Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is an island off the south coast of England, opposite Southampton. Popularized from Victorian times as a holiday resort, it is known for its areas of natural beauty and as home to the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, a town that hosts a world famous annual regatta. Colloquially, it is known as "The Island" by its residents and it possesses a rich history including its own brief status as a vassal kingdom in the fifteenth century, home to poet Alfred Lord Tennyson and Queen Victoria's much loved summer residence and final home Osborne House. Its maritime history encompasses boat building and sail making through to the manufacture of flying boats and the world's first hovercraft. It is home to the Isle of Wight Festival which in 1970 was one of the largest Rock music events ever held with estimates reaching 600,000 attendees, overtaking the record set at Woodstock a year earlier. The island is also one of the richest fossil locations for dinosaurs in Europe. In 686AD, it became the last part of the United Kingdom to convert to Christianity - almost a century after the rest of the mainland.

Geography & Wildlife

The Isle of Wight is approximately diamond in shape and covers an area of 147 square miles (381 square km). Nearly half this area, mainly in the west of the Island, is designated as the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The landscape of the Island is remarkably diverse, leading to its oft-quoted description of "England in Miniature". The West Wight is predominantly rural, with dramatic coastlines dominated by the famous chalk downland ridge, running across the whole Island and ending in The Needles stacks - perhaps the most photographed aspect of the Isle of Wight. The highest point on the island is St Boniface Down, at 241m/791ft, which is also a Marilyn.

Related Topics:
147 square miles (381 square km) - Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - Downland - St Boniface Down - Marilyn

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The rest of the Island landscape also has great diversity, with perhaps the most notable habitats being the soft cliffs and sea ledges, which are spectacular features as well as being very important for wildlife, and are internationally protected. The River Medina flows north into the Solent, whilst the other main river, the River Yar flows roughly north-east, emerging at Bembridge Harbour on the eastern end of the Island. Confusingly, there is another entirely separate river at the western end also called the River Yar flowing the short distance from Freshwater Bay to a relatively large estuary at Yarmouth. Where distinguishing the two becomes necessary, each may be referred to as the eastern or western Yar. The south coast of the island adjoins the English Channel.

Related Topics:
River Medina - Solent - River Yar - Bembridge - River Yar - Freshwater - Yarmouth - English Channel

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Island wildlife is remarkable, thought to be the only place in England where the red squirrel is flourishing, with a stable population. Unlike the rest of England, no grey squirrels are to be found on the Islandhttp://www.iwight.com/living_here/environment/operation_squirrel.asp, nor are there any wild deer, but instead rare and protected species such as the dormouse, and many rare bats can be found. The Glanville Fritillary butterfly, in the United Kingdom is largely restricted to the edges of the crumbling cliffs of the Isle of Wight.

Related Topics:
England - Red squirrel - Grey squirrel - Deer - Dormouse - Bat - Glanville Fritillary - United Kingdom

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By far the main form of access is by boat from the mainland, regular ferry services being available from Lymington to Yarmouth, Southampton to East Cowes, and Portsmouth to Fishbourne. Foot passengers may also use the hovercraft service between Southsea and Ryde esplanade or two hi-speed catamaran services; from West Cowes to Southampton or Portsmouth Harbour Station to Ryde pier head. The latter provides a direct link between the rail systems of the Island and Mainland. The island is also served by airports for light aircraft at Bembridge and Sandown.

Related Topics:
Boat - Ferry - Lymington - Yarmouth - Southampton - Cowes - Portsmouth - Fishbourne - Hovercraft - Southsea - Ryde - Catamaran - Aircraft

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The island is the home of the smallest Train Operating Company in Britain's National Rail network, the Island Line, running some 8½ miles from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The island also has a steam operated heritage railway, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, which connects with the Island Line at Smallbrook Junction.

Related Topics:
National Rail - Island Line - Ryde - Shanklin - Isle of Wight Steam Railway

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