Lots of good advice here and sounds like plenty of local opportunities. Tiution as a start is deffo the best way forward. One to one the best if you can get it. Having your own boat is then the best way to learn. You can base it at a local club so once its there really dont need a car (costs on top of the boat for me at my local pond was £100 pa to keep the boat and about £50 insurance pa). Worth visiting local clubs and chatting to the members.

Your idea for pootling is ideal. I’ve sailed loads of big and small boats all over the world and one of the best trips I ever did was 3 days Camping & Sailing out of a Wayfarer (google them) on Lochs Linhe and Sheil.

CFH; Nielson are ok but no where near Minorca for quality of staff, tuition, boats and sailing area. Certainly Minorca are worth the bit extra expense.