Cowes Port Handbook 2014-2015 April 2014 | Page 74

COWES PORT HANDBOOK 2014 - 2015

Around the Isle of Wight
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The beach at Priory Bay Hotel

Cowes has been a magnet for yachtsmen for almost 200 years and is
rightly famous for hosting many of the world’s most prestigious sailing
events. But it is also a gateway to an Island that is breathtaking in its
beauty, fascinating for its history and beloved by many as a destination
for holidays, short breaks, and day trips.
You could start to explore the Island from Cowes Harbour itself by
venturing up the River Medina (under your own steam or by water taxi)
towards the county town of Newport, which sits at the centre of the
Isle of Wight and is the retail and commercial heart of the Island. From
Newport, you are within easy striking distance of Ryde, Freshwater,
Sandown, Shanklin, and Ventnor. These towns are all close to the coast,
but you will also pass numerous villages and hamlets, like the famous
thatched village of Godshill, which can provide the perfect starting point
for a walk, especially if it ends up at one of the Island’s many characterful
pubs or tea rooms.
There is a surprising number of high quality places to stay across the Island
if you venture out of Cowes. The Priory Bay Hotel in Seaview is a yearround favourite with anyone who enjoys the comfort of a classic country
house hotel, one which also happens to have its own private beach. Also on
the eastern coast of the Isle of Wight, sits the Seaview Hotel. Whilst the

The George Hotel, in the picturesque town of Yarmouth

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