The deserted plot sits in the middle of the River Ouse, near Goole, and is up for sale for the first time.

For those who long for total isolation or a Swallows and Amazons style adventure, the 19-acre land mass close to the village of Hook, could be the perfect investment.

Accessible only by boat and with just wildlife for company it offers an escape from modern life and has none of its amenities.

Also known as Howdendyke Island, it is on the market for £100,000 with the York branch of Savills.

Sarah Hinchliffe, Rural Surveyor for Savills, said: "It's always been privately owned and in recent years it has been leased to a tenant for shooting as it has a large wild fowl population. I think it would appeal to anyone interested in nature as it is quite a sizeable island with thick vegetation and plenty of flora and fauna, but there has never been a property on it so it is doubtful you could build on it."

She added: "You could think about building something on stilts I suppose but you'd have to get planning permission first . You could certainly camp there if you wanted but you would have to watch out if there was a particularly high tide."

This wide and choppy stretch of the River Ouse is tidal and known for its tough navigation.

Even the ingenious Romans found difficulty navigating the shoals, often abandoning ships further down stream when sailing down to York.

Those tides coupled with attempts to make a lake just off shore helped create the relatively young Hook Island in the early 20th century.

It started life as a stretch of agricultural land attached to the river bank when it was bought by Fred Taylor in the 1920s.

Some of the land was excavated in the 1950's to create a lake for fishing and ice skating and as the bank between it and the river eroded, it made the island that is now in the middle of the river.

Older generations in Hook can recall a sandbank that created a causeway between the mainland and the island at low tide, but that has since disappeared.

David Best, who co-owns Hook after inheriting it along with his sister and cousin, says: "It was bought by my great great grandfather, who bought it from a local butcher but back then it was part of a parcel of land actually attached to the river bank.

"The lake was created and the narrow bank between the river and lake eroded. Since then the island has moved around because of the effect of the tides and it is now in the middle of the Ouse."

Mr Best has never set foot on Hook, but believes it would best suit someone interested in nature conservation.

"It can be quite muddy I believe but it is ideal for someone who wanted to create a protected habitat for wildlife," he said.

The island is now within the River Ouse Special Area of Conservation and is a Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Sarah Hinchlife added "Privately-owned river islands are very rare and this sale offers the opportunity for a purchaser with imagination to create their own island retreat at an affordable price. Hook Island in an accessible location within 3 miles of Junction 37 of the M62. You could get your own little boat and row across to Hook. It would be a great getaway."

Hook Island is for sale through Savills, York. Tel 01904 617819 www.savills.co.uk