Around The Isle Of Wight

By James Stone -


The Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, is a relaxing, old fashioned place to spend a holiday and a charm all its own, with pretty countryside, attractive resorts and interesting places to visit.

A county of the United Kingdom, the island measures only 23 miles by 13 miles. Home to just under 140,000 people, it lies off the county of Hampshire in the south of England and was a popular Victorian holiday resort that still retains a laid back, old-style feel.

The annual sailing regatta in Cowes draws a glamorous international crowd, while the iconic Isle of Wight Festival was revived in recent years and attracts a host of top music names.

Almost half the island has been designated as the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and nature lovers will delight in walking through its countryside, river valleys, the historic Shanklin Chine Gorge or along the scenic coastal paths. The Isle of Wight has over 500 miles of well maintained footpaths and is home to red squirrels, dormice, rare bats, birds and butterflies, as well as a variety of interesting plant species.

Pay a visit to stunning Osbourne House, the former summer residence of Queen Victoria. The house and gardens are now open to the public and visitors can wander through the opulent rooms and round the beautiful grounds and hot houses.

The Isle of Wight is packed with historic buildings, including Carisbrooke Castle, once prison to Charles I, 18th century Appuldurcombe House, with ornamental grounds, designed by Capability Brown and an Owl & Falconry Centre, the remains of a Roman villa and mosaics at Brading are housed in an award-winning museum, and 16th century Yarmouth Castle.

Families will particularly enjoy the quirky Dinosaur Isle, delicate Godshill Model Village, Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium, Isle of Wight Zoo and Robin Hill Country Adventure Park.

The Needles Old Battery fort offers stunning views, interesting displays about World War II, shipwrecks and covert rocket testing programmes in the 50s and 60s and a dramatically located café overlooking the cliffs. The Museum of Island History charts the development of the island from its pre-historic past to the modern day.

Be sure to travel to the chalk ridge, lighthouse and the jagged Needles stacks, which rise out of the sea at Alum Bay and are featured on numerous images of the island, and the most southerly tip of the island, St Catherine's Point.

The Isle of Wight has a total of 13 beaches, including three with Blue Flag status, and the weather during the summer is ideal for bathing. Those looking for outdoor pursuits can choose from sailing, riding, windsurfing, paragliding, golf, pub walks, bird watching and cycling.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway covers a five mile section of track and consists of restored Victorian & Edwardian carriages, which run from April to October each year.

To get to the Isle of Wight, take the ferry or catamaran service to one of the ports, either on foot or with a car. Once there, bus and rail services cross the island, the road system is comprehensive and taxis are available.

Accommodation on the Isle of Wight is plentiful, as tourism is still its major businesses, with hotels, B&Bs, hostels, cottages, chalets, caravan parks and campsites dotted all over. Restaurants and cafes tend to be independently owned, with particularly good seafood on offer, while many of the cosy old pubs also serve food.

The Isle of Wight is a stylish, old-world place to visit for a traditional British summer holiday surrounded by beautiful natural sights, pretty resorts and a rich history stretching back centuries.