Isle of Wight (Slow Travel) (Local, characterful guides to Britain's special places)

Part of Bradt’s distinctive, award-winning series of ‘Slow’ travel guides to UK regions, the new, thoroughly updated second edition of Isle of Wight (Slow Travel) remains by far the longest and most detailed guidebook to this charming English island. Written by expert travel journalist Mark Rowe, who has visited the island over 30 times since childhood, it is the perfect companion to help you get the most out of your visit, replete with not just all the practical information you could need, but also all the intimate detail, anecdote and insider tips to make time spent there deeply rewarding. The Isle of Wight is an island that is astonishingly – and unexpectedly – rich in wildlife, natural beauty, history, archaeology, classy museums and Victoriana. This is all the more remarkable for it being so close to the densely populated southern edges of England. Covering just 25 miles by 13 miles, no other equivalent-sized area of Britain boasts such a variety of landscapes (downland, estuaries, hills, saltmarshes, meadows, riverine, beach) or such an intense concentration of food producers (50+ independents). Here there is a real island culture, a creative spirit that favours the independent and idiosyncratic. There is urban fascination too: Cowes is famous for its sailing jamboree, but is also packed with interest from narrow, medieval streets to local one-of-a-kind shops. Bradt’s Isle of Wight encompasses the island’s strong associations with British royalty – from Queen Victoria’s final home to the castle where Charles I was imprisoned – and architectural history, including 15th-century manor houses. It also covers quirks, curiosities and attractions, including Jimi Hendrix’s unusual love affair with the island, a day in the life of a ferry master, World War II history, the annual walk at low tide to look for marine creatures underneath Ryde’s grand Victorian pier, award-winning wines and more dinosaur fossil-rich beaches than anywhere else in Britain! Twenty maps will help you navigate from one point of interest to another, take walks and enjoy cycle rides. Indeed, whatever your interest, Bradt’s Isle of Wight (Slow Travel) will help you to plan and enjoy a visit to remember.