Things to do
There is something for everybody on the Isle of Wight. The Old Rectory is just a mile from the coast and surrounded by public pathways and bridleways. Both English Heritage and the National Trust run many sites and buildings on the island, including Osborne House, the beautiful and grand holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
To the south of the Old Rectory stands St Catherine’s lighthouse which marks the most southerly point of the island and from which you can see along the rugged western coast as far as the famous Needles. Dramatic downs rise steeply from the sea, and heather-clad hills and Bronze Age burial mounds can all be found in this beautiful area. From the top of St Catherine’s Hill you find glorious views across to the Solent, and as far as Portsmouth and Southampton.
The local town of Ventnor is home to the famous Botanical Gardens. Ventnor enjoys a micro-climate and there is both flora and fauna only otherwise found in southern Europe, including red squirrels and green lizards. A short walk down from the Botanical Gardens brings you to Steephill Cove; a romantic, secluded cove, only accessible on foot or by boat, where you can enjoy eating local crab brought in by the fisherman who lives there.
The Old Rectory
tel: 01983 731 242
email: info@oldrectory1868.co.uk
Isle of Wight
