What could be more idyllic than laying your picnic rug by a lighthouse on an island named after Wales’s fifth-century patron saint of lovers, Saint Dwynwen. In the past, pilgrims looking for romance crossed the remote finger of land that gets swallowed by the sea at high tide. Today, you can explore the ruins of Saint Dwynwen’s original chapel, where she is said to be buried, walk through rolling dunes, and follow the path to the island’s nature reserve.

Getting to your picnic spot is part of the fun when you take a punt along the River Cam to Grantchester Meadows, immortalised by Pink Floyd and Sylvia Plath. Do it yourself, following the Upper River, which meanders through fenland and woods, from Scudamore’s Mill Lane boatyard. Or let someone else do the hard work on a private punting tour which also takes in the architecture of ‘The Backs’, allowing four and a half hours for a return trip that includes picnic time.

Looking up at the sheer scale of what was one of England’s most powerful Cistercian abbeys will give you something to ponder on as you start unpacking your picnic hamper. Founded in around 1132, the monastery was dissolved under Henry VIII; its spectacular ruins appear in many paintings. Settle on the southern lawns of this English Heritage property for the most dramatic views; there are also picnic benches with views to the eponymous village. Visit english-heritage.org.uk.

The Lake District is teeming with glorious spots for alfresco eating, but this one on the southern tip of Windermere is particularly good for families. In the grounds of a former manor house, it’s right on the water’s edge, which means you can paddle or go paddle boarding, hire a rowing boat or swim in the lake. There are changing facilities, a play area and a café, as well as plenty of space to roll out a rug and drink in those views.

It’s pretty as a picture in the patchwork of purple lavender fields at this Kent farm in July. Take a seat next to the rows of deliciously scented flowers and enjoy your own goodies. Be sure to leave room for the farm shop’s lavender-flavoured shortbread and ice cream. Three picnic sessions are held each day, and reservations are snapped up quickly when bookings open in mid-June; the evening slot is particularly popular (from £13 for adults, £6.50 for children). Visit: castlefarmkent.co.uk.

Tuck into your food along with a slice of World War II history at the twin-towered Derwent Dam. This is where the RAF’s 617 squadron flew practice missions with their bouncing bombs in the run-up to their celebrated 1943 Dambusters raid in the German Ruhr. It’s a place to celebrate wet weather, too. After rain the dams may overflow: an incredible sight. After lunch, you can stroll along the reservoir edge, created by flooding the old Derwent village, and climb up to the moors for the view.

Possibly Scotland’s most scenic stretch of sand, Sanna Bay Beach is on the wild Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the most westerly point of mainland Britain. Getting there involves following a single-track road that crosses an extinct volcanic crater. But it’s worth it – once you’ve crested the dunes from the car park, you’ll see water that wouldn’t seem out of place in the Caribbean (at least until you dip your toe into it). It’s the perfect place for a sandwich in the sand.

The secret vale with a bubbling river that inspired the novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore is still as magical and mysterious as it was in 1869. Leave your car at Lorna Doone Farm and eat your lunchbox in the wooded valley with its memorial to Richard Doddridge Blackmore. An eight-mile circular hike takes you from deer-inhabited forest onto open sections of Exmoor, where ponies roam. You’ll have burnt more than enough calories to justify a traditional Devonshire cream tea back at the farm. Visit: nationaltrust.org.uk.

Suspended high above the Atlantic, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was built by salmon fishermen in 1755 so they could cross to the eponymous island, whose name means The Rock in the Road (for migrating fish). It makes a dramatic view while you eat your sandwiches – salmon, naturally. If you want to wobble your way across the bridge spanning the 20-metre chasm, be sure to book in advance; its starring role in Game Of Thrones has made it very popular. Visit: nationaltrust.org.uk.

From the 500-foot limestone outcrop of Symonds Yat Rock you can take in panoramic vistas of the River Wye far below and, if you’re lucky, you might also spot a hovering peregrine falcon. There are picnic tables near the parking area and a cabin-style café, if you’ve forgotten anything. Down by the river, which divides the village of Symonds Yat East and West, you can cross the river by hand ferry, then walk to the Biblins suspension footbridge to cross back again.