I’m going to the Isle of Wight in a few weeks with a group of friends. I’m not bringing a bike and we won’t have any cars. So what is there to do? We will be staying int he Cowes area.

Thanks

Cowes = lots of sailing!

How are you going to get around?

Shove ha’penny
Hoops and sticks
Walk on a pier
Trucco

There could also be association football games, and I believe the wireless is available for several hours in the evening.

Ignore them ^^^. I live there and love it at this time of year,
Plenty of walking on the island, grab a map!
Nightlife, head to Newport for entertainment. Ryde is similar with some interesting shops and cafes and cracking sandy beach.
Alum bay is pretty fantastic (not the Theme Park). Get the open top bus to the old rocket site for some fantastic views.

Cowes is a sailing mecca. A couple of places on the high st offer sailing/learning experiences. Pricey though, although you might get a group discount. If you don’t like sailing, bring a good book. 😀 Certainly enough pubs and cafes to keep you going for the week.

If you’re here when Cowes Week (2nd week in August this year) or the Round The Island race (next weekend) is on, Cowes has a bit of a festival atmosphere going on. Although I find it all a bit corporate, and you get an influx that conforms largely to the Hooray Henry and Henrietta sailing stereotype.

There’s a bike/car hire place in the middle of town, opposite the Pier View pub. The one that doesn’t have a view of the pier, there not being one. Well worth hiring a bike cos the island is a great place for on or off-road cycling. Probably the best thing about it.

The Little Glosters in Gurnard Marsh is probably worth the 2-mile schlep along the coast from Cowes. Great grub and situation, with views along the Solent.

Yarmouth is a nice day trip – walk inland along the River Yar to the Red Lion in Freshwater, have lunch and walk back.

The Buddle Inn and the lighthouse at St Catherine’s Point, on the southernmost tip of the island, is a nice pub/walk/POI combo.

Osborne House is over in East Cowes, if wandering round stately homes’n’gardens is your thing.

Carisbrooke Castle is in Newport, if wandering round slightly older and more fortified stately homes’n’gardens is your thing.

The Needles is good, as BigYinn says – the old Battery/Rocket site is pretty spectacular and has some fascinating history to it.

Isleofwightseakayaking.co.uk are worth checking out if you want to do some sea kayaking – they’re based at Freshwater Bay but do their thing at various points on the island, depending on the weather.

Appledurcombe House, a ruined stately home and estate in Wroxall, has a falconry centre which is good if you’ve got kids in your group.

This post was brought to you by the Cowes and District Tourist Board. Enjoy your stay!

I met a couple of sisters from Cowes when I stopped off there sailing once……..dont think I kept their number but I could always have a look 😉 haha

Don’t forget the Garlic Farm..

Bembridge, don’t forget that either.

If it’s beaches you’re after Bembridge and Ryde sands’ll be the place.

Shame you’re not taking your bike, you’ll miss out.

Walk from Freshwater over Tenysson Down. Do the National Trust Old Battery at the Needles. Take Tea. Share the binoculars. Walk back.

Perfect for a group and ideal distance.

Dinosaur footprints at Compton Bay. Absolutely amazing. Only visible at low tide, so get the tide times, park at the NT car park, then when you get down to the beach take a left and walk for a couple of hundred yards. You’ll see a rocky ledge about 50m or so out to sea (there are usually people gathered looking at the floor, so you’ll know where it is). Wade out, knee deep and hey presto. A series of v obvious footprints about 50cm wide “walking” along the ground on the ledge. An incredible sight and sends shivers down the spine that they were created by a dinosaur walking along that spot a long time ago. Well worth a visit.

Wow!! This thread is already 3 times longer than I expected!

I’d also recommend the Bonchurch Inn. Great, authentic Italian food in a unique pub full of atmosphere with great hosts. The best lasagne I’ve ever tasted. I’d also second the St Catherines lighthouse and Buddle Inn combo. Also worth visiting Ventnor botanical gardens (exit at the back of the gardens to walk down to Steephill cove for great seafood).

Thanks for the info guys. It’s really helpful. 🙂

Don’t forget to take a boat trip round the Needles from Alum Bay (my brother runs it 🙂