You'll wish you'd been there! The dazzling postcards from the 60s and 70s that show the British Isles in glorious technicolour

  • This widely circulated collection was created in the 1960s and 1970s by the talented photographer John Hinde 
  • His vibrant images depict sun-drenched days in London, rural Ireland and some of Britain’s best-loved beaches
  •  His studio became one of the world's most successful postcard companies selling over 50 million annual postcards

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Forget images of drizzly days in Clacton or holidaymakers clamouring for a spot on a packed beach in Newquay.

A nostalgic collection of postcards from the 60s and 70s showcases the Great British summer in dazzling colour and serves as a reminder of the UK’s many tourism delights.

Before Instagram and mobile phone filters, travellers often aroused envy among their friends by sending romanticised postcards often created by the talented photographer John Hinde.

His vibrant images depict sun-drenched days in central London, rural Ireland and some of Britain’s best-loved beach destinations, all developed in highly saturated colour.

Hinde pioneered the use of colour photography during the 60s and 70s and his postcards were popular because they reflected the joy of holidays. His studio, which he set up in 1956, went on to become one of the world's most successful postcard companies with sales of over 50 million.

Although Hinde ended up selling his studios in 1976 and retiring to France and Spain, his legacy lives on in the cheerful postcards that continue to inspire travellers around the globe. MailOnline Travel has selected some of his finest creations to showcase the wonders of the British isles. 

One of the spellbinding images in the John Hinde postcard collection is this idyllic shot of two people overlooking Dorset's Durdle Door

One of the spellbinding images in the John Hinde postcard collection is this idyllic shot of two people overlooking Dorset's Durdle Door

This image of colourful cable cars transports the viewer high above Fort Regent in Jersey in the Channel Islands

This image of colourful cable cars transports the viewer high above Fort Regent in Jersey in the Channel Islands

One of his most striking postcards is the Ladies' View near Killarney in Ireland, with its rolling green hills

One of his most striking postcards is the Ladies' View near Killarney in Ireland, with its rolling green hills

While many prefer to jet off in search of exotic beaches, Hinde showcased Britain's glorious offerings, such as St Ouen's Bay in Jersey (pictured)

While many prefer to jet off in search of exotic beaches, Hinde showcased Britain's glorious offerings, such as St Ouen's Bay in Jersey (pictured)

Heading to London Hinde managed to get this shot of a City of London policeman directing pedestrians across the road

Heading to London Hinde managed to get this shot of a City of London policeman directing pedestrians across the road

A couple take a stroll near The Old Weir Bridge, which is located in the lush green surrounding of the Lakes of Killarney in Ireland

A couple take a stroll near The Old Weir Bridge, which is located in the lush green surrounding of the Lakes of Killarney in Ireland

Hundreds of holidaying Brits stretched out in the sun at the seaside resort of Newquay  in Cornwall

Hundreds of holidaying Brits stretched out in the sun at the seaside resort of Newquay in Cornwall

This postcard shows a scene outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Statford-Upon-Avon, featuring a rower and people feeding swans

This postcard shows a scene outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Statford-Upon-Avon, featuring a rower and people feeding swans

Working hard in the sun: A fisherman tends to a net on the beach on the Aran Islands in County Galway in Ireland

Working hard in the sun: A fisherman tends to a net on the beach on the Aran Islands in County Galway in Ireland

Guests sipping drinks in a Butlin's lounge cafe gaze through a glass window at a man swimming in a heated indoor pool

Guests sipping drinks in a Butlin's lounge cafe gaze through a glass window at a man swimming in a heated indoor pool

This shot was taken at the busy indoor heated pool in Butlin's Ayr in Scotland, which has since been reopened under new management

This shot was taken at the busy indoor heated pool in Butlin's Ayr in Scotland, which has since been reopened under new management

This image shows a bustling Carnaby Street in London, with shoppers wandering along the road or sitting outside cafes

This image shows a bustling Carnaby Street in London, with shoppers wandering along the road or sitting outside cafes

Vibrant entertainment: A fairground scene at Butlin's Clacton, which opened in 1938 and closed in 1983 when holidays overseas became more affordable

Vibrant entertainment: A fairground scene at Butlin's Clacton, which opened in 1938 and closed in 1983 when holidays overseas became more affordable