Karl Marx famously described the Isle of Wight with the words “This island is a little paradise” and it isn't hard to see why he felt that way. Famous for its links with the sailing community, the island is between 2 and 5 miles from the coast of Hampshire, separated only by the Solent and is steeped in in maritime and industrial tradition.
Beloved by writers and monarchs alike, the island offers a wide variety of places of historical interest coupled with important archaeological and geological areas.
Queen Victoria spent childhood holidays on the island and when she was monarch made Osborne House her Winter home. "It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" she said of the place that would become her final home. A visit to Osborne House is a must!*
The Isle of White has a rich musical history, with the 1970 Isle of White festival one of the final public appearances of Jimi Hendrix. A statue to Hendrix can be seen outside Dimbola Lodge (the home of celebrated Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron).
The Isle of Wight is a favourite with students and lovers of Geology. All the rocks on the island are sedimentary which are rich in fossils, many of which can be seen on the beaches as the cliffs erode. The island is one of the most important areas in Europe for dinosaur fossils. Dinosaur bones and fossilised footprints can be seen in and on the rocks exposed around the island's beaches.
For fun-seekers, a visit to Blackgang Chine is always popular! Rejoicing in the title of the oldest amusement park in the United Kingdom, families have been enjoying its amusements since the 1840s!
One blog post simply isn't enough space to share all the wonderful things about the Isle of Wight, the home of The Crew House so we'd love to hear from you with your "must do" list of places to visit, eat or simply soak up the relaxed atmosphere!
The Crew House is fully open (and will remain so following the guidelines in the Government's roadmap for easing lockdown) and available to book via AirBNB. Any changes will be communicated via our Facebook page.
We can't wait to welcome you!
*Please do check with each attraction before you visit for opening times and any additional information you may need!