A - Z of the Isle of Wight; Part Three
If you caught our previous posts (you can check out Part One and Part Two) you'll know we're collating our favourite snippets about the Isle of Wight into a handy A-Z format. As we said before all our entries have simply been chosen as a bit of fun, we would love to hear your choices and whether you agree with ours!
S is for Sailing Heritage
The Isle of Wight has been synonymous with all things sailing and hosts several regattas a year including the world-famous Cowes Week!
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world, with up to 1000 boats and 8000 competitors from Olympic athletes to weekend sailors attending. The first ever race started at 9.30am on Thursday 10th August 1826 and since then the event is one of the most attended and well-regarded on the island.
Of course, our love of sailing is how The Crew House came about! (We just love this painting by Raoul Dufy entitled Regatta at Cowes)
T is for Tyrannosaurus
Ok, not quite, but one of his close relatives Eotyrannus lived on the island! The Isle of Wight is famous for its dinosaur heritage and is regarded as one of the richest areas for discovery in Europe, earning it the nickname "Dinosaur Island".
Two island beaches; Compton Bay and Yaverland are fossil-finding hot spots whilst Hanover Point on Brook Beach is the best area to spot footprints!
The local Tourism Board offers plenty to do for lovers of all things dinosaur!
U is for Unique!
There's nowhere in the United Kingdom quite like the Isle of Wight. Not only is it the sunniest place, but it also offers an unrivalled mixture of history, leisure, activity, and nature. Whatever you want from a holiday, the Isle of Wight can provide!
V is for Vectis
The oldest records for the Isle of Wight are from the Roman era, when the island was named Vectis or Vecta in Latin. It is thought that this could be because the island sits like a lever (Latin: vectis) between the two arms of the Solent.
W is for Walking
The Isle of Wight remains massively popular with walkers and with 514 miles of scenic walking trails throughout the island, it isn't hard to see why!
X is for X-cited
Can you tell we struggled with this one? Let's just say we're x-cited to have shared our love of the Isle of Wight with you, and we're x-cited to welcome you to The Crew House.
Y is for Yarmouth
Named for its location at the mouth of the Western Yar river, Yarmouth has been a settlement for over 1000 years and is one of the earliest on the Isle of Wight. The Normans laid out the town on a grid system which can still be seen today.
Yarmouth Pier opened in 1876. Originally 685ft long, it is now 609ft but remains the longest timber pier in England open to the public.
Yarmouth is one of the smallest towns in the UK with the 2011 census recording just 865 usual residents.
Z is for Zoo
Earlier this year, the Isle of Wight Zoo underwent a name change to The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary. The new identity reflects their focus on rescued and threatened wildlife and puts the Isle of Wight at the frontline of the protection of endangered species.
Originally established in the 1950s the sanctuary has risen from various periods of disrepair to being a forerunner in animal rescue and rehabilitation. With a focus on big cats and primates, the sanctuary remains a family favourite and is well worth a visit.
"This island is a little paradise" ~ Karl Marx
We hope you've enjoyed reading about the Isle of Wight as much as we've loved pulling these posts together! If they've prompted you to book your next holiday, we'd love to welcome you to The Crew House.