The Isle of Wight

Visiting Norwegians must be puzzled why so large and populous an island does not have bridge or tunnel access to the mainland. These have been proposed but wars have intervened and many local people like to preserve their difference from the mainland by resisting better connections than those made by the ferry services.

The oldest ferry company is Red Funnel - originally the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Ship Packet PLC, registered in 1861 - which operates both car and Red Jet services from Southampton to Cowes. Wightlink runs car ferry services from Portsmouth to Fishbourne and Lymington to Yarmouth, with a Fast Catamaran service from Portsmouth Harbour Station to Ryde Pier Head. For many day visitors the Hovercraft provides a service unique to the UK from Southsea to the seafront in Ryde. Within living memory barges were brought over to Ryde and beached at high tide, and unloaded as the tide went out. Next to the ferry terminal at Yarmouth is the best preserved of Henry VIII's forts alongside a delightful small town. At Cowes the ferries pass the Royal Yacht Squadron, housed since 1855...