Isle of Wight Walking Holidays Cycling Oudoor Activities

Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Beauty - Walking - Cycling

Almost half of the Isle of Wight is covered by the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designation. It includes large parcels of land in the west east and north of the island as well as the two heritage coasts, The Tennyson Heritage Coast along the south of the island and the Hamstead Heritage Coast along the north. The special landscape features of the AONB include sea cliffs and chines, beaches, ancient woodlands, chalk downland and heaths, hamlets, rural villages, harbour towns, castles, even fossilised trees and dinosaur footprints.

The best way to explore the Isle of Wight's natural beauty is by foot or cycle. The Isle of Wight Coast Path runs for 67 miles around the entire island. You can tackle the whole route with overnight stays along the way or break it up into manageable day walks - check out the coast walks link right.

The same website lists a range of cycle routes from easy road routes to off road cycleway and mountain bike routes.

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The Isle of Wight Walking Festival

A good introduction to the island is to take part in the Isle of Wight Walking Festival held annually in May. The event includes 300 walks of various abilities all across the island.

A listing of the walks is included in their website, link right.

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Bag Tag Baggage Moving Service - Bagtag Isle of Wight

If you're wanting to make your holiday a cycle or walking based holiday check out the services offered by BagTag who offer a door-to-door bag moving service. This is a service where you can arrange for your bags to be moved to your accommodation while you spend the day exploring the island. You don't even need to bring the car at all!

You just pay a fee per bag, per day and they'll sort out your bags so they'll be at your accommodation when you arrive.

This is just one of the Island 2000 Trust's initiatives to promote sustainable tourism on the Isle of Wight. It's well worth looking into making your holiday a walking or cycling based one as the traffic can get a bit busy, particularly around the east of the island.

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Cowes Week

Cowes Week is the biggest event in the yachting calendar and is the oldest annual sailing regatta in the world - running since 1826. It's exclusivity was sealed by the patronage of the Prince Regent and the royal family have continued to attend since.

Cowes Week takes place at the beginning of August and attracts around 100,000 spectators to the island. The eight day event includes a host of sailing competitions in which 1,000 boats take part. The social side of the event attracts royalty, celebrities and mariners from around the world attending a whole host of parties in the venues and restaurants in and around Cowes itself. The whole event has a fun festival atmosphere whether you're on the A-list or not.

The races are quite some spectacle to watch and you can book onto spectator boats to get the best view of the action. Check out the Cowes Week weblink right for more information. The best vantage point on land for the racing start lines is at Cowes Parade. It is also the central information point for Cowes Week and you can sign up for a free sailing taster session. Street entertainment, live music, a champagne seafood and oyster bar, the Sail for Gold bar and BBQ keep the crowds fed, watered and entertained. Cowes Yacht Haven is the social centre for the event where yachtsmen and spectators alike can mix amongst the champagne bar, beer tent and food court. There is also a range of retail outlets and of course live entertainment to add to the festival feel.

Racing enquiries are fielded by the Regatta Office at18 Bath Road, Cowes, behind the Bandstand on Cowes Parade. For participants and friends the Shepherds Wharf Marina is the hub for live screen coverage of the events, Crew Bar, live entertainment, restaurant and Infernos Crew Nightclub with themed club nights. The whole event culminates in a fantastic firework display with an amazing display over the water.

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Isle of Wight Sailing and Watersports

The Isle of Wight is the home of sailing which is celebrated by the biggest sailing regatta every year, Cowes Week. The Solent is always full of visitors and residents sailing to and around the island. Famous sailors such as Ellen McArthur have their home on the Isle of Wight as it's such a fantastic training ground. Check the links right for sailing clubs on the island.

If you fancy having a go yourself you can try the UKSA Maritime Academy which is based in West Cowes. They offer courses for yachting, motoryacht, RIB and powerboat training as well as leisure watersports such as dinghy sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and kitesurfing.

UKSA, Arctic Road, West Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 7PQ. Tel: 01983 294941 or a course adviser on 01983 203038.

Alternatively you can try the Medina Valley Centre which offer training for all ages in sailing and canoeing. Courses run from Easter to the end of October on the sheltered Medina Estuary north of Newport. Medina Valley Centre Dodnor Lane Newport Isle of Wight PO30 5TE Tel: 01983 522195 Email: info@medinavalleycentre.org.uk.

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