The UK's seaside town that gets 1,976 hours of sunshine a year
Known for its sandy beach, historic Old Village and thatched cottages, this traditional seaside town has more annual sunshine hours than anywhere else in the UK.
Shanklin, on the Isle of Wight's southeast coast, offers a mix of Victorian charm, modern attractions, coastal walks and easy access to the rest of the island via its railway line.
The town is home to Shanklin Chine, which is the oldest tourist attraction on the Isle of Wight, dating back to 1817.
It is a steep-sided, lush gorge carved by natural springs over thousands of years. The area features waterfalls, rare plants, and towering trees.
The poet John Keats stayed in Shanklin during the summer of 1819, drawing inspiration from the scenic Shanklin Chine and the surrounding area.
During World War II, Shanklin played a strategic role with Operation PLUTO pipelines running from its Chine to deliver fuel.
According to Met Office figures, the town receives 1,976 hours of sunshine annually.
This represents 573 hours above the national average and 44 hours ahead of second-placed Folkestone in Kent.
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort town known for its golden sandy beach
The area forms part of the wider Sandown Bay, known for its family-friendly beaches
The remnants of the old Shanklin Pier, which was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1987, are visible in the water
The figures were examined by Sunsave Energy, which states on its website: 'The Isle of Wight receives the gold medal for sunshine.
'Located just off the south coast of England, this little island is famous for its sunny weather, seafront promenades and beach huts.
'It’s no surprise that Queen Victoria regularly chose to retreat here.'
The Isle of Wight is 573 hours up on the UK average of 1,403.
To get to Shanklin, Brits can catch a quick ferry from Portsmouth to Ryde Pier Head, then take the Island Line.
The town is a 25-minute drive to Blackgang Chine, the UK's oldest theme park.
It comes as 2025 saw the sunniest April in the UK since records began in 1910.
Elsewhere in the UK, seaside locations in the south east dominate the ranking.
Shanklin Chine is a historic gorge and the Isle of Wight's oldest tourist attraction
Church Road in Shanklin Old Village on the Isle of Wight is known for its charming, historic thatched cottages
Pictured: A row of brightly colored beach huts located at Small Hope Beach in Shanklin, Isle of Wight
Folkestone in Kent receives around 1,932 hours of sunshine per year and Bognor Regis in West Sussex sees 1,919 per year.
Three spots in Dorset made the list, as well as four in Essex and Kent combined.
Dunbar in East Lothian is renowned as one of Scotland's sunniest and driest towns, earning nicknames like 'Sunny Dunny'
The town records more annual sunshine hours than many other Scottish locations, with around 1,446 hours on average.
