Holiday apartment on the Isle of Wight: Coastal Path, nature and culture

Nature

The forests of the Isle of Wight are home to stable populations of red squirrels, hazel dormice, Bechstein's bats and barbastelle bats. A botanical speciality is the early gentian: it occurs exclusively on the Isle of Wight and nowhere else in Great Britain.

The island has nature reserves of international, national and local importance. These include special protection areas, Newtown National Nature Reserve, 41 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 395 Local Wildlife Sites. Protected habitats include sea cliffs and slopes, coastal and floodplain meadows, lowland heath, saline lagoons, mudflats, coastal dunes, seagrass meadows and vegetated shingle.

Walking and cycling

The Isle of Wight Coastal Path is divided into six sections and runs around the entire island. Along the way, it passes sailing harbours, sandy seafront promenades and nature reserves. Public footpaths N88 and N89 connect Froglands Lane with the grounds of Carisbrooke Castle near the car park.

The Round the Island cycle route is signposted with blue-and-white signs: blue signs with a white island silhouette indicate the counter-clockwise direction, while white signs with a blue island silhouette indicate the clockwise direction. The Red Squirrel Trail runs along disused railway lines that have been converted into flat, traffic-free cycle paths.

Culture and history

The Isle of Wight hosts the Isle of Wight Festival every year. King Charles I was held prisoner at Carisbrooke Castle after the English Civil War. Visitors can walk along the battlements around the castle and look out across the island in every direction. The Carisbrooke Castle Museum displays memorabilia relating to Charles I in the Great Hall, St Peter's Chapel and the castle's Constables’ Lodging.

The donkeys of Carisbrooke Castle demonstrate the work involved in operating a 16th-century treadwheel every day. This is used to raise a bucket from the castle well, which is 49 metres or 161 feet deep. The Princess Beatrice Garden at Carisbrooke Castle features historic planting, water features and an orchard.

Osborne was created by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a quiet, secluded retreat. The estate offers royal interiors, art collections, a beach and gardens; its interiors, art collection, gardens and grounds reflect the personal passions, taste and style of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

At the Dinosaur Isle Museum, visitors can see many real dinosaur bones as well as fossils from different rock strata and geological periods of the Isle of Wight. Visitors can also watch specialists and volunteers prepare newly discovered fossils.

Water and indulgence

The hovercraft to the Isle of Wight crosses the Solent from the mainland in a ten-minute journey. On the island, stand-up paddleboarders can explore the Needles Rocks and the Needles Lighthouse from the water. There are also opportunities to learn to sail and navigate dinghies, motorboats, canoes and jet skis.

At Adgestone, visitors can take an audio tour, enjoy an underground visit to one of England's oldest commercial wine cellars and take part in a wine tasting. The Garlic Farm Shop & Restaurant provides information about garlic and offers unique garlic products in its shop, a restaurant and picturesque outdoor areas.

Places on the Isle of Wight

Other places on the Isle of Wight: Yarmouth, Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown, Ryde, Cowes, Binfield, Newport, Freshwater, Nettlestone, Wootton Bridge, Bembridge, Totland, Godshill, Niton, East Cowes, Brighstone, Wroxall, Calbourne, Shalfleet.

Holiday apartment on the Isle of Wight

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To the higher-level travel overview: South East England.