Cowes, Isle of Wight Walk: Town Centre & Beach【4K】

Located at the northernmost tip of the Isle of Wight, which is separated from the south coast of mainland England by the Solent Strait, is the town of Cowes.

Geographically, Cowes is situated at the mouth of the River Medina on the west bank, with the separate town of East Cowes on the east bank. The town's unique name is speculated to relate to its shape on the map, along with that of neighbouring East Cowes, resembling a pair of cows (no really, that's the hypothesis).

In 1539 Henry VIII ordered the construction of two castles on either side of the River Medina here to protect against invasions from continental Europe. Whilst most of the original building has been demolished, the remaining sections were purchased by the Royal Yacht Squadron in the 1850s.

In 1589 an 80-ton 60-man vessel known as Rat O'Wight was built on the banks of the River Medina for the use of Elizabeth I. This marked the beginning of the boat-building industry in Cowes. By the early 19th century, Cowes had been dubbed by some as the 'yachting capital of the world'. In 1826 the Royal Yacht Club (who later became the Royal Yacht Squadron) organised the inaugural Cowes Week - an annual event taking place to this day, making it one of the longest-running regular sailing regattas in the world.

In 1820 the first scheduled year-round steam packet services began operating between Southampton and Cowes. By 1861 The Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited was formed, which would later rebrand to the much shorter name of Red Funnel. The company runs regular ferry services between Southampton and Cowes to this day, with separate services for vehicles to East Cowes, and for foot passengers to Cowes (i.e. here) - the latter using the name Red Jet.

Between 1845 and 1851, Osborne House was built in neighbouring East Cowes. This became a royal residence for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. This royal endorsement brought about growth in Cowes, and the rest of the Isle of Wight, around the same time that seaside resorts were becoming increasingly fashionable.

In 1862 a railway station opened in Cowes courtesy of the Cowes and Newport Railway, which later became the Isle of Wight Central Railway following a merger. The station closed in 1966. Today, public transport in Cowes consists of bus services to Newport, which acts as the central hub, essentially providing access via bus to the rest of the Isle of Wight from there. There is also the Cowes Floating Bridge - a chain ferry crossing the River Medina between Cowes and East Cowes for a small toll. The Isle of Wight does have railway services, but only between Ryde and Shanklin along the east of the island.

Famous people from Cowes include actor Jeremy Irons and musician Mark King - a founding member of the band Level 42.

👇 SUBSCRIBE TO 4K EXPLORER FOR NEW VIDEOS EVERY WEEK 👇
https://www.youtube.com/4KExplorer?su...

Filmed: 26th September 2023

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4eR9n7z2StfXk...

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Birmingham Road
1:38 Shooters Hill
2:36 High Street
4:18 Carvel Lane
4:56 High Street
5:43 Town Quay
7:34 The Arcade
8:20 High Street
11:29 Bath Road
12:58 The Parade
17:41 Esplanade
19:54 Esplanade Road
20:22 Queen's Road
21:32 Esplanade Road
21:55 Esplanade