For sale: 10 idyllic islands to escape to this winter

Ailsa Craig, Ayrshire

This iconic island, 10 miles offshore in the Firth of Clyde, provides the granite used for curling stones. The island's conical summit rises to 1,100ft and slopes steeply to the sea. On the eastern side, there is a flat, beach area with a cottage. There are three other former cottages, a ruined castle and a lighthouse. Two leases, for the quarry and a bird sanctuary, bring in Ј26,000 a year. telegraph