Take a ‘staycation’ in Cowes this summer

Don’t let the credit crunch pinch your summer holiday. A drop in disposable income and the strength of the pound may have led to a fall in Brits holidaying abroad, but who needs the costly Costas?

Just a short ferry ride over the Solent to the Isle of Wight you’ll find the pretty town of Cowes, which once a year becomes a flurry of activity during Cowes Week and offers a memorable holiday without the pricey air fare attached.

Cowes Week, the oldest and largest sailing regatta of its kind, sets sail on 1 August 2009 and is free to attend as a spectator*. Cowes is popular with sailors and non-sailors alike, who come to watch the yachts and to take advantage of the great entertainment on offer both day and night.

Families onboard
Cowes Week offers fun-packed entertainment for all ages. Whether you’re watching the boats racing, enjoying the street theatre and live music throughout the town, or simply taking in the unique festival atmosphere of the event, there’s something for everyone. For those with plenty of energy, the RNLI, as the event’s official charity, also hosts ‘Get Your Kit On’, where competitive mums, dads and children can help raise money for the charity.

Maiden voyage?
If watching the racing gives you the sailing bug, then why not have a go? You can ‘Try Racing’ with Cowes Sailing School (cowessailingschool.co.uk) or ‘Rock up and Race’ with ondeck (ondeck.co.uk). For those simply wanting to watch from the water, there are also a number of spectator boat options, offering trips to watch the racing action up close (details on the Cowes Week website from the beginning of June).

Only the best for the Captain’s table!
The Isle of Wight is renowned for good quality local food and drink. There is an abundance of restaurants and pubs in Cowes and throughout the Island, offering home grown fruit and vegetables, Island reared meat, freshly caught fish of the day, and local wines, beers and ciders.

Night owls
The festivities continue into the night with parties and balls all week, including the fabulous RNLI ball on Monday 3 August (tickets available from mid April), and live music throughout the many bars and pubs.

A highlight every year is the world-renowned fireworks on the final Friday of Cowes Week, when tens of thousands flock from near and far to watch the spectacular display over the Solent.

Famous faces
Cowes Week attracts the glitterati too! Famous faces spotted in the past include Jodie Kidd (pictured right), Davina McCall, Bear Grylls (pictured right), Kirsty Gallacher, Ben Fogle, Alan Titchmarsh, Joe Worsley, members of the Royal Family and of course sailing legends Ellen MacArthur and Ben Ainslie to name but a few.

Bunking down
Cowes and the rest of the Island offers some first rate accommodation to suit all budgets, from seafront apartments and boutique hotels to camp sites, caravan parks and spacious holiday houses. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Getting there
Red Funnel operate a hi-speed ferry service (23 minutes) between Cowes and Southampton giving fast access to the excitement of Cowes Week from Southampton. Trains from London to Southampton take little more than an hour, and motorway links with the rest of the UK are excellent. In addition, a dedicated Cowes Week service also operates between Lymington and Cowes, courtesy of Blue Funnel.

For more information about Cowes Week visit cowesweek.co.uk. For further information on places to visit, eat, and stay on the Island visit gowight.net or islandbreaks.co.uk.

* Some venues may require an entrance fee in the evening.