Art Holiday Travel and Vacation information for Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is home to some of the most diverse countryside in the UK, and what better way to unwind than to get out into the fresh air and explore?
Whether you prefer a leisurely stroll or something more energetic, you can discover historic farms, pretty lanes, thatched villages, coastal trails and woodlands. It's easy to find your way around, with over 500 miles of carefully maintained footpaths and signposts to follow. Walking, cycling and bird watching are popular all year round and every May the Island hosts the UK's largest walking festival.
Whatever you choose to do - whether it's following a pub walk, hiring bikes, or wandering along secluded coves - your time on the Isle of Wight is something the whole family will enjoy.

Underrated as a holiday area: good family beach holidays with lots of interesting events and places to visit, attractive coast and countryside, quiet off-season breaks In high summer the main resorts and places to visit do get very busy, with coach parties descending in droves on the prettiest villages. But the many people who come here just for day visits tend to home in on just the obvious places. Away from these tourist haunts, much of the island is unspoilt and little visited.

With good beaches, some of Britain's best weather, resorts, and plenty to interest families, it's rewarding for holidays. The most attractive scenery is in the W, the largest concentration of things to do in the E.The emphasis is on tradition: the family attractions here don't really go in for the new-fangled displays and technology that you can find on the mainland, and for a holiday on the island it's better to think in terms of buckets and spades than computerised rides and gadgets. The most satisfying children's outings - Brickfields Horse Centre, Blackgang Chine and its Robin Hill nr Arreton and its stablemate at Blackgang Chine, the Brickfields horse centre at Binstead - are firmly traditional. Quite a few other enjoyable visits centre on animals or birds, particularly the Amazon Adventure at Newchurch and the bird and animal attractions at St Lawrence. Arreton has lots around it to entertain families. Osborne House at East Cowes is a highlight for many older people.Outside the main holiday season the island has a great deal of potential for short breaks, feeling fresh, uncrowded and leisurely, with attractive countryside. The coastal walks are the finest in SE England - worth coming just for these. In May and June the S coast is generally the sunniest place in Britain, and even in winter really cold weather is rare. Many of the more child-oriented places close for six months over winter.The crossing takes about 30 mins - half that for the Portsmouth--Ryde catamaran, even less for the Southsea Hovercraft. Readers like the Lymington--Yarmouth trip best (you'll need to book in summer). Foot fares start at £6.20, cars from around £30 - though the very cheapest fares are usually at pretty anti-social times: (01705) 827744 for bookings from Portsmouth to Fishbourne or Ryde, and Lymington to Yarmouth; (01703) 33033 for Southampton--Cowes; (01705) 811000 for Hovercraft Southsea--Ryde (from £7.90 day return).Once you're there, prices are rather on the low side compared with the mainland, and for longer stays some hotels do good value package deals that include the ferry fare.The island bus service is excellent, especially between May and September; a week's bus pass is good value, as is a daily Rover road/rail ticket.

Becky Samuelson Fine Art
Becky lives on the Isle of Wight where she specialises in marine and landscape paintings in gouache, watercolour and pastel to commission and for exhibitions. Her love of painting is strengthened by the natural beauty of the Island from which she gains much inspiration and her work has been widely exhibited both on and off the Island.

Kempsford Hilbre Road St Helens
Isle of Wight England
marine and landscape paintings, gouache, watercolour, pastel, commissions, Isle of Wight, The United Society of Artists, Hilliard society of Miniaturists, Redwings, architectural subjects, Medici Galleries, Leisure Painter , Becky, Samuelson, Isle of Wight, - Becky Samuelson Fine Art