If you enjoy picturesque cycling, coastal walks, and simple seaside pleasures, the Isle of Wight should be your first choice. It is home to Queen Victoria’s summer retreat, Osborne House, and boasts 20 beautiful beaches and unspoilt coves. The island offers 17 miles of cycling and walking trails that cover the coastline and countryside. In July and August, the famous Cowes sailing regatta takes place, and the island provides opportunities for various water sports like kayak surfing, windsurfing, paddle-boarding, and parasailing.
We had the opportunity to explore the island by bike, borrowing wheels from Foresters Hall, an impeccable boutique hotel with 14 bedrooms. Located in Cowes old town on a cobbled street, Foresters Hall is just a five-minute walk from the Red Jet terminal, with a 28-minute journey from Southampton Quay to East Cowes. The hotel courtyard houses the bike rack and leads to a lovely dining terrace and a small herb garden. Beyond the garden, a white picket fence surrounds a small salt-water swimming pool, which is next to the Garden Suites building. The pool area features a 3D mural by Joe Hill of 3D Joe and Max, depicting a swimmer diving off a painted balcony.
For those who love swimming, Room 11 in the Garden Suite is located right next to the pool. If you prefer sea views and a touch of cinematic stardust, Room 12, known as the Judi Dench suite, is the perfect choice. Judi Dench stayed in this room during the filming of Victoria & Abdul at Osborne House.
On our second day, after enjoying a fortifying breakfast at Foresters Hall, we embarked on the four-mile Cowes-to-Newport cycling trail, surrounded by woodlands and running parallel to the River Medina. At Newport, we headed south to Carisbrooke Castle, where King Charles I was imprisoned. Carisbrooke Castle also serves as the starting point for the Tennyson Trail, ending at the Needles, the westernmost point of the island. Instead of following this trail, we cycled a short distance to the charming village of Shorwell for a veggie roast lunch at the Crown Inn. Note that this route is more hilly compared to others, unless you are an avid cyclist who would choose the challenging Chalk Ridge Extreme route, featuring steep gradients and cliff-top trails, including the Tennyson Trail.
After a day of cycling, we enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails at the Foresters bar, a striking blue room displaying the hotel owners’ art collection. Paintings by artists such as Jim Dine and Alex Katz can be found throughout the hotel, with an Annie Leibovitz portrait adorning the ladies’ restroom. The adjoining library contains books on art and wine, continuing the hotel’s theme of creating a place of culture and art appreciation. The hotel’s Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, The Brasserie by Smoking Lobster, offers excellent fish dishes and a fine selection of locally sourced wines supplied by Wine Therapy.
For fresh seafood, we visited Steephill Cove, a beautiful fishing cove just a 20-minute walk from Ventnor, a Victorian resort town known for its vintage beach huts. The Crab Shed in Steephill Cove served delicious fresh crab pasties, and the Beach Shack next door offered mouthwatering fresh crab sandwiches. If we had brought along our swimming gear, we could have rented a sea kayak from Cove Kayaks. Instead, we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine, watching a Labrador swimming in the sea, and embracing the simple pleasures of the seaside.
Foresters Hall is a luxurious hotel with double rooms starting at £295 per night for bed and breakfast.
Three other Victorian seaside resorts worth mentioning are Selina in Brighton, Grand Hotel in Tynemouth, and The Sail Loft in Southwold. Selina in Brighton offers a trendy hostel-hotel experience, with rooms starting from £53 per night. The Grand Hotel in Tynemouth provides old-school elegance with beach views, with rooms starting from £90 per night for bed and breakfast. The Sail Loft in Southwold, located in a former sail-making warehouse, offers a tranquil haven by the Blyth estuary, with rooms starting from £180 per night for bed and breakfast.