Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county in the English Channel and an English island. The distance from the south coast of Great Britain is three miles. The Isle of Wight is towards the south of Hampshire. It is separated from the mainland of England by the Solent. The Isle of Wight is famous as a holiday resort since the Victorian times. The place is reputed for its natural beauty and also the world famous sailing, which is done in Cowes.
Prominent points
The Isle of Wight was a nominally independent kingdom during the fifteenth century. The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson has his house here. The summer residence of Queen Victoria was built here. In East Cowes, the final home Osborne House was constructed. The island is known for development and testing of British space rockets, the first hovercraft in the world, the manufacture of flying boats, sail making and boat building. The Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival, Bestival is celebrated on this island. The Isle of Wight Festival also takes place. In 1970, this festival was the biggest rock music events ever to be held. Some very significant wildlife exists on this island. In Europe, the richest fossil locations are found here.
History
In the past, the Isle of Wight was a part of Hampshire. In 1890, it became an independent administrative county. In 1974, the Isle of Wight became a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county. It has its own Lord Lieutenant. The name of the county was regarded as a postal county. This is the smallest ceremonial county in England. As per the 2001 census, the island had a population of 132,731. Thus, it was the most populated Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom.
Main towns
Newport is situated at the center of the Isle of Wight. This is a county town and the most prominent shopping area on the island. There is a new bus station constructed that has a retail complex. On the outskirts there is a new retail park. As this town is close to the river Medina, it was a busy port till the mid 19th century. Now, it has been mainly transformed to apartments, art galleries and other meeting places. The biggest town of the island is Ryde. This has a population of 30,000. It is situated on the north east of the island. This is a Victorian town. As the beach extends for four miles, many tourists are attracted towards this spot. There is a half mile long pier. The town Cowes is the home of Dame Ellen MacArthur, who was a famous sailor. Each year the Cowes Week is held and many people from the United Kingdom go during this week for enjoying sailing. Sandown is a place that attracts several tourists as it is a seaside resort. In this town, one can find an 18 hole golf course, the Dinosaur Isle geological museum and the Isle of Wight Zoo. Towards the south of Sandown is Shanklin. As this place has sandy beaches, several tourists are attracted here. The major attractions in this town are the old village and Shanklin Chine.
Isle of Wight Holidays
The Isle of Wight is a great holiday destination, especially for families – anything from camping, fully service hotels, seaside fun and water sports are all offered. Don’t forget to purchase your affordable travel insurance from companies such as Direct Line or have a look at Endsleigh for travel insurance.
