closely linked to Agatha Christie, who set two of her novels there. The hotel appears as Soldier Island in And Then There Were None and as the setting for Evil Under the Sun. The 2002 television adaptation of the latter was filmed on location, as were scenes from the 1987 Miss Marple adaptation Nemesis. In the 1930s Noël Coward and other London celebrities used the hotel as a retreat, and later visitors included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and The Beatles. A writer’s retreat built for Christie in the 1930s still stands on the western shore, raised on pillars above the pebble beach. Visitors reach the island on foot at low tide along the sandy causeway. When the tide returns, the hotel’s sea tractor carries passengers back and forth, its wheels running underwater while the platform stays dry above. The island has a network of footpaths, though some routes were once restricted before public access was restored. The Pilchard Inn offers a place to rest, its ancient beams and low ceilings recalling centuries of smuggling and fishing. From the summit there are wide views across Bigbury Bay and the coastline beyond. The beach house built for Christie remains a quiet spot for writers and visitors alike.