A perfect day on the Isle of Wight

‘It’s impossible to imagine a prettier spot,’ opined Queen Victoria about Osborne House, her lavish holiday estate, now an English Heritage property open to the public. It’s a surprisingly intimate insight into the private lives of Victoria, Albert and their children. Check out Victoria’s bedroom, kept as it was at her death, and head down to her private beach, where you can pop your head into her small wooden ‘bathing machine’, in which she’d get changed and be wheeled into the sea for a dip.

There’s no better way to explore the island than on two wheels. Hire a bike from Routefifty7 and set off on a two-hour loop of the Red Squirrel Trail. Your route will take you juddering across rolling countryside, past alpacas, through cute rural villages and finally to Sandown Pier: a gorgeous, old-school slice of the island’s 25-mile shore, complete with amusement parks, crazy golf and ice-cream stalls. Fancy a bird’s eye view? Climb trees to see the island from a different perspective with Goodleaf. 

While local favourite, the Three Buoys in Ryde, has sadly shut its doors, the family behind it are now concentrating their efforts on their other establishment The Taverners in Godshill. Sit down under the rickety beamed ceiling to tuck into refined pub grub made from seasonal local produce. 

Find out how much twee you can handle in Shanklin Old Village, where thatched roofs, trad tea rooms and gift shops line narrow, winding streets. Stop for a cream tea at Vernon Cottage, where the scones are Isle of Wight-shaped.  

Talk about island success stories. The folks at Mermaid Gin caught the gin boom at just the right time; since opening in 2014, their small-batch distillery has flourished. Order a gin and tonic at their Isle of Wight Distillery base and taste why. It’s incredibly smooth, and the addition of rock samphire leaves you with a hint of salty sea air. Check the website for tasting events. Visit the vineyard at Adgestone, where award-winning white wine can be paired with a picnic.

Get up close to the dramatic white cliffs of Freshwater Bay with a two-hour sea kayaking session with Isle of Wight Adventure Activities. Your instructor will help you navigate secret rocky sea caves and ride the swell across gaps in cliff walls. Don’t be put off if the weather is a bit chilly: that’s what wetsuits are for.

Swap rush-hour traffic noise for birdsong by escaping to the wildflower-filled fringes of Parkhurst Forest. Tiny Homes owners Helen and Frazer Cunningham have built four delightful wooden houses, each lovingly decorated with vintage prints and fluffy blankets, and fitted out with decks, kitchens, wood- burning stoves and composting toilets. Each home is solar-powered and sleeps up to four. It’s as close as you can get to nature without camping, and much more comfortable. Remember to look out for red squirrels! From £185 for two nights.