The Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is shaped like a diamond and sits in the Solent, within view of Southampton. It is near yet far, close yet not too close. This is where Queen Victoria and her Prince Albert built their idea of “home”. A house like no other Hampshire house, as within it’s walls an historic story reverberates with royal communications. Osborne House provides visitors with gardens to walk through, rooms to wonder at and windows to look out of. The look is one of splendour. Catch the ferry over to the island from either Lymington or Southampton. The views from on board provide a real sense of the size of the island. Then take a tour around the island and see for yourself the imposing Carisbrooke Castle and the island’s towns and seaside resorts.

Sample tour of the Isle of Wight

Tour itineraries will be based on the time available for your visit and dependent on whether you are based on the mainland or on the Island.

Pick up from Hotel, Railway Station or wherever requested. Blue Badge Guide Lorna Matthews-Keel BA MITG will be waiting to drive you either to Lymington I.O.W ferry leaving for Yarmouth on the I.O.W, or to Southampton I.O.W ferry leaving for Cowes I.O.W.

Car Ferry Crossing takes 40 minutes from Lymington and 60 minutes from Southampton. Cars can be left and passengers can sit on upper deck where they can enjoy the fine view from the mainland port to I.O.W port.

Journey from Yarmouth/Cowes may include some of the following sites of interest. The tour will include a panoramic of the island taking in as many as the coastal sites as possible within the time eg. Bembridge and windmill, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor and St. Catherine’s Lighthouse, The Needles chalk stack and Yarmouth. The panoramic and sites available will depend on the time of year eg. summertime gets very busy and some sites may close during winter months. Limited mobility also limit the choice of sites available as many include walking. Wheelchairs are available at some sites.

OSBORNE HOUSE – Look at the magnificent  home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. This is the house to which they escaped court life in London. It was built in an Italianate design with an exterior that slopes down to the sea. 

CARISBROOKE CASTLE – This castle is truly magnificent. A fortified castle, one of many that William the Conqueror developed from the time he conquered in 1066. It has history, tales to tell and donkeys that work it’s wheel to bring up that most important liquid, water.

BRADING ROMAN VILLA – The Romans came to Britain in 43AD. They left many beautiful mosaics that were the floors to their villas and town houses. At Brading there are fine examples of Roman mosaics in a Roman villa. A truly impressive sight.

VENTNOR BOTANICAL GARDENS – Take a stroll around this truly unusual garden that exist in it’s very own micro-climate. This site was not always a garden but a hospital and it retains the a sense of calm so important for recuperation.

 MOTTISTONE MANOR AND GARDENS – Take a stroll around this house and gardens. The house is known to be one of the most beautiful houses on the island and dates from the sixteenth century. 

RETURN TO YARMOUTH/COWES FOR RETURN FERRY AND TO DROP-OFF POINT AS REQUESTED.