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Living on the Isle of Wight
Live and work in an area that has been awarded ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ status in the
UK.
Living on this beautiful island also brings with it the added advantage of lower housing costs – over 30%
less than the average house bought elsewhere in the South East of England
(Source: Right Move UK)
Some facts about the Isle of Wight
•
The Isle of Wight is England’s largest island. It is located in the English Channel about 6km from
the mainland and separated by a body of water called the Solent.
•
About 140,000 people live on the island and several million people visit each year.
•
The famous annual “Isle of Wight Music Festival” has drawn some of the world’s biggest
performing artists.
•
Queen Victoria had a holiday home on the island, and the island also attracted poets and
artists during the 19th century.
•
Even today, there are many famous celebrities who live on the Isle of Wight.
•
The Island has more sunshine hours than any other UK resort with on average 1800–2100
hours of sunshine per year, which is more than some areas of northern Spain.
•
One of the most popular natural attractions is the Needles, a row of 3 chalk stacks in the sea.
The 33 meter high Needles lighthouse was built in 1859.
•
The island is home to many rare animals and plants and is sometimes called the Garden Isle.
There are many red squirrels which have been driven from the mainland by the grey squirrel.
•
The island is one of the best places in Europe to find dinosaur remains. A 9 year old local girl
recently had an undiscovered species named after her.
•
In 1812, the first Cowes Regatta was held. Helped by the attendance of the Royal family, it has
become the largest international yachting event in the world.
Travel
The mainland is accessible via a 30-60 minute crossing, either via ferry or hovercraft, into the ports of
Southampton or Portsmouth. From there a direct rail link takes you into the centre of London with a
journey time of 1-2 hours, depending on which route you take.
The island is only 380 km² so journeys by road take no more than approximately 30 minutes. There is
a good bus service that serves the Island and is easily accessible from wherever you are based.
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