Ten years ago I recommended the Ionian as a dinghy cruising area. This year I returned to spend six weeks of May and June there, and although there have been changes it is still a wonderful place for an undemanding though interesting cruise.

I saw it as having the attractions of the west coast of Scotland, but with reliable fine weather. For five years on that unrivalled coast my holiday weeks, necessarily planned in advance, coincided for the most part with force 6 plus, threatened gales, and/or deluges. There are fine intervals during which it must be one of the most beautiful places anywhere, but they are all too short. The Ionian has the splendid hills as a background, the choice of innumerable islands and coves as anchorages, and in addition a predictable weather pattern. It is warm from April to October, hot from late May to September. The sun shines nearly all the daylight hours; intervals of cloud or thunder are soon over. Wind strengths range from dead calm in the mornings to a possible force six in the afternoons — usually only about four. In addition one has the fun of living in a country not yet wholly absorbed into the uniformity of west European culture, and still very friendly to the odd people who sail around in small boats.

There have been changes. No longer is the donkey the usual means of transport. Roads — unsurfaced — are being bulldozed through the olive groves of Meganisi for tractors and jeeps. The earth-floored tin-roofed shacks which used to house tavernas have been replaced by more sophisticated buildings. The families running them are the same, though — Nick in Nidri, Stephano and Georgio at Vathi on Meganisi, still preside. Fish farms have taken over some of the best anchorages, but there are plenty more.

In May and June it was not overcrowded. Flotillas of 6 to 12 boats were around, but not so many as I remember from 1986. There were a few boats chartered or even towed out by car by German and Austrian families, mostly during the Whitsun holiday.

In my 18’ 8” Sandpiper, although not so obviously unique as I was in the 15’ dinghy in ’86, I still had the smallest boat around. There’s no great advantage in a cabin over a tent. It makes life easier (too temptingly easy for the lazy) to have an engine instead of oars. Shallow draft gives one a great bonus — just take up the keel and run in close to the beach to splash ashore through the shallows. The other anchor will be safely laid in deep water of course. We did have one encounter with the lead boat of a flotilla which proposed to raft up for their barbecue night right across our anchor warp, but such bad manners were rare.

Practicalities: it takes at least three days each way to tow a trailer out and back. To keep my 18 footer on its trailer in a yard one mile from Preveza airport costs me £500 a year including launch and recover by their hoist. It could probably be done for less if one took a chance of leaving the boat in charge of a local boatman. Air fare varies from £100 to £250 return.

The trail out and back with ferries cross channel and Ancona-Igoumenitsi would cost at least £700, I reckoned. There is no longer a Falcon Sailing with Wayfarers at Nidri, but Wanderers can be hired there for day sails.

Greece is no longer a particularly cheap country — prices very much as at home, except that eating out in tavernas in the remoter places is still much cheaper. There is now an unpretentious hotel on Meganisi (quite cheap) and one or two posher ones at Nidri (about £15 per night).

I had six weeks, thanks to three crews — my husband Tony, and friends Sophie and Mary —who each came for a fortnight. Plans for next year are still to be arranged.