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Cowes & East Cowes 
Formed out of a huddle of fishermen’s shacks around two forts built by Henry VIII, Cowes and East Cowes have grown to become a glamorous (particularly during Cowes Week) international, buzzing port and the world’s premier yachting centre. Thanks to the natural harbour at the mouth of the Medina river, Cowes has been a centre of shipbuilding, yacht construction and, since the Royal Yacht Squadron moved into Cowes Castle in 1854, world-class sailing.

The comings and goings in the harbour can best be viewed from the West Parade and alongside the Royal Yacht Squadron, where the start of Cowes Week Regatta is heralded by shots from the 22 impressive brass cannons once used on one of William IV’s ships. During this week (2-9 August), around 900 yachts and 8,500 sailors hit the town for a riot of partying, street theatre, balls, champagne drinking and shopping sprees. Park-and-Ride leaves motorists free to enjoy the town without having to find a parking space, special boat tours around the bay let everyone enjoy a close-up of some of the finest yachts in the world, and live bands, wine tastings and fantastic fireworks on the regatta’s last night make this a spectacular week.

Most of the specialist sailing clothing shops are to be found in the pedestrianised shopping streets round the harbour. Names such as Fat Face, Mad Cowes, Henri Lloyd and Helly Hansen dominate, but there is also elegance in the form of Artigiano and Benzie jewellery shop. Follow the well-signposted, four-mile walking trail to discover some of the places and boats that have made Cowes dominant in the sailing world, before popping into the Cowes Maritime Museum at Beckford Road.

Facing Southampton water, Cowes, a town divided by the River Medina and linked by a floating bridge, is the entry port for visitors from Southampton. East Cowes was once the great industrial heart of the Island, where shipbuilders J Samuel White and Saunders-Roe built high-speed ships, seaplanes and flying boats before and during World War II, and where history was made with the development of the Hovercraft and Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird. It is now almost purely residential. A current regeneration project is set to position East Cowes as a major player in the regatta week, with an upmarket supermarket rumoured to be opening its first Isle of Wight branch here shortly.

Osborne House, the former home of Queen Victoria and her family in the 19th century, is located on this side of Cowes. Thursdays or Fridays are the best times to visit because it is quietest. You may wish to polish up your tiara and book self-catering accommodation in one of the cottages in the grounds—a new experience offered by English Heritage, which means you can gain access to the grounds when all the visitors have left. Delightful. For further details, see www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Factfile: Cowes
Tourist office: Fountain Quay, West Cowes, tel: 813818.
Post office: Terminus Road, West Cowes; Alldays Supermarket, East Cowes.
Medical centre: Consort Road, West Cowes, tel: 295251; York Avenue, East Cowes, tel: 08444 773116.
Chemist: Lloyd’s, Ferry Road, East Cowes, tel: 293133.
Supermarkets: Somerfield, High Street, West Cowes, tel: 293933.
Cashpoints: Lloyds TSB, HSBC, NatWest, Nationwide on High Street.

Newport
A traditional county town, Newport is at the heart of the Isle of Wight, both geographically and culturally. A busy port and market town until the mid-19th century, it is scattered with reminders of its illustrious past—a Roman villa in Cypress Road, a Norman castle at Carisbrooke and elegant squares and townhouses dating from Georgian and early Victorian times. In John Nash’s colonnaded Guildhall you will find the Museum of Island History and the Tourist Information Centre, while the thriving Quay Arts centre, which offers a changing programme of exhibitions, jazz concerts, ballet and poetry readings, is housed in a former 18th-century brewer’s warehouse at the head of the River Medina.

This is indeed the Island’s artistic centre, with the nearby Medina Centre offering short runs by touring groups, and big band and classical concerts, and The Apollo, featuring classical and modern plays performed by amateur dramatists. Newport also hosts two different music festivals that attract the very best in popular music—the Isle of Wight Music Festival, in early June, in Newport itself and Bestival, just outside the town at Robin Hill Country Park, in early September.

Newport was founded as a market town in the 1180s for the then capital Carisbrooke, and although the farmers’ market that takes place on Fridays is unlike the one that catered to 12th-century Islanders, it still sells fresh, locally produced foods. In the bustling streets, stores such as H&M, Primark, Next, M&S and BHS sit alongside highly individual shops selling hand-made jewellery and crafts. Some of these can be found in Watchbell and Scarrots Lanes, and St Thomas’ Square. The shop at Quay Arts also stocks a selection of Island-made goods, from tie-dyed silk scarves to ceramics and jewellery.

The low-ceilinged Castle Inn in the High Street is the oldest pub in Newport, and if you pop into God’s Providence House for lunch or tea, you’ll be standing on the spot where the plague stopped in the 1560s. The River Medina runs all the way to Cowes and it is pleasant to walk along the riverbank, branching off into Parkhurst Forest if time permits. Or maybe save your energy for Newport’s famous Ghost Walk as darkness falls?

Factfile: Newport
Tourist office: Guildhall, High Street, tel: 813818
Post office: High Street, Newport
Medical centre: West Street, tel: 522198; St Mary’s Hospital, tel: 524081
Chemist: Boots, High Street, tel: 522595
Supermarkets: Somerfield, Pyle Street, tel: 523615; Sainsburys, Foxes Road, tel: 527431; Morrisons, South Street, tel: 822419
Cashpoints: Major banks and building societies are situated in St James’s Square, High Street and St Thomas’ Square

Carisbrooke
It was from imposing Carisbrooke Castle that Charles I was taken to be beheaded and the Castle’s Museum tells the story. The donkeys that work the waterwheel are always popular, as are walks along the ramparts, and the environs are great for picnics. Jousting events are held here in the summer. English Heritage, which maintains the Castle, has now entered the self-catering market and is renting out an excellent apartment there. It’s perfect for those wanting to immerse themselves in history (www.english-heritage.org.uk).

Valentino’s, the Island’s oldest Italian restaurant at the top of the High Street, is well worth a visit, serving great food still cooked by members of the Guerrini family.

Newtown
In Norman times, Newtown was a bustling and prosperous market town thanks to the fact it has the best natural harbour on the Island. Today it is a peaceful nature reserve, with watery inlets that serve as hides for bird-spotting. The tiny, brick and stone, 17th-century Town Hall houses an exhibition of local artefacts.

Ryde
On the north-east coast of the Island, enjoying views towards Portsmouth, Ryde is the proud owner of the fourth largest pier in Britain, jutting half a mile into the waters of the Solent. The passengers who disembarked from the first steamer ferry in 1825 would scarcely recognise the town today, for it has shaken off its Victorian past and thoroughly embraced the present. An entertainment complex lines the waterfront offering ice hockey and skating, LA Bowl, a marina, a skate park for boards, blades and BMXs, a boating lake, a swimming pool and popular nightclub The Balcony. At night, teens to thirty-somethings chill out at cafés in the faded Regency grandeur of Union Street, with the sea as a backdrop.

During the day, there are six miles of golden sands to enjoy, as well as the spectacle of sailing boats, catamarans, hovercrafts and ocean-going cruise ships plying the Solent. Portsmouth’s skyline, just seven miles away, is the perfect background to the scene.

Originally separate villages, the two parts of Ryde are now linked by steep streets, Union Street being the main one. The retail outlet of upmarket Liz Earle beauty products, old-fashioned sweet shops, book shops and boutiques all mingle happily together here. The town is making something of a comeback after losing out to the growth of out-of-town supermarkets, and today it appears once more like the prosperous country town it used to be. There are excellent hairdressers, beauty shops, nail salons, dress shops and Continental-style cafés—Liberty’s Café-Bar and Joe’s Café Bar in Union Street are both highly recommended. Union Street is the best place to meet friends for a coffee or snack, or try the High Street restaurants or the ones semi-hidden in St Thomas’s Street, just off the Esplanade.

Ryde reputedly hosts the oldest carnival in the country (August Bank Holiday) and while you’re here for that weekend you’ll be able to enjoy the Scooter Rally, which attracts hundreds of Vespas and other two-wheelers revving up at Smallbrook Stadium.

Factfile: Ryde
Tourist Office: Union Street, tel: 813818
Post office: Union Street; and Mellish’s, High Street
Medical centre: George Street, tel: 615555
Chemist: Gibbs & Gurnell, Union Street, tel: 562570
Supermarket: Tesco, Brading Road, tel: 277400
Cashpoints: The major banks and building societies are grouped at the top of Union Street and in the High Street. The cashpoint at Tesco accepts
most cards.

Seaview
Narrow streets and alleyways characterise this charming, Edwardian resort, where tots with shrimping nets huddle around rock pools, older children play beach cricket and deck quoits on the gently sloping beach, and sailing boats glide across the noticeably clear waters of the bay. There is a decidedly nautical air in the streets around the harbour and in the pretty High Street, where gentrified fishermen’s cottages jostle for position with Edwardian villas. The seafront provides uninterrupted views of Spithead and the shipping activity in the Solent; there are pleasant walking routes along the coast and St Helens can be reached across the sands at low tide. Nearby is the Seaview Wildlife Encounter, home to flamingos and other exotic wildlife.

Seaview Hotel and Restaurant continues to attract accolades for its food, and remains a firm favourite with locals and visitors. A recent refurbishment has added a new wing containing seven ultra-chic bedrooms.

Bembridge
Bembridge is an area often visited by unshowy celebrities, who either live here or have a holiday home. The town sprawls over a large area. Paths, many unmade, lead past grand houses to the stone and shingle beach. At low tide, a long stretch of firm sand appears at Bembridge Point. The history of the town and its connection with the sea is well documented in the excellent Bembridge Heritage Centre. The town is particularly proud of its link with the RNLI station at Lane End, which is open to the public during the summer for free guided tours, subject to manning and operational requirements.

A collection of pretty houseboats, some of which serve snacks, lend charm to the harbour, where boats offer fishing trips and the prestigious Bembridge Sailing Club (founded in 1886) and Brading Haven Yacht Club are based. There is a small airport, where the famous “Islander” aircraft, used by many police forces in the UK and islands in the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, is built. Climb up Bembridge Down to watch the busy shipping channel.

Shops are scattered throughout the village. Look out for the excellent delicatessen and home bakery, galleries displaying the work of local and mainland artists, antiques shops and two mini-supermarkets. If you’re stopping for a pub lunch, try The Windmill in Steyne Road.

Just outside the village, the National Trust operates the Island’s last windmill, erected in 1700. One of the best-known landmarks with breathtaking views of the countryside, the windmill is still in working order and contains fascinating original machinery.

Factfile: Bembridge
Post office: Foreland Road
Medical centre: Upper Green Road, St Helens, tel: 872772
Chemist: Moss (Alliance Pharmacy), High Street, tel: 872328
Cashpoints: Lloyds TSB and at the Co-op, High Street

Brading
From the ancient houses that line the High Street to the Old Town Hall with its ancient stocks and whipping post, and the well-preserved Roman Villa, Brading reeks of history. There are eight known Roman villas on the Island, of which Brading’s is the most spectacular. The new award-winning, £3m Exhibition & Visitor Centre at Brading Roman Villa displays one of the top-10 most important mosaics in northern Europe. Visitors can wander around the extensive grounds, which contain a well and the remains of a house, as well as a garden planted with the herbs and flowers that Romans would have grown around their villas. It is a good place to have a picnic if the weather is fine, but the restaurant on the site has an excellent selection of foods.

Don’t miss the medieval jousting contests, which take place during the summer at nearby Nunwell House, the seat of the Oglander family since the reign of Henry I. A 16th-century rectory is now a waxworks museum called Brading The Experience. The Lilliput Museum of Antique Dolls and Toys, with more than 2,000 exhibits, is worth a visit. For the active visitor, Brading offers good access to Brading and Arreton Downs, where the vistas of Sandown and Shanklin on one side and mainland England on the other are breathtaking.

Factfile: Brading
Tourist office: The Brading Centre, West Street, tel: 401770
Post Office: The Bull Ring
Medical Centre: Centre The Mall, tel: 407558
Chemist: See Sandown or Ryde
Supermarket: Tesco, Brading Road, Ryde, tel: 0845 6779586

St Helens
Life for the villagers and visitors to St Helens revolves around Goose Green, where cricket and football are played, and the annual carnival sets out its wares. The village’s greatest asset is The Duver, a spit of shingle and sand jutting into sheltered Bembridge Harbour from which there are stunning views of the Solent and St Helens Fort.

On the path that skirts the beach, the Baywatch Café has bright umbrellas over wooden tables where you can enjoy home-cooked meals. Behind the National Trust-protected Duver stretch sand dunes inhabited by wildlife, which provide a picturesque walk towards Bembridge.

The village boasts an excellent antiquarian book shop, good small local shops and a couple of gourmet restaurants.

Sandown
The family-friendly resort of Sandown owes its fame to its long, uninterrupted sweep of gently sloping sands, perfect for bathing and beach fun. Queen Victoria’s arrival with her family on the Island coincided with the vogue for sea bathing, and smart Londoners and naval families from the garrison at Southsea found the beaches to their liking. Even before the advent of the railway in 1864, which caused Sandown to grow faster than any other town on the Island, its charms had been recognised by visiting literary figures such as Lewis Carroll, George Eliot, John Keats and Charles Darwin.

Sandown boasts more attractions than its size would indicate, from the state-of-the-art Dinosaur Isle on Culver Parade, with its excellent life-size models, thousands of fossils and atmospheric landscapes that take you back to the Island’s Cretaceous period, to the Isle of Wight Zoo housed in an old fort facing the sea, which has one of the world’s finest tiger breeding programmes. The fort was the entry point of Pluto (Pipe Line Under The Ocean), the device that took fuel to France to service the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II.

Active visitors are lured to the town by sports, including sailing, microlighting, golf, surfing and body boarding. Extreme sports fans are catered for at the annual two-week White Air festival (September).

The High Street runs parallel with the Esplanade, so after your dip you can easily nip to the shops and vice versa. The clean beaches and safe bathing attracts families with young children, which may account for the area’s lack of five-star hotels and gourmet restaurants. There is, however, a new Greek Restaurant in town: the Village Taverna at 2 Albert Road, which is rapidly gaining a reputation for excellent cuisine—lamb being the speciality. The service is friendly and the food top of its class. Add the great pubs—especially along the Esplanade—and all tastes are catered for.

Take the cliff-top walk to get to Shanklin and enjoy fabulous views over the bay. Several of the town’s hotels back directly on to the walk—Sandown has more hotels than any other part of the Island, this is due to its inherent popularity and because of the profusion of large Victorian houses and villas that have been converted into holiday accommodation.

A short drive inland brings you to attractions such as The Garlic Farm, near Newchurch, which has a brilliant shop full of garlicky delights; Amazon World, where a recreated tropical rainforest serves as a conservation area for all kinds of exotic, rare and endangered species; and Arreton Barns, with its fascinating crafts workshop and brewery.

Factfile: Sandown
Tourist office: High Street, tel: 813818
Medical centre: Melville Street, tel: 0844 477 3001
Chemist: Moss (Alliance Pharmacy), High Street, tel: 403238
Post office: Beachfield Road
Supermarket: Somerfield, High Street, tel: 403159
Cashpoints: HSBC, Lloyds TSB and NatWest are all in the High Street

Shanklin
The deep chine in the cliff that winds down from Shanklin Old Village to the beach has been an attraction in the town since the early 19th century. This ravine is one of the Island’s great natural attractions, carved by swift running water, and offers a haven for rare ferns and plants. It also played a role in supplying fuel to the allies during the Normandy landings, a fact that is documented at the Chine Heritage Centre.

The town became a fashionable spa after the arrival of the railway in 1864, when its waters were found to be rich in iron salts with considerable healing properties. The opening of the pier in 1890 (destroyed in the 1987 storm) increased the town’s popularity further. The pretty Old Village is among the Island’s most photographed places.

Shanklin is almost two towns—the busy shopping area centred around Regent Street, High Street and the Old Village being approximately 30 metres above the seafront, to which it is linked by a lift built into the cliffs. Down at sea level, facing the wide, sandy beach, is the second part, consisting of a few shops, restaurants, ice cream parlours, hotels and pubs. A stroll to neighbouring Sandown on the concrete path that runs along the beach under the cliffs is a popular walk. For cooler days, stride along the undulating coastal paths towards St Boniface Down and the lush Luccombe valley, or along the unique landscape of the Undercliff. Shanklin attracted many of the foremost writers and poets of the 19th century but it was the Romantic poet John Keats who is remembered most, as is evident from the many buildings and walks bearing his name in the area.

There are excellent restaurants in Shanklin, including Morgan’s in the High Street and Saffrons in North Road.

Factfile: Shanklin
Tourist office: High Street
Post office: Regent Street, tel: 863941
Medical Centre: Carter Road, tel: 862245
Dentist: Littlestairs Dental Centre, 39 Littlestairs Road, tel: 862652
Chemist: Regent Street Pharmacy, Regent Street, tel: 863677
Supermarket: Somerfield, Landguard Road, tel: 864711
Cashpoints: Nationwide, HSBC and Lloyds TSB are in Regent Street; NatWest and Barclays are in the High Street

Godshill
Godshill is the quintessential Island village, with thatched cottages, a 15th-century church set high up on a hill, and a winding main street, which is lined with tea shops.

The village derives its name from the legend that its inhabitants tried three times to build the church elsewhere, but each time the stones were removed to their present position. As it was clearly being moved to a site that was God’s choice, it was left there—on God’s Hill. The church, famous for its unusual funerary monuments, is among the top-10 churches in the UK, which attract more than 100,000 visitors a year. It also houses the striking wall painting, Christ Crucified on a Lily.

There are attractions to keep visitors happy for many hours. Near the church is Christmas Cottage, the home of Nicola Gibbs, The Godshill Painter, who can be found depicting local scenes most days on the steps of her gipsy caravan. Her shop sells gorgeous gifts, from jewellery boxes to candle holders and exclusive handbags.

Those in search of an unusual gourmet present may wish to head for The Cider Barn in the High Street, where local cider can be sampled and bought in real, old-fashioned stone bottles, as well as mustards, pickles, oils, vinegars, traditional ginger beer, bottled fruits, Island biscuits and much more.

Godshill has gained a reputation for producing top-quality food. Just outside the village on the main road is the Organic Farm Shop, stocking a range of foods both grown on the farm and imported. Moor Farm, now supplying its pork products via its website, has an impressive reputation for sausages, pies and joints, derived from the humane husbandry practiced on the farm where the pigs are free-range and eat only natural foods. The farm produces home-baked pork pies, five different types of sausage, ham and bacon, all available at the weekly Farmers’ Market in Newport. The perfect present for foodies.

Not far away in Old Vicarage Gardens is the impressive 1:10 scale stone Model Village with tiny thatched cottages, local characters, hundreds of miniature trees and gardens, and a 1:20 model railway. The whole ensemble is set in a garden boasting more than 2,000 conifers.

The Old Smithy, a former blacksmith’s forge as the name suggests, is now composed of a gift shop and an upmarket fashion shop offering stylish clothes, handbags and jewellery from around the world. There is also a restaurant serving light lunches and delicious home-made cakes (don’t miss the fabulous meringues).

The Nostalgia Toy Museum is suitable for children from three years to three score and ten with a collection of more than 2,000 Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toys dating from the 1930s to the 1970s. And when all that sightseeing has exhausted you, pop into the 16th-century Cask and Taverner family pub with its beamed ceilings and cosy fireplaces for a pick-me-up—children welcome. Or drop into Willow Tree Tea Gardens, where you can sit in the delightful Renaissance water garden, among elegant statuary, and enjoy giant slabs of cake that are certain to satisfy even the biggest appetite.

If you’re in the mood to splash out on something special, take a look at Isle of Wight Gold, set in a courtyard off the High Street, where quality jewellery is available, including unusual nine-carat yellow and white gold earrings, and Isle of Wight pendants.

Factfile: Godshill
Tourist offices: See Sandown or Shanklin
Post office: High Street
Medical centre: Yarborough Close, tel: 840625

Ventnor
Known to the Victorians as “England’s Madeira”, Ventnor enjoys a sheltered position overlooking the Channel and a mild climate that is beneficial to the cultivation of exotic plants, as its 22-acre Botanic Garden attests.

The town grew rapidly as a health resort during the 19th century and visitors (including Karl Marx) flocked to its terraced hotels and villas to enjoy the health-giving air. Ventnor is built on a series of terraces that zig-zag down to the sun-trap seafront with a part sand, part fine shingle beach. Here you find beach cafés, pubs, amusements, a paddling pool, car parks and Ventnor Haven Marina. Westwards from the Esplanade, the coastal path leads to Ventnor Park and on to Steephill Cove. From here, a path leads up to the Botanic Garden, boasting more than 10,000 exotic plants.

Over the years Ventnor has become famous for its antiques shops and there is a definite buzz in the air on Saturdays when the town becomes a Mecca for bargain hunters. From collectables to charity-shop and second-hand buys, there is much to entice the savvy shopper.

There are also unique shops offering specialist goods, notably the Wight Light Gallery, which has a stunning collection of Island images on sale, and Ventnor Jewellery selling handmade, intricate designs.

Anyone moving to the Island, or buying a second home, should visit Distinctive Designs in the High Street (www.distinctivedesigns.co.uk). This interior design shop offers a vast selection of fabric and wallpaper books, including many major designers, and can supply curtains and blinds or a complete management service for those wishing to renovate a property. Make sure to pop into Ventnor Bags and Gifts in the High Street, which also carries out jewellery and watch repairs.

Ventnor is renowned for its fine dining. Recently opened is The Met, a Continental-style wine and tapas bar on the Esplanade, which, with tables outside in the warm weather, has become popular for its tapas and breads. The fare at The Hambrough and The Royal Hotel restaurant adds to Ventnor’s “foodie” reputation.

The Spyglass Inn, in the sunny corner of the Esplanade, has long drawn crowds to enjoy hearty food and lively evening entertainment. Music-lovers may enjoy the Monday afternoon sessions of the Island Guitar Band at The Boathouse of the Inn. There is also an “Open Mic” evening session on the first Sunday of the month.

New to the town last year was the Skate Park on the Eastern Esplanade, which is now one of the coolest places to hang out on the Island. The sides of the skate park have been embellished by local graffiti artist Nathan Holt, making it an eye-catching venue.

Factfile: Ventnor
Tourist office: Salisbury Gardens, Dudley Road, tel: 813818
Post office: Church Street
Medical centre: Albert Street, tel: 852787
Chemist: Boots, High Street, tel: 852147
Supermarket: Somerfield, Pier Street, tel: 853047
Cashpoints: HSBC, NatWest, Nationwide (at Hose Rhodes Dickson), all on the High Street

Yarmouth
The oldest town on the Island, and as old as the Domesday Book, Yarmouth in 1135 was the first place to be granted a Royal Charter, and part of its charm rests on its medieval layout. The town cannot be enlarged because it is built on solid rock surrounded by sea and estuary marshes, thus it retains more of its original character than any other part of the Island.

The well-preserved Yarmouth Castle was built on the waterfront by Henry VIII in response to the sacking of the town, twice, by the French. The other outstanding feature is the unique 215-metre-long timber pier dating from 1876, which is now a Grade II listed building. Boat trips to Hurst Castle leave from this pier during the summer and the names of those who helped fund the pier’s restoration in the 1990s have been recorded on 552 planks.

The Old Gaffers Festival, which is held in late May/early June, is one of the Island’s largest events. More than 100 old gaffers—gaff-rigged boats—participate in the three-day extravaganza, which is complemented by lively, shore-based entertainment.

The town is surrounded by unspoilt countryside. Birdwatchers are attracted to the avian population of the Yar Estuary and there is a cycleway to Freshwater along the former railway line.

Factfile: Yarmouth
Tourist office: The Quay, tel: 813818
Post office: Quay Street
Medical centre:Station Road, tel: 760434 Chemist Dorringtons, Quay Street, tel: 760260
Chemist: Dorringtons, Quay Street, tel: 760260
Supermarket: See Freshwater.
Cashpoints: Lloyds TSB, The Square; Alliance & Leicester at the Post Office

Freshwater
West Wight is the most dramatically scenic part of the Isle of Wight. Its chalk cliffs and panoramic seascapes are so stunning they lured luminaries such as Alfred Lord Tennyson to settle here—the poet bought the magnificent Farringford House, where he entertained famous writers and politicians of the 19th century. Freshwater’s attractions lie in its splendid beaches backed by white cliffs, ideal for invigorating walks, and what is probably the Island’s best known landmark, The Needles—three jagged white rocks that surge out of the sea (one of which is now the base for an automatic lighthouse). Dimbola Lodge, now a museum, is tucked into a corner near the beach and features a permanent exhibition of the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, the famous 19th-century photographer who once lived here. And just on the outskirts of the town is the unusual little thatched church of St Agnes.

Alum Bay, where the multi-coloured sands glow in the reflection of the sun, is a must-see, particularly for families with young children. The Needles Park, atop the cliffs, is an extensive area catering for all ages with fairground rides, a glassworks, restaurants, shops and its own sweet factory. You can also take a chairlift down to the beach—a dramatic descent with spectacular views—or, if you prefer, climb down the 181 steps.

There are plenty of restaurants. Farringford House offers morning coffees, lunches and afternoon teas, and you can stroll round the downstairs area, which has been left more or less as it was in Tennyson’s day. Additionally, the tearoom at Dimbola Lodge offers a good selection of home-cooked meals.

Factfile: Freshwater
Tourist Office: See Yarmouth.
Post Office: Hook Hill .
Medical Centre: Queens Road, tel: 0844 815 1428;
Chemist: Alliance Pharmacy, Moa Place, tel: 752724
Supermarket: Somerfield, School Green Road, tel: 752316
Cashpoints: Lloyds TSB, HSBC, NatWest and Barclays at Avenue Road.

Brighstone
This peaceful and picturesque village, which dates back to the 12th century, is blessed with pretty, thatched cottages, Brighstone Tea Rooms and a National Trust shop next door to the tiny Brighstone Museum. A favourite with walkers and cyclists, this is a good point from which to explore the nature trails in the forest and to intercept the Tennyson Trail if the whole route is too arduous. If there are children in the party, they can search the walls of the houses for marks left by smugglers to warn of excise men.