Starboard Side
47361.1 miles W of Cowes / Sleeps 4 (no children under 2)
7 Nights from £800
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearest pub
The Woodvale Gurnard (¼ mile)
Situated in Gurnard approximately five minutes drive away from Cowes, food is served here daily and a childs menu is also available. Regular entertainment takes place with quiz nights on a Monday and dogs are welcome (in the pub that is!)
Nearest beach
Gurnard's Hidden Beach (200 yards)
This little known beach is a favourite amongst locals. Accessed via a path called Shore Path through the trees behind Gurnard Sailing Club, this sand and shingle beach enjoys a lush backdrop and beautiful views. With no lifeguards on duty or provisions along the beach, pack up sun cream, water and some tasty treats and enjoy a day of paddling and relaxing.
Nearest walk
Cascading Canopies Histree Trail (1 ¼ miles)
Budding botanists and devoted dendrologists rejoice, for this is a beautiful trail under 2 miles long, featuring some special species of trees as you walk around Cowes. iwight.com have a full description and printable download.
Nearest town
Gurnard (150 yards)
A hidden gem, west of well-known Cowes, think beautiful beach huts lining the shores, picnic greens and happy families. This is a great place to bring the little ones. Only a half hour walk from Cowes makes it well located for bigger days out, but you should find all you need here, with the sailing club keeping everyone entertained and the plethera of eateries keeping everyone full.
February 2017
Gurnard is such a pretty place. The children loved skimming stones on the beach here, then a long play in the lovely park (which is enclosed) and then we finished off with a hot chocolate and a slice of cake at the Watersedge Beach Cafe. Perfect!
Also nearby
The Union Inn (1 ¼ miles)
A traditional pub located in Cowes old town, close to the ferry terminal and yacht clubs. Food is locally sourced where possible and cooked to order. Children and dogs are welcome.
Mrs Eves October 2021
Nice cosy pub
Popped in for a drink early evening. Cosy, traditional pub with a nice atmosphere. Not sure if they serve food as didn’t see any sign of any whilst there.
Parkhurst Forest (3 miles)
A large area of woodland maintained by the Forestry Commission. There's miles of woodland walks suitable for both walkers and mountain bikers. The red squirrel hide is a great place to spot wildlife from.
Miss Sheridan September 2021
Walk in the forest
Lovely place to walk, the dogs loved it but we didn't see any squirrels unfortunately
Mrs Pascoe April 2017
Great place for a walk and to get close to nature - and we saw a red squirrel!
February 2017
Beautiful place to walk the dog and the kids!
The Breeze Restaurant (3 ¼ miles)
Visit the peaceful marina at Harbour Island and enjoy sitting by the water and watching the world go by. The interior has recently undergone extensive renovation and outside there's a raised seating platform giving a stunning view over the river Medina. open daily throughout the year this restaurant is ideally located just two miles south of Cowes.
Mrs Franks October 2020
Meal at heBreeze
Well organised COVID-19 procedures in place., but they isn’t interfere with the service. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The meal was really lovely, well cooked and portions were brilliant..
When we left we were pleasantly stuffed.
Seaview to Ryde Walk (9 ¾ miles)
Park your car anywhere on the Esplanade at Seaview and walk past the Boathouse pub with the sea on your right. You will pass rows of beach huts, woodland and into Puckpool Park. The sea views are stunning across the Solent to the mainland and the park itself is a gem. The path hugs the coast all the way around to Ryde, past Appley beach with its gothic tower and into the town. You'll find lots of places to eat and drink en-route, the path is even and flat so suitable for pushchairs. Dogs are allowed on the footpaths but restricted on the beach so do check the signs. The return walk is approx 2 miles depending how far into Ryde you walk and the best return route is back the way you came.
Mr Farr October 2021
Easy flat walk
Great walk to Ryde especially as you can walk across the beach at all states ot the tide
September 2021
Lovely coast path
Great views, accessible with a pushchair and plenty of places to stop on route for refreshments and a great kids park in puckpool park (with public toilets), our toddler loved it. The Old Barracks beer garden is sunny and nice with reasonably priced drinks. Don't miss the sand playground on Ryde seafront if you have little kids, our toddler loved it!
Mr Reeve September 2020
Nice Walk
It is a nice walk along the coast from Seaview to Ryde. There are a couple of park cafes on the way and some nice coffee shops in Ryde.
Mr Cox September 2020
Excellent pushchair friendly walk
A lovely walk from the doorstep, although you may need to walk via Bluett Road in Seaview at high tide! There are a couple of cafes in Puckpool to take a rest and refreshments.
Mr Butler September 2019
Enjoyable walk
With the sea to look at and all the activity on it along the way it is a very enjoyable walk. When the tide is out you can shorten the walk by cutting across the beaches. If you walk along the paths you will pass a small nature reserve which can be visited by all, a couple of pubs, The Boathouse looked good, a cafe which we went in called The Dell and recreations. The area named Appley has a Coastal Foley and woods to walk through. The beach at Ryde is large and sandy, and Ryde has many places for refreshments after your walk. You can continue your walk along the pier, which is free for pedestrians. We estimated the distance to be a little over 2 miles, we took our time and enjoyed the views.
Gurnard Beach (¼ mile)
A popular sand and shingle beach located a short distance from Cowes. Parking is available along the seafront and there is a small car park at the beach. A play area is located by the beach and also a cafe. The local sailing club offers a visitor membership during summer. Dogs are not allowed between May and the end of September. There is no lifeguard cover.
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