LoginSubscribe to Alerts

Great Places to Live: Isle of Wight

Posted 30 December 2019 by Katie Sakka

The Isle of Wight isn’t just a holiday destination. If you’re looking for a lifestyle change and a different pace of life, then this could be the location for you and your family to settle down in.

Lying just off the coast of south Hampshire in Southern England, only six miles across the Solent from Portsmouth, is another world. A place so unique that it has its own microclimate, Britain’s best-kept secret is imbued with a sense of history and magic. A gem in every sense of the word, the diamond-shaped Isle of Wight extends 22.5 miles from east to west and 13.5 miles from north to south. With a population of 138,000, the Island is home to Hamstead Heritage Coast, Isle of Wight AONB, and a varied coastline that includes gorgeous beaches, cliffs, rock pools, and coves.

Once an independent kingdom back in the 15th century, the Island’s history can be traced back 125 million years before the Island broke away from a much larger continent. The animals and plants that once inhabited that land can now be found preserved as fossils along the Islands coast making it one of Europes’ best sites for dinosaur remains, fossiled plantlife and dinosaur footprints. During the Stone Age, an ancient community lived on the Island and left behind tombs and neolithic pillars like the Long Stone - a real testament to their engineering skills! Bronze Age round burial mounds can also be found dotted across hilltops.

A well-known getaway for those who wish to holiday closer to home, the Island, though full of fantastic tourist attractions is also the perfect place if you’re considering a relocation for a different pace of life. There’s plenty to do with the family with attractions such as Osborne House, Carisbrooke Castle, Tapnell Farm Park, The Needles, Blackgang Chine, Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Godshill Model Village, two zoos, a safari park, Bembridge Fort, a steam railway, nature reserves, parks, and museums. For those who enjoy outdoor activities, the Island offers eight golf clubs, a wide variety of water sports, tree climbing, mountain biking, horse riding, and karting.

If you enjoy eating out you won’t be disappointed with the array of pubs, inns, cafes, bistros, and restaurants the Island has to offer. A large proportion of these eateries use only local, seasonal produce and fresh-caught fish. The Little Gloster in West Cowes is a great example of this. The restaurant was recently awarded 'Best Local Restaurant 2020' By The Good Food Guide & featured in the Michelin Guide.

 

 

Whether you’d prefer to work on the Island or commute to the mainland, there are plenty of transport options open to you with even a commute to London only taking two hours. Regular car ferry services depart from three different locations taking between 30 and 55 minutes crossing time. Foot passengers have the choice of either the hovercraft service which takes 10 minutes crossing time or one of two hi-speed catamaran services which take between 18 and 23 minutes crossing time. These hi-speed services are a great choice for commuters to the mainland as they provide a direct link to South West Trains services from both Portsmouth and Southampton, connecting mainland work destinations including Winchester, Bournemouth, Basingstoke, Guildford and London For those commuting within the Island, Island Line operates a service from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the east side of the Island. There is also a steam-operated heritage railway, which runs from Wootton and connects with Island Line at Smallbrook Junction, near Ryde. The Island's bus routes connect all the Island's major towns.

If you are not already firmly convinced that the Island is a perfect place for families then the provision of schools will certainly convince you. There are 39 primary schools on the Island, and seven secondary schools - Carisbrooke College, Christ the King College, Cowes Enterprise College, Medina College, Ryde Academy, The Island Free School, and Isle of Wight College. There is also 1 all through school for children aged four to 16 years - The Bay CE School, two special schools - Medina House School and St George’s School, and The Island Learning Centre which provides education for SEN, medically unwell, vulnerable, and excluded children. A list of all the Islands' schools can be for here.

Hawthorn Meadows, Whippingham is the ideal island location for your family to build a future in. Located at the Northern tip of the Island just below East Cowes and right on the River Medina with a lively marina and riverfront promenade nearby and the local primary school within walking distance, this development offers a selection of two- and three-bedroom homes ranging from £185,000 to £224,995.

Featured home: Plot 372, 'Palmerston' - A three-bedroom, semi-detached home priced from £219,000.00. £5,000 deposit contribution. No Stamp Duty for first-time buyers & flooring included. Palmerston is ready to move into, has an open-plan kitchen and French doors to the garden. There's also a spacious lounge, cloakroom and under-stairs storage. Upstairs, you'll find two double bedrooms, one single bedroom, and a family bathroom. This home comes with two parking spaces. £10,950 deposit with Help to Buy. From Barratt Homes.

Malabar (Spitfire Homes)
29 February 2024
Spitfire Homes has announced the next stage of the major development in Daventry, now open for house-hunters to visit...Read more
The ‘Corndon’ house type from Cavanna Homes
29 February 2024
Friday 1 and Saturday 2 March are the dates of an Open House event for a decorated new view home at Bellevue...Read more
A Bromford show house
29 February 2024
Bromford has released the first of a brand new design of three-bedroom house for sale at its Park Lane site in in Cradley Heath...Read more
Sign up for email alertsGet the latest properties and updates sent directly to your inbox daily, weekly or immediately you are in control.
Subscribe to Alerts
Search news and advice

Click here to see your activities