Pictures of Ventnor

About Ventnor

The delightful resort of Ventnor, lies, almost crescent shaped, beneath the highest point on the island, the towering 780ft St.Boniface Down. It is reached via a road with a series of 'switchback' bends and as you drive down the Victorian influence
becomes quickly obvious from the number of Victorian villas with sweeping verandhas, perched on ledges as if clinging to the hillside for protection.

Ventnor, has a lovely golden sandy beach. It is sheltered all round by overhanging cliffs and is ideal for bathers and sun worshippers alike. Ventnor is often called the Madeira of England and the reason for this is the 6 mile undercliff, an overhanging ledge formed by landslides, beneath which palms and tropical plants grow in great profusion. The whole effect is quite delightful and very continental, hence Madeira.

The beautiful Botanic Gardens are well worth a visit. The gardens are very peaceful and here you can experience the wonderful world of rare plants, shrubs and flowers. You should also visit the local Museum of Smuggling. Smuggling was once a common occupation on the island and the only way that some families had of 'earning' a living. Anbother attraction is at the western end of the Undercliff - St. Catherine's Point has a Lighthouse. With boating, paddling pools, summer shows, disco's and amusement arcades, Ventnor provides plenty of seaside amusements to keep the family, including children, happy.

There is little doubt that this place was much loved by the Victorians, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had a home on the Island and the influence of this era is everywhere. The pier, parks and gardens all carry the unmistakable hallmark of the Victorian age.

To the west of Ventnor is the secluded beach of Steephill which can only be reached on foot. It is a walk of around a mile, but once there the walker is rewarded by the sight of an exquisite beach surrounded by cliffs and quaint cottages.

There are lots of places to visit on the Island and you should not return home without taking a look at Osbourne House, the royal home built by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The state apartments are open to the public, they are almost exactly as the Queen left them when she died there in 1901. Another place with royal connections is Norris Castle where the Queen stayed as a child.

This is an Island that offers much - the coastline is a sublime mix of soft golden beaches, bays and coves, towering cliffs, a sometimes turbulent sea battering against the Needles, and sometimes the sea is calm and full of yatches (especially during Cowes Week) all jostling forward towards the winning line.