IOW vs IOM

I've recently returned from a day trip to the Isle of Wight. Thought I'd write a little entry comparing this island to the Isle of Man, my home for 11 years. Please bear in mind that my views of IOW are only based on a short visit, whereas my perspective of IOM is based on 11 years of residency. I do plan on going back to IOW again to see if my initial impression was accurate or not.

Firstly, the crossing. IOW wins here hands down. The ferry was a little haven of luxury, nice food, good bar service, comfy seats and a mulitude of panoramic windows to look out of. And there is actually things to view too. The trip to IOW takes you down an estuary, so there is land on both sides of you for the entire journey. There is also a lot of 'traffic' to keep you interested...and the cost? think it was £18 for three people and a car, each way. Oh and the boats sail every hour.

Compare that to IOM. Lucky if there is two ferries a day. Cost of taking a car requires a remortgage of your house, and the facilities on board lead a lot to be desired.

But what about when you get there. I'm talking now as a foot passenger, who has just stepped off the boat. Well, here it's an easy victory for IOM. Plenty of pubs, cafes, the horse tram and bus depot all within sight of the terminal doors. Taxis waiting for you if you want to go further afield. The main shopping area is less than 5 minutes away, as is the gorgeous Gaiety Theatre.

Disembarking in East Cowes in IOW was like stepping into a wild west ghost town. One pub - The White Hart Inn - (which looked as though it would fall down in a light breeze), one post office that also doubled as a supermarket, bank and is probably owned by 'local people' and about 5 other shops that all looked closed or uninviting. The only place for a foot passenger to get to would be West Cowes, which involved waiting 20 mins for a chain-ferry. West Cowes was slightly more appealing, with several eating and drinking establishments, but I never once saw a taxi rank, so travelling further away would require detailed knowledge of the buses.

After getting out of Cowes, I did see Ryde, one of the 'larger' towns on IOW. This had potential. A traditional sea-front with ice-cream vendors, amusement arcades and a beach. Shops that seemed a good mix of practical as well as 'touristy' and a few well placed watering holes. Coupled with the nice weather I got, this had given IOW a few extra points in the overall ratings.

But compared to IOM? no contest. The equivalent of Ryde on IOM, would probably be Peel, or Laxey. Laxey has the beautiful Glens on it's doorstep, Peel, the scenic backdrop of the castle and the traditional harbour. IOM wins again.

If there was a dream compromise, it would be taking the ferry trip to IOW (the cost, the travel time and the view), but instead of arriving in Cowes, I arrive in Douglas instead.

My second trip to IOW will be during the summer, and it will be as a foot passenger. I'll let you know if anything has changed to alter my opinion.