AS the days get shorter and colder, and the painful realisation that the so-called British summer has definitely ended for another year, there is no better reason to hot-foot out of the country for a place far, far away.

For me this year, that place was Spain — but not the usual party paradises like Ibiza and Magaluf (I'm too old for that kind of debauchery). Instead, Fuerteventura was my destination — just a stone's throw away from the North African country of Morocco.

Now some might say that a four-hour plane journey is a fair old way to go for a short break. But when you compare it to a two-hour daily commute up and down the A666, travelling time can be put nicely into perspective.

Plus the idea of catching a few days' worth of sun and the all-important Vitamin D (despite being the colour of a ghost), a trip to the Canaries ticked all the boxes for me.

I have never flown with Jet2.com before and was pleasantly surprised at how easy checking in, boarding and the flight itself were. The hard-working flight attendants barely stopped to catch their breath as they tended to our needs until we touched down on the island.

As you exit the plane, you feel the immediate sense of being "on holiday" thanks to the delightful weather (at least 25C in October) and chilled out ambiance (even at the airport!)

The island's vast, almost baron looking landscape offers a unique beauty of its own, especially the ash-spattered dormant volcanoes, which contrast the green pockets of civilisation dotted about the island where Palm trees are in abundance.

With just a two hour drive from one end of the island to the other, it is easily possible to dip your foot into the livelier north and the more relaxed out south.

I stayed at the 4* Barceló Jandía Mar hotel in Jandia — perfect for a family holiday or a relaxing stay for friends or couples. The resort offers activities for the children at the Barcelo Kids' Club as well as family evening entertainment in a safe, friendly environment. Staff are welcoming and on hand if you need help navigating the island, and the rooms are comfortable, modern and specious — with an all important fan for the very warm early mornings.

The hotel's A La Carte restaurant is without a doubt worth a visit — but be aware that it gets booked up very quickly. The steak was sublime — I can almost still taste it. Rather than drinking red wine, I opted for gin (you can take the girl out of Bolton...) and lots of it. Hurrah to all inclusive.

The island offers a number of tourist attractions such as the cheese and salt museums, which showcase the island taking advantage of its own unique landscape. Cows are nowhere to be seen — goats have inherited the earth in Fuerteventura, so the delicious cheese you buy will be wholly from them.

If you want panoramic views of the stunning landscape, then the Morro Velosa Observation Point is the place to go. When you have witnessed the island in all its glory, pop over to see the Morro Velosa Statues. The two giants are, so I am told, sullied on a daily basis by cheeky holidaymakers desperate to take the perfect Instagram or Snapchat photo.

Probably the most incredible attraction by far is the Oasis Park. More than 3,000 animals including giraffes, elephants, meerkats, monkeys, sea lions and flamingos (or 'flamencos') are housed at the tropical-looking zoo. The park is also self sustaining - it grows its own food to feed the animals and promotes conservation by looking after "stressed" animals or those in danger of extinction. A personal highlight was feeding the gangly giraffes and majestic African elephants - both stunning to look at in the flesh.

A trip up north to the nature park Parque Natural De Corralejo makes you realise just why us Brits love a summer holiday. The beautiful untouched beaches stretch along the east coast for about 10km from Corralejo, where the deep blue inviting water is so clear you can count each grain of sand below as you quietly wish time would stand still forever.

FACT BOX:

• Jet2.com and Jet2holidays offer great value flights and package holidays to 47 city, sun and ski destinations from Manchester Airport.

• Jet2.com started operating from Manchester in December 2004 and Jet2holidays launched in February 2007. Since then they have grown to become one the airport's largest operators.

• New 2015 destinations for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays include Malta, Antalya and Kefalonia. New destinations for 2016 are Girona (Costa Brava) and Naples.

• Jet2.com is a leading leisure airline providing friendly low fares to more than 50 exciting sun, city and ski destinations across Europe. It operates from seven UK airports: Belfast International, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.

• Jet2.com prides itself on offering award winning customer service, the best flight times in the business, allocated seating and a generous 22kg baggage allowance.

• Jet2.com is one of the largest airlines in the UK with a fleet of over 60 aircraft.

• For further information visit www.jet2.com