Isle of Wight Hiking Tours

The Isle of Wight is unique; more than 50% of the island is protected as a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This means that the landscape is of scientific and ecological importance, including its iconic cliffs, the long, secluded beaches, the quiet woodlands, and the rich flora in the grasslands.

As if that was not impressive enough, the United Nations declared the island and the waters around it as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2019. This means that the Isle of Wight can demonstrate that there is a balanced relationship between people and nature. This is quite special as it is only the 6th region in the United Kingdom to be given this award, making it a remarkable place to visit.

Did you know that the Isle of Wight...

• ...only measures 23 miles by 13 miles and despite being in the Channel, it does not belong to the group of Channel Islands. 

• ...is home to one of the richest areas for dinosaur discovery in Europe, as over 20 species of dinosaur have been recognised and found on the island.

• ...is rich in natural wildlife, including the rare Glanville fritillary butterfly. By far the largest population of these butterflies in the UK can be found on the south coast.

• ...is disappearing in the sea and therefore a 'limited' walking destination - you have roughly 4000 more years to walk the coastal path. Book while you can!

• ...is the birthplace of the radio invented by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897 at the western tip of the island near The Needles.

With one of the mildest climates in Britain, the Isle of Wight is home to a huge variety of local produce; so why not eat local, while you stay local? The island grows a lot of organic produce such as green asparagus, new potatoes, and tasty tomatoes... but that's not all!

Gallybagger cheese - Gallybagger ages on locally sourced Lawson Cypress wooden shelves and is quite similar to cheddar. On average the hard cheese is 4 to 5 months old and as it is made in small quantities, the cheese hardly ever leaves the island... even more reason to sample it while you're there!

Honeycomb doughnuts - The island is known for producing honey on a small scale, this is a tradition that has been going for centuries. For anyone with a sweet tooth, the sweet and salty honeycomb doughnuts are a delicious, energising treat!

Crab pasties - Is there a better snack or picnic lunch? I don't think so. It is no secret that the Isle of Wight is one of the best places to sample freshly-caught crab, so why not enjoy it in a pasty? Best enjoyed by the seaside!

Black garlic - Yes, you read that right. The island is famous for its black garlic, there is even an entire festival surrounding this local produce. The ingredient is made by cooking garlic bulbs at low temperatures for prolonged times. Surprisingly enough the garlic is served in sweet and savoury dishes.