Isle of Wight: Travel Back in Time

A place that in many ways exists in its own time warp, the Isle of Wight is ideal for an active break. Half of the island is designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, there are more than 300 miles of footpaths, it is easy (and cheap!) to reach and enjoys a milder-than-most-parts-of-the-UK climate. At Walkers' Britain, you have a choice of two Isle of Wight holidays and manager Tali Emdin explains why we’re quite big fans of the island. 

Half of the British island is designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’

“Everything on the Isle of Wight is on a manageable scale – there are no huge towns or big industrial blights but long chalky downs, sandy beaches and enchanting woodlands. You will find plenty of seaside rock, ice cream and fish ’n’ chips, but also great British pubs, quiet paths, historical churches and gems of traditional villages.

Any given day along the famous ‘Isle of Wight Coastal Path’ will take you through some wonderful areas...  

Queen Victoria’s Osborne House is quite a sight (you can even walk down to her private beach for a peek of her original ‘swimming machine’). At The Needles Park, the backbone of the island dives into the sea like a dragon’s tail with chalky sea-stack scales. And seeing the sunset from the only surviving medieval lighthouse in Britain at St Catherine’s Oratory is definitely worth the steep walk up!”

Whether you are looking for a holiday on foot or by bike, you can choose from the following two breaks on the Isle of Wight:

On Foot

Isle of Wight Coastal Walking

Spend a week circumnavigating the Isle of Wight and taking in its great natural beauty, enjoying glittering sea views across the Solent and the English Channel. Learn about its well-known white cliffs and sea-stacks around The Needles and of course take in miles of beaches on an Isle of Wight holiday. Following mostly public footpaths and minor lanes, there are several attractions to break down each walking day, including a visit to the holiday home of Queen Victoria, Osborne House and the thatched church at Freshwater Bay. You’ll also be walking through timeless seaside resorts such as Ventnor, Shanklin and Sandown and the great Palmerston fortresses.

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On 2 Wheels

Isle of Wight Cycle

Pick up your hire bike at the traditional seaside resort of Ryde, the largest town on the island, and let your holiday begin! Ideal for anyone looking for a short town-and-country cycling break and an easy to navigate island. The circular route is undulating and distances are kept fairly short so that you will have plenty of time to stop and explore. Highlights of this Isle of Wight holiday by bike include sophisticated Cowes that is world-famous for its regatta, the astonishing brick-built Quarr Abbey and taking the cycle path to Freshwater Bay, which follows an old railway line. Cycle to reach the tidal estuary at Newport that is known for its chain ferry and on to the village of Chale, the shipwreck capital of the island.

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Both of these Isle of Wight holidays join in Ryde, the main port on the island. For more information, you can download the trip notes via the blue download button on each trip’s page or you can contact our team of travel experts by phone or email.