Adding Colour To Your Short Break
For an island just 23 miles wide and 13 miles deep, the Isle of Wight packs in a surprising variety of attractions. Best known for sandy beaches and a dramatic coastline, it is also famous as the Garden Island, where rare plants, vineyards and natural produce flourish because of the mild climate and remarkably diverse rural landscape. And it boasts a rich cultural heritage stretching from Roman times up to the present day and the annual Isle of Wight Festival.
Short breaks have long been popular on an Island that is just a short hop across the Solent from the UK mainland. But, with so much variety on offer, why not make this a themed break – where the focus of your trip coincides with one of your main interests?
Wightlink has compiled a series of trails around the Isle of Wight designed for history enthusiasts, food lovers and people who enjoy outdoor activities.
Focus On The Great Outdoors
With more than 500 miles of marked footpaths and over half of its landscape designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Isle of Wight is ideal for walkers, cyclists and people who love unusual flora and fauna. Find out more about the Island plant life on the Rare Plant Trail or check out Footloose for things to see and do on foot. Choose from the leisure bike rides in our Cycling low down or the graded walks catering for both leisure and serious walkers in our Walking section.
Fascinated By The Past?
Osborne House is a world-famous historic house, thanks to Victoria & Albert, for whom it was a family home. But this is just one of many rich heritage attractions on the Isle of Wight and the Island’s history tale is told in the Wight History Trail, on which luminaries like Tennyson, Dickens, Marconi and Jimi Hendrix share equal billing with dinosaurs, medieval knights and rocket men.
Fixated By Food?
The Wight Taste Trail provides a tasty route around the Island visiting food producers and dipping into the best of local produce in top restaurant, pubs and cafes. Meet the big cheeses and find out why the Isle of Wight produces some of Europe’s best tomatoes, honey, garlic and even Highland beef.
Carry The Theme Through....
Check out our monthly billboard of the best short break packages that suit your trip focus. Plan a gourmet break, stay in a historic property or get back to nature on a Green Getaway.
WINTER OFFERS
Gourmet Break
Get three nights for the price of two at Sentry Mead www.sentrymead.co.uk during February and March. Three-night breaks cost from £126pp (based on two sharing) including B&B accommodation and return Wightlink car ferry crossings.
Heritage Break
Stay at the largest manor house on the Island – NorthCourt www.northcourt.info. Two-night B&B breaks cost from £96pp (based on two sharing) including return Wightlink car ferry crossings.
Green Getaway
Stay in deepest countryside in the self-catering Cart House at Gotten Manor www.gottenmanor.co.uk. One-week holidays cost from £90pp (based on four sharing) including return Wightlink car ferry crossings.
