01/09/2026
The Isle of Wight is such a special place and that holiday feeling hits you the minute you board the Wightlink ferry, even if you’re just going for the day, like we were 🌞
Our crossing took us from Lymington to Yarmouth - we took our car, but if you’re going on foot you can leave the car at the ferry port, or travel to the port by train, as the port has its own station!
After 40 minutes of gliding across the Solent, you’re in Yarmouth and only a few minutes walk away is the River Yar - a great spot for paddleboarding.
Another favourite SUP spot of mine is Colwell Bay, which is a 10-minute drive or bus ride away. Here, you can paddle in crystal-clear water, against the backdrop of Hurst Castle and Lighthouse - I regularly SUP on the other side of these landmarks, so it’s always pretty cool to see them from “the South Island” 😎
There’s a large area of water here that’s cordoned off to boats, so you can enjoy your SUP session without having to worry.
If you haven’t brought your board across, you can rent one at The Yak Shack in Colwell Bay.
The Captain’s Cabin has an elevated terrace with views across the bay - a perfect place to rehydrate, refuel and relax (there’s also The Hut, if you’re feeling fancy!) 🍔☕️🍻
Back in Yarmouth in the evening, we got fish and chips from Salty’s - a fish restaurant and takeaway that’s nextdoor-but-one to the ferry port. After a cold drink in the bar area while waiting for our order, we took our fish and chips - which comes with mushy peas, tartare sauce AND curry sauce! - to the harbour to eat and watch the sunset 🌅.
Our day in the beautiful Isle of Wight ended with a night crossing back to the mainland - if you’ve never experienced being out in the Solent in the dark, with the lights of Yarmouth behind you and the lights of Lymington in front of you, I highly recommend it ✨
Thank you to Lou and the team at Wightlink, for giving us the opportunity to do this 🙏
And thank you to the team at Salty’s for our fish and chips supper 🙏
