Places to see on The Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is about 22 miles long and about 13 miles wide and is an English landscape miniature. There are prominent chalk cliffs at The Needles, a multi-coloured beach at Alum Bay, dramatic chines such at Blackgang, rolling downs in the hinterland, and a very mild climate to suite sailors, swimmers and sunbathers alike.

At the head of Southampton Water, the Isle of Wight's most important feature is the chalk ridge which runs in a dog's leg from the jagged points of the Needles in the west to the dazzling white Culver Cliff in the east.

Sandy bays, high cliffs and sheltered creeks fringe England's second smallest county. Inland, the River Medina flows through a gently sloping downland, dotted with farms, woods and attractive little villages. The Victorians built forts along the coast to guard against invasion from the Continent, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made the Isl of Wight their summer home.

You'll find busy market towns with a variety of shops, charming harbour sides full of chandleries and shops stocking designer yachting clothing. In the grounds of Osborne House is Swiss Cottage now a museum, it was originally built for the royal children to play in, where you can see the bathing machine used by the queen.

Needless to say, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had their favourite seaside retreat here in Osborne House and you can still visit the house today furnished very much as they left it providing a wonderful insight into royal life.

For visitors, the scenic highlight of the island has to be the Needles on the west coast, three towers of rock at the western end of the island which jut out to sea. From this point looking west, you'll sea Old Harry Rocks at Studland Bay, this area is west of Poole and east of Swanage on the Jurassic coast. There's a wide choice when it comes to eating out on the Isle of Wight with riverside inns and cosy country pubs offering local produce with fresh seafood being the Islands speciality, along with harbour-side restaurants and bars of course.

The Isle of Wight hosts many major yachting and powerboat events, including the world famous Cowes Week. If you're an outdoors type of person, there's plenty of it, try windsurfing, sailing, paragliding or perhaps a round of golf.

The Isle of Wight has over 500 miles of paths and bridleways to walk and explore. Cycling and riding are also popular, there again you could always just laze on the beach. You'll also find music and arts festivals and there's even a 'Garlic Festival' here.

With two of England's greatest seaports on its coastline, and Winchester, the capital of Saxon England, just a few miles inland, the Isle of Wight in Hampshire is a county rich in history offering a wide variety of picturesque towns and villages to explore.

Well served by both road and rail, this area is easily reached from neighbouring counties from Portsmouth, Southampton and Lynmouth and beyond. With its major ferry ports, serving both the continent, the Isle of Wight is an ideal location for extending the UK leg of a European tour.

Cowes:
Victorian and Edwrdian shops line narrow streets behind a wide esplanade.Cowes Castle is home to royal yacht squadron and starting point for races. Boat yards edge the river Merdina. Regatta every summer weekend: Cowes week is first one in August.

Newport:
Island capital at the head of the Merdina River. Town has some attractive 17th century houses. Old docks now shelter pleasure craft and quayside warehouse has a crafts and arts centre. Guildhall built by Regency architect John Nash, with clock tower commemorating Queen Victorias Golden Jubilee. Romanvilla in Cypress Road has restored rooms and bath-house, including hypocaust. Museum contains array of excavated finds.

Ryde:
Half-mile 1813 pier spans broad sands, and 1880 electric railway links Ryde to Shanklin. Streets of mainly Victorian and Edwardian architecture rise steeply from seafront. Gardens and miniture golf in Appley Park.

Ventnor:
Terracers zizagging below St. Boniface Down add a continental air, while shelting downs provide a mild climate. Subtropical plants contrast with a smuggling museum in the Botanical Gardens.

Shanklin Chine:
Leafy winding glen with marked nature trail leading up to Shanklin town centre set on cliffs above sheltered sands and pier. Crab Hotel, one of the Isle of Wight's pretties inns is in Old Shankl in.

Yarmouth:
Neat town and busy harbour, below Henry VIII's castle. Coastal defence displays in Gunner's Lodgings. Nature trail by river Yar begins near the Lymington ferry port.

Bembridge:
Natural harbour crambed with yatchts and houseboats. Lifeboat pier dominates the sandy beach. England'ss oldest working telephone box, dating from 1921, stand in Foreland Road. Local shipwreck relics in the Maritime Museum. Well preserved Windmill (1700) stands outside of village.

Sandown:
Popular resort in islands largest bay. Six miles of safe, golden sands and a pier theatre. Geology museum explores island fossils, housed in Sandown library.

Alum Bay:
Multicoloured sands streak lofty cliffs above a pretty beach,reached bysteps or chairlift. Glassblowing in cliff top glassworks and boat trips to view The Needles rocks.

Carisbrooke Castle:
Imposing Norman and Tuder castle on ridge above Newport. Superb views from keep where Charles I was imprisioned shortly before 1649 execution. Donkies operate a 16th centure tread-wheel drawing water from a well. Isle of Wight Museum, with Stuart and Tennyson memorabilia. Drum Tower houses Donkey Museum.

Osborne House:
Italianate summer home designed by Prince Albert in the 1840's for Queen Victoria. Ornate rooms and stuffed with royal presents, private apartments left them when she died in 1901. Horse-drawn carrriage ride to Swiss Cottage, built in grounds for Victorias children.

After visiting the Isle of Wight explore Poole in Dorset

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