What To Do On The Isle of Wight
The Island has many attractions to offer our Isle of Wight holiday cottage guests:
Walking
With a spectacular coastline, rolling hills, green countryside, historic buildings & welcoming pubs, the island makes a great location to explore on foot. The Isle of Wight National Trust have some great downloadable walks – as well as a map and full directions the trails include information on local history, nature or wildlife. You can also buy beautifully illustrated trail maps from Gift to Nature. Keep an eye on the National Trust Isle of Wight Facebook page for guided walks organised throughout the year.
Dog friendly Isle of Wight
In the West Wight dogs are allowed all year on the beaches at Chilton Chine (near Isle of Wight Pearl, free parking), Brook Chine (National Trust members can scan membership card for free parking) and Colwell Bay. Elsewhere dogs are allowed all year at Yaverland and Luccombe Chine end of Shanklin beach. See Isle of Wight Guru for more information. Red Funnel has a designated pet friendly lounge so your dog can travel in comfort too!
Cycling
Visit Isle of Wight and Wightlink have excellent downloadable cycle routes and cycle hire information. You can hire bicycles (including electric bikes) from Wight Cycle Hire who will deliver to our Isle of Wight holiday cottages (minimum hire fee applies). You can store bicycles in the garages, or outhouses of most of our Isle of Wight holiday cottages.
Visit Isle of Wight Green Star programme
We have recently been awarded Silver in the Visit Isle of Wight Green Star scheme for promoting sustainable travel and we are exploring how to reach Gold!
Have a look at all the useful information on Visit Isle of Wight’s dedicated Green Travel page and in the pack in each Isle of Wight holiday cottage. The pack includes a Sustainable Directory (providers of pedal and electric bikes, hire cars, taxis, water taxis, buses & trains) and ideas for fun days out where no car is required. Download or ask for a leaflet on how to get to the Isle of Wight by train, coach & bus – including a great map of the British rail network & guidance when you reach the ports. We offer incentives for guests arriving by sustainable travel – from free maps, walking and cycling guides to free electric charging points, 5% off electric car rental and 5% off cottage rental – see each cottage for details. If you have an electric car you can download the list of Electric Vehicle Charging Points or use Zap Map. If you are travelling to the Newport area during your stay we recommend the use of e-taxi, the Island’s first electric taxi service.
Other “green” activities for our Isle of Wight holiday cottage guests include:
Join West Wight Alpacas and enjoy a range of walking experiences with alpacas and llamas.
If you have a head for heights and nature how about trying a bit of recreational tree climbing at Goodleaf.
If trees are not high enough for you then join Butterfly Paragliding, one of the longest established paragliding schools in the UK.
The Donkey Sanctuary provides donkeys a safe and permanent home – come and visit them and look out for the regular events.
Spot wildfowl and waders at RSPB reserve Brading Marshes – a haven for wildlife including buzzards, egrets, green woodpeckers, marsh harriers, butterflies, hobbies and red squirrels.
Catch the bus
The Southern Vectis bus stops are in easy reach of most of our Isle of Wight holiday cottages so jump on board and have a car-free day out. Places which are easy to get to from our Isle of Wight holiday cottages include Carisbrooke Castle, The Needles, Alum Bay, Newport, Yarmouth, Dimbola Lodge / Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay, Colwell Bay, and Totland Bay. Visit Southern Vectis and FYT bus for more information and summer timetables.
Isle of Wight holiday cottage must dos!
Visit Isle of Wight to see what else is on offer including IOW Steam Railway, Brading Roman Villa, Ventnor Botanic Garden, Quarr Abbey, Shanklin Chine, Fort Victoria, theme parks for the children (Robin Hill & Blackgang Chine) and The Needles Landmark Attraction, Isle of Wight Zoo, Amazon World, Monkey Haven, Arreton Barns craft village, fishing trips, plus much much more.
Isle of Wight Festival 13-16 June 2019 – headliners are Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, George Ezra and Biffy Clyro. Other line up highlights include Lily Allen, James, Bastille, Richard Ashcroft, Jess Glynne, Madness, Sigrid, Tom Walker, Keane, Garbage and Wet Wet Wet.
National Trust – The Needles Old & New Batteries, Newtown Old Town Hall (Tue-Sun), Bembridge Windmill and Mottistone Gardens (Sun-Thu) . Bookable tours available at Bembridge Fort on Tue afternoons. Newtown National Nature Reserve open all year.
English Heritage – Osborne House, Carisbrooke Castle, Yarmouth Castle, Appuldurcombe House, St Catherine’s Oratory.
And finally! The Island has excellent pubs serving local beer and good food. Many of these also have live entertainment. Pubs close to our Isle of Wight holiday cottages include The Three Bishops at Brighstone, The Crown Inn at Shorwell, Wight Mouse Inn at Chale, The Sun Inn at Hulverstone, Blacksmiths Arms outside Carisbrooke and The Bugle Inn in Yarmouth.
Isle of Wight weather
For today’s weather see Isle of Wight Pearl webcam.
Isle of Wight holiday cottage “What’s On”
For more information on the island, places to visit and the latest events for our Isle of Wight holiday cottage guests we recommend:
