Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is an island and county five miles off the southern coast of England. It is easily and quickly accessible by multiple sea routes from the mainland cities of Southampton and Portsmouth. The island has long been an excellent place for an upmarket but traditional seaside holiday, with beaches and towns that were very popular in Victorian times. It is now also becoming a must-visit destination for young people seeking watersports and outdoor activities generally. Cowes is a famous yachting centre and attracts the 'London set' together with members of the worldwide sailing fraternity during Cowes Week in August. The island has a similar atmosphere to Guernsey or Jersey yet is much closer to the mainland and is three times the size. It has a population of 138,000. Despite being only 6 miles across the sea from Portsmouth and 15 miles from Southampton it is a world apart in terms of scenery, culture and pace of life. Known as "England In Miniature" it offers an incredible variety with the landscape changing dramatically in the space of a few miles and each town and village offering something different. Beaches are fantastic and the water quality is good.

• Newport. – the county town (administrative centre) in the centre of the island on the River Medina. On the outskirts is Carisbrooke Castle
• Bembridge. – on the eastern tip
• Cowes & East Cowes. – two towns at the northern tip, separated by the River Medina
• Freshwater. – in the west
• Ryde. – the largest town; on the north-east coast nearest to Portsmouth
• Sandown and Shanklin. – on the south-east coast
• Ventnor. – at the south end
• Wootton Bridge.
• Yarmouth. – in the west

Newport. – the county town (administrative centre) in the centre of the island on the River Medina. On the outskirts is Carisbrooke Castle

Bembridge. – on the eastern tip

Cowes & East Cowes. – two towns at the northern tip, separated by the River Medina

Freshwater. – in the west

Ryde. – the largest town; on the north-east coast nearest to Portsmouth

Sandown and Shanklin. – on the south-east coast

Ventnor. – at the south end

Wootton Bridge.

Yarmouth. – in the west

Historically the local economy has moved from being dependent on smuggling and farming to tourism with the coming of the railways. There is also considerable light engineering and yacht building.

The local newspaper is the Isle of Wight County Press, which sells 23,000 copies to a population of 140,000 (2017), and is published from Newport every Friday. Any event will be advertised here. There are car boot sales nearly every day in summer advertised here.

Thanks to a southerly latitude and sheltered location, many parts of the Isle of Wight enjoy a mild and sunny climate. The south-east of the island in particular is known for its high sunshine records and warm air. June to September are the warmest months.

• Alum Bay.
• The Needles.
• Carisbrooke Castle, Carisbrooke.
• Osborne House, East Cowes.
• Steephill Cove, Ventnor.

Alum Bay.

The Needles.

Carisbrooke Castle, Carisbrooke.

Osborne House, East Cowes.

Steephill Cove, Ventnor.

Visit Ventnor Botanic Garden - the South Coast of the island has a warm micro-climate allowing palms, banana trees and cactus to flourish, even in private gardens. It is regularly used by TV and film makers when locations like the South of France are required, in productions like Lady Chatterley's Lover. Much of the road network in the South passes through the lush flora and fauna of an area called the landslip which offers spectacular sea views between Ventnor and Niton.

The Isle of Wight is, according to National Geographic Magazine, the 4th best location for dinosaur fossils in the world. Fossil walks can be booked from Dinosaur Isle Museum at Sandown or the Fossil Shop at Blackgang Chine. Walk from Freshwater Bay to the Needles Battery over Tennyson Down. Fantastic views over the west Wight and western Solent.

The Isle of Wight Zoo in Sandown is a privately-run zoo with a focus on tigers and lemurs, built within the ruins of a Victorian fort which once guarded Sandown's coast and beaches. Guided "walking safari" tours for kids, temporary exhibits.

A "National Poo Museum" in Sandown is a spin-off of a 2016 zoo exhibit, established as a free-standing museum.

From May to September the weather is often bright and warm, making a visit to some of the Island's beaches a good idea. Favourites:

• Colwell Bay - NW coast near Yarmouth. good golden sands and often clear waters, shallow shelf nice for family swimming and building sand castles. Can get busy, esp for parking, but there's generally enough space on the beach itself. Note that at high tide the beach dissappears.
• Freshwater Bay - SW coast. Pebble beach with facilities and parking. Popular with snorkellers and divers. Can be exposed when the westerly winds get up.
• Compton Bay - SW coast, off the Military Road. Popular for surfing when the wind is right. Parking (v. busy in summer), but otherwise limited facilities. Spectacular views
• Shepherd's Chine - SW coast. One of the most remote beaches. No real facilities, though there is a campsite nearby with toilets and water. Spectacular views and even in summer it doesn't get busy. Coming from the west along the Military Road, there's a Layby just before the bridge over the chine, from there a footpath follows the chine to the beach.
• Binnel Bay (aka Old Park) - South coast. Not a swimming beach but a bizzare place dominated by the gigantic remains of an articificial harbour built by an eccentric 19th century German millionaire, William Spindler, who wanted to build a resort. The extremely rough seas here in winter breached the massive stone seawalls into giant pieces twisted and turned on themselves, which still dominate the bay, combined with the broken, tortured terrain of the landslip, dominated by streams, pulled down trees pointing at all angles, and broken pathways, and giving it a surreal atmosphere, a mix of Atlantean sunken grandeur and Mad Max-esque post-apocolypse. The footpath is (unsuprisingly) down the bay itself officially closed, but still accessible (though the steps are a neglected), and quite popular with locals and curious tourists walking the coastal path, which passes close by. Park up by the Old Park Hotel, itself a product of Spindler's grandiose plans that has faded somewhat into wrack and ruin (the hotel still operates, despite the derelict feel)
• Steephill Cove - South coast. Small rocky bay near the botanic gardens. Extremely popular with tourists due to the seafood joint, and a whole lot of hype.
• Ventnor - South coast. Typical victorian resort beach. Esplanade with many cafes, including The Sands (cards acceptred, free wifi), which does excellent seaside food, and the Spyglass Inn pub with spectacular outdoor terrace. Beach has extremely fine, smooth shingle with the texture of rice grains - effectively sand but without the mess. There's an offshore rocky reef exposed at low tide that makes good snorkelling at other times, though visibility is poor. On the esplanade is the Brisbane Gnomon, a sun clock presented to the town by Sir Thomas Brisbane, the govenor of New South Wales from 1821-1825, and from whom Brisbane takes its name. Plenty of parking.
• Bonchurch - Sheltered, shallow coves with pebble and shingle beach get nice and warm if the sun's been out for a week or so (August). Parking available up the hill.
• Shanklin - SE coast. Typical victorian resort beach. Massive sandy beach at low tide. At high tide the southern half is inaccessible. Plenty of parking. The Lazy Wave cafe at the slipway is excellent (cards accepted). Esplanade with a string of hotels, cafes and pubs, as well as a delightfully weird little arcade of retro and antique arcade games. Seperated from the rest of the town by towering sandstone cliffs, a problem solved rather ingeniously by a giant lift (£1 single, £1.50 return - operates May to November).
• Lake - SE coast - also on the S coast near ventnor. Windsurfing and sailing hire available. Park and walk from the wonderfully named Small Hope Beach carpark at the north end of Shanklin beach.
• Sandown - SE coast. Has an extensive sandy beach at all states of the tide, with plenty of facilities and a pleasure pier. Unlikle most beaches on the island, Sandown is right in the town centre, as there's no cliff here.
• Appley Beach / Ryde Beaches (NE coast). Essentially one massive beach running east from Ryde town centre all the way to Appley. Sandy and plenty of beach even at high tide. Plenty of facilities and parking, including a swimming pool with retractable roof in summer.

The Isle of Wight has over 60 miles of beach to explore throughout the year. The coast by Osborne House and King's Quay is private and around Newtown Ranges is MoD land

In 2007, Blue Flag status was given to the beac hes at Ryde East, Sandown and Shanklin for achieving the highest quality in water, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. Some 13 other Isle of Wight beaches were given Seaside Awards for above average water quality. ENCAMS environmental charity recommends the best 73 beaches in England, of which 11 are in the Isle of Wight. Some of these are subjective, such as "best for a nice seaside stroll", and if anything this is an underestimate.

Walking is promoted by an annual Walking Festival. There is an extensive network of footpaths and bridle ways. The Ordnance Survey 50,000 scale Landranger map is half IOW and half in Hampshire, but the 25,000 explorer map is the same price and only covers the Island. There are a number of "long distance trails" of which the coastal path is the longest at approximately 73 miles.

Cowes Week – yachting regatta held at Cowes every August.

Colwell Bay - NW coast near Yarmouth. good golden sands and often clear waters, shallow shelf nice for family swimming and building sand castles. Can get busy, esp for parking, but there's generally enough space on the beach itself. Note that at high tide the beach dissappears.

Freshwater Bay - SW coast. Pebble beach with facilities and parking. Popular with snorkellers and divers. Can be exposed when the westerly winds get up.

Compton Bay - SW coast, off the Military Road. Popular for surfing when the wind is right. Parking (v. busy in summer), but otherwise limited facilities. Spectacular views

Shepherd's Chine - SW coast. One of the most remote beaches. No real facilities, though there is a campsite nearby with toilets and water. Spectacular views and even in summer it doesn't get busy. Coming from the west along the Military Road, there's a Layby just before the bridge over the chine, from there a footpath follows the chine to the beach.

Binnel Bay (aka Old Park) - South coast. Not a swimming beach but a bizzare place dominated by the gigantic remains of an articificial harbour built by an eccentric 19th century German millionaire, William Spindler, who wanted to build a resort. The extremely rough seas here in winter breached the massive stone seawalls into giant pieces twisted and turned on themselves, which still dominate the bay, combined with the broken, tortured terrain of the landslip, dominated by streams, pulled down trees pointing at all angles, and broken pathways, and giving it a surreal atmosphere, a mix of Atlantean sunken grandeur and Mad Max-esque post-apocolypse. The footpath is (unsuprisingly) down the bay itself officially closed, but still accessible (though the steps are a neglected), and quite popular with locals and curious tourists walking the coastal path, which passes close by. Park up by the Old Park Hotel, itself a product of Spindler's grandiose plans that has faded somewhat into wrack and ruin (the hotel still operates, despite the derelict feel)

Steephill Cove - South coast. Small rocky bay near the botanic gardens. Extremely popular with tourists due to the seafood joint, and a whole lot of hype.

Ventnor - South coast. Typical victorian resort beach. Esplanade with many cafes, including The Sands (cards acceptred, free wifi), which does excellent seaside food, and the Spyglass Inn pub with spectacular outdoor terrace. Beach has extremely fine, smooth shingle with the texture of rice grains - effectively sand but without the mess. There's an offshore rocky reef exposed at low tide that makes good snorkelling at other times, though visibility is poor. On the esplanade is the Brisbane Gnomon, a sun clock presented to the town by Sir Thomas Brisbane, the govenor of New South Wales from 1821-1825, and from whom [[Brisbane]] takes its name. Plenty of parking.

Bonchurch - Sheltered, shallow coves with pebble and shingle beach get nice and warm if the sun's been out for a week or so (August). Parking available up the hill.

Shanklin - SE coast. Typical victorian resort beach. Massive sandy beach at low tide. At high tide the southern half is inaccessible. Plenty of parking. The Lazy Wave cafe at the slipway is excellent (cards accepted). Esplanade with a string of hotels, cafes and pubs, as well as a delightfully weird little arcade of retro and antique arcade games. Seperated from the rest of the town by towering sandstone cliffs, a problem solved rather ingeniously by a giant lift (£1 single, £1.50 return - operates May to November).

Lake - SE coast - also on the S coast near ventnor. Windsurfing and sailing hire available. Park and walk from the wonderfully named Small Hope Beach carpark at the north end of Shanklin beach.

Sandown - SE coast. Has an extensive sandy beach at all states of the tide, with plenty of facilities and a pleasure pier. Unlikle most beaches on the island, Sandown is right in the town centre, as there's no cliff here.

Appley Beach / Ryde Beaches (NE coast). Essentially one massive beach running east from Ryde town centre all the way to Appley. Sandy and plenty of beach even at high tide. Plenty of facilities and parking, including a swimming pool with retractable roof in summer.

• Matt and Cat's Isle of Wight eating Out Guide. Over 350 independent reviews of places to eat on the Island - not written by the proprietors either.
• The New Inn, Shalfleet is an excellent place to go for fresh, locally caught fish. It has a relaxed, traditional pub ambience and friendly service. Local ales and a wide range of wines are available to accompany your meal.
• Lake Fish Bar sells probably the best fish and chips this side of the Blue Dolphin in Hastings.
• You will need to book for the Baywatch at St.Helen's and probably the Crab and Lobster in Bembridge. The other restaurants in St.Helens are good but pricey. The Pilot Boat is fine and you will not usually need to book.
• The Black Cat in Shanklin Old Village does good Thai cuisine.
• Vernon Cottage in Shanklin Old Village is good for lunches.
• Visit The Garlic Farm in Newchurch. There is a brilliant restaurant there, plus a large shop for anything garlic related!

Matt and Cat's Isle of Wight eating Out Guide. Over 350 independent reviews of places to eat on the Island - not written by the proprietors either.

The Isle of Wight has many country pubs selling food and local real ale. Adgestone Vineyard produces white wine which is used in Government state banquets when English wine is required to show off to foreign diplomats etc.

Historically the local breweries were Mews, Langton at Newport and Burts at Ventnor, now both closed. Most of the ex-Mews pubs were taken over by Whitbread, but local breweries have re-opened as Goddards and Yates. There are a few Gales pubs such as the Castle in Ryde.

Isle of Wight tap water is generally very good for making tea. Bottled mineral water is produced under the name "Wight Spring" from Whitwell, where it was formerly a holy well.

Country pubs with food: The Hare & Hounds near Newport is a Greene King chain pub that serves a standard menu all year round -reliable, cheap for families but pretty uninspiring. Also any rustic character has been diluted by unsightly back extensions. The White Lion at Arreton provides a good alternative. Nearby is The Dairyman's Daughter in the Craft Centre.

The Fighting Cocks on the Newport Road holds a boot sale in the car park in summer

The Crown Inn in Shorwell has fishponds and doves in its garden.

If you want a pub with sea views and freshly cooked seafood in the middle of an estate of bungalows, try the Crab and Lobster Inn in Bembridge.

• Portsmouth is a good place for a day visit (Victory, Warrior, Mary Rose, Gosport Submarine Museum etc). Off-shore sightseeing cruises can be booked from Sandown Pier or East Cowes (Wight Line Cruises aka. Blue Funnel).
• Southampton, Hampshire's largest city, offers plenty of museums, restaurants and shopping.

[[Portsmouth]] is a good place for a day visit (Victory, Warrior, Mary Rose, Gosport Submarine Museum etc). Off-shore sightseeing cruises can be booked from Sandown Pier or East Cowes (Wight Line Cruises aka. Blue Funnel).

[[Southampton]], Hampshire's largest city, offers plenty of museums, restaurants and shopping.