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intro
intro
welcome
welcome
about the isle of wight
about the isle of wight
more about ventnor
more about ventnor
getting to the isle of wight
getting to the isle of wight

isle of wight holidays - intro

isle of wight holidays - about the isle of wight

The Isle of Wight is only a short ferry trip across the Solent, but it is like stepping into another world, where half the island is made up of designated areas of outstanding natural beauty. The pace of life is still very relaxed here with a great welcome for visitors and a wealth of sights to see and things to do from the extremely active like taking part in extreme sports, vigorous hill walking and sailing to the extremely relaxing like taking a stroll along the sea front, or dropping into one of the islands many bars, restaurants or cafés for a meal or a drink.

Scenery on the Isle of Wight is about as varied as it gets too. There are dramatic cliffs and rolling downs with all colours of landscape in between, so whatever mood you are in, you can find surroundings to match and enhance your feelings.

The Isle of Wight is also steeped in history, going back to long before man was the dominant species on the planet. Dinosaur remains are often discovered on the Isle of Wight. Charles Darwin came to the Isle of Wight to study remains brought to the surface by shifting rock strata that brought archaeological evidence to the surface in a way that just didn’t happen in other parts of Britain. Even to this day, tourists with a keen eye can unexpectedly come across interesting finds. Early human settlements in the Isle of Wight go back at least 5,000 years with archaeological evidence of ancient burial mounds pointing to a very sophisticated stone-age settlement here. There are also numerous bronze-age burial mounds to be seen all over the island.

Roman occupation came to the Isle of Wight as it did to the rest of Britain, giving the Island its Roman name ’Vectis’. Newport and Brading offer visitors particularly well preserved and interesting glimpses into life on the Isle of Wight in Roman times.

Also, Newport is interesting for its history in the 13^th and 14^th century, when it was a very prosperous and bustling medieval port. Many of the old thoroughfares of the time can still be traced and exploring Newport is always an interesting experience and a chance to imagine yourself as a part of a completely different way of life.

As a holiday resort, the great boom time for the Isle of Wight was the Victorian era. With the Royal Seal of Approval from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert themselves, what self respecting victorian holidaymaker would go anywhere else? Osborne House, the Royal Residence on the Isle of Wight is now a great tourist attraction and many of the rooms are still as they were left when Queen Victoria died. Towards the end of the Victorian era, Marconi established the world’s first ever wireless telegraphy station at Alum Bay.

There is also a great wealth of wartime history in the Isle of Wight. The island was thrown very much into the front line of WW2, being the first line of defence in any potential invasion. The proximity of The Isle of Wight to our enemies made it an obvious choice for radar and early warning placements, which in turn unfortunately made it an obvious choice for bombing, with much damage being done around Ventnor, where there was a radar station.

With the rise of our affluent society, the Isle of Wight, like all British resorts has had to compete with foreign holidays and has risen to the task manfully. To keep the attraction of the island strong, the organisation of festivals has become a specialist subject for the island. From early days of the now world-famous music festival in the late 1960s to todays festivals of walking, cycling, extreme sports, surfing and of course, sailing, with Cowes Week being one of the most established and best known sporting events in the world. In fact, there are over 1000 festivals and carnivals held in the Isle of Wight each year, attracting visitors with every kind of interest from every country in the world. For a comprehensive guide to what’s on in the Isle of Wight, check out the link to Island Breaks, the official tourist site that can be found on our links page.

isle of wight holidays - more about ventnor

Many places of interest and local cottage industries can be found in Ventnor and the surrounding area, which include glass blowing, our very own Ventnor Brewery, Rare Breeds Sanctuary and the wonderful Botanical Gardens which is just a walk away from the Tower House. The town has numerous interesting bric-a-brac and antique shops.

The safe sand and fine shingle beach, minutes walking distance from the house is set in a picturesque cove with cafés and bars.

Ventnor Haven marina is just a short distance away and presents a great opportunity for anyone interested in boats, angling or just walking along the harbour wall to take in spectacular views over the sea or the cliffs into which Tower House is cut. Ventnor Haven is the only stopping off point for visiting craft on the south of the Isle of Wight, and is also playing a part in revitalising the local seafood and shellfish industry.< br>
Ventnor boasts a great selection of places to eatm from simple pub meals to luxurious restaurants there is something to please every palate and mood. See the links page for more details.

If you like to walk in beautiful surroundings, there are many walks to choose from, both in Ventnor itself and the St. Boniface Downs, with many spectacular views. Maps are available from the local tourist board office and we keep a selection in Tower House for visitors’ convenience.

Lovers of architecture will be interested in Ventnor Winter Gardens. Built in true Art Deco style in 1936, the Winter Gardens was for many years the premier entertainment venue in the area. Today, the building is still used for community entertainment and a great place to meet. Concerts, markets, film showings, comedy clubs and festivals of jazz, rock music and art ar now hosted at the Winter Gardens Jointly organised by the Friends of Ventnor Winter Gardens and the Ventnor Town Council. If you just want to sit in a restaurant or bar and relax, then The Winter Gardens is a great choice, offering one of the finest sea views in the Isle of Wight.

Ventnor town has a higgledy-piggledy charm brought about by slightly chaotic and not particularly planned development and expansion in the early victorian era. Largely owing to a well-known physician’s belief that the mild climate was beneficial to health, the population grew from 77 in 1830 to 5000 in the 1860’s. With this growth came the railway from Ryde, good sea connections through the Ventnor and Southsea Steam Packet Company and The Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest.

The hospital was closed a number of years ago, the site now being occupied by the Ventnor Botanical Gardens, which with its Mediterranean terrace, a Temperate House and Visitor Centre is also a great place to visit.

Ventnor is surrounded by places of great natural beauty and geological/historical interest so there is enough to satisfy the most enquiring mind in a holiday here.

For a real taste of the area’s history, you can take a short walk along the sea wall to Bonchurch, the Island’s best preserved Victorian village, with pretty cottages, village pond and the tiny 11th Century Old Church of St Boniface. Bonchurch has a sheltered mainly pebbly beach, with adjacent cafés and studio pottery.

Westwards from the Esplanade, the coastal path leads to Ventnor Park, with its delightful gardens and putting green, and on to Steephill Cove. Here a path leads up to the 22 acre Botanic Gardens site.

For sun-worshippers there is good news too. Ventnor, along with Sandown and Shanklin has the highest average hours of sunshine per day on the island. See the links page for more Isle of Wight weather information.