General Information
Getting there
If you are already on the Island, getting to the start point at Wroxall is simple. There is a free car park near St John’s Church, and the route can be accessed from many other points with excellent parking.
Travelling to the Island requires a ferry service: although those that carry bikes do so free of charge, if you have a carry your bike on a car, they are expensive and often have to be booked. Wightlink services from Lymington to Yarmouth (vehicle and passenger), Portsmouth to Fishbourne (vehicle and passenger) and Portsmouth to Ryde (passenger) carry bikes and are detailed at http://www.wightlink.co.uk The only Red Funnel service that carries bikes is their vehicle route from Southampton to East Cowes, http://www.redfunnel.co.uk
Food and drink
The route is dotted with pubs, cafes, and some pretty high class restaurants too, as well as many village shops and supermarkets. The only section that is more sparsely provided for is the first leg, particularly once you have left the Wight Mouse Inn at Chale, and before you reach Freshwater Bay. However even then heading slightly inland will be rewarding, with excellent pubs such as the Sun Inn at Hulverstone for the finding.
Where to stay
The Isle of Wight economy depends to a large extent on tourism, and there is no shortage of accommodation nor do there seem to be any limits in the types offered. Visit http://www.islandbreaks.co.uk for full details.
Bike shops & support
The Island has at least three superb bike shops that can be recommended without hesitation. Foremost is The Bike Shed (01983 868786, http://www.the-bikeshed.com ), centrally situated off the main cycle track from Newport to Sandown, near Merstone. Jeff Smith and his friendly and experienced staff offer sales, bike hire and workshop repairs 7 days per week, catering for the full range of road and mountain bikes. He even sells Trice recumbent tricycles and Brompton folders.
In central Newport, Wight Mountain (01983 533445) are very good, as are Tav Cycles (01983 812989) in Ryde.
Also listed (but not yet tested out) are Battersby Cycles in Ryde (01983 562039), Bikemech in Freshwater (01983 756787), Cowes Mobile Repair Service (01983 294910), and Wight Offroad in Sandown (01983 408587).
Ann Faber’s Wild Horses (01983 866080, mobile 07966 712798, http://www.wildhorses-rescue.co.uk ) is a wonderful LandRover-based taxi and rescue service that caters for cyclists and others.
Other attractions
Barely a mile passes without somewhere worth visiting.
Major attractions passed include Appuldurcombe House (Wroxall), St Catherine’s Point lighthouse, Blackgang Chine, Wight Pearl, watersports in Compton Bay, Dimbola Lodge (Freshwater), Alum Bay, The Needles, Fort Victoria (Norton), Newtown Nature Reserve, Cowes yachting, Osbourne House (East Cowes), Quarr Abbey (Wootton), Ryde seafront, Flamingo World, The Duver (St Helens), Bembridge Harbour, Bembridge Windmill, Sandown Pier and seafront, Shanklin Old Village, and more.
There are also plenty of attractions inland of the route.