Iconic Isle of Wight 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

28th July 2026, 22nd September 2026

Prices from

£725 Per person

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Discover the stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches, and rich history of the Isle of Wight on this delightful tour. Visit the iconic landmark of The Needles, experience the fascinating Island Line, and steam nostalgia on the charming Isle of Wight Steam Railway plus free time to explore the vibrant and historic towns of Yarmouth and Ryde.

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Shanklin ©Shutterstock

5 days from £725

DEPARTS

Tuesday 28 July 2026

Tuesday 22 September 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Visit the Isle of Wight’s most iconic landmark, The Needles
Marvel at spectacular views from the traditional chair lift
Enjoy expert glassblowing and confectionary demonstrations
Explore the charming and historic town of Yarmouth
Experience the fascinating Island Line
Steam nostalgia through beautiful countryside on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Discover the vibrant seaside town of Ryde
Stay in the picturesque village of Shanklin

Also included in your Tour Fare:

4 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Portsmouth and, on arrival, we will board our private coach and make our way to the ferry for our journey to the Isle of Wight. Here, our coach takes us to the Daish's Hotel in Shanklin, our hotel for the next four nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast this morning, we journey by road across the western part of the island to visit The Needles, one of the Isle of Wight's most iconic sights and a unique part of Britain. Here, we can admire the stunning seascape with a delightful chair lift trip allowing us spectacular views of the Needles Rocks and Lighthouse, enjoy a demonstration from Alum Bay glassmaker producing unique glassware, and watch the expert confectioners create sweet treats in a range of fantastic flavours. Afterwards, we continue to the charming and historic harbour town of Yarmouth where we enjoy time at leisure to explore this characterful town and stroll the wooden pier before returning to Shanklin in time for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 3

Today, we make our way to Shanklin Station to board the Island Line service which utilises modified and refurbished London Underground trains due to the rural nature of the island's railways and low clearance of the Ryde Tunnel. On arrival at Smallbrook Junction, we transfer to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for a nostalgic steam journey aboard beautifully restored carriages through scenic countryside to Wootton and return. Here, we will also tour the Train Story Discovery Centre exploring the collection of rare rolling stock and learning the history of the island railways before retracing our steps to the hotel and enjoying our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 4

This morning, we rejoin the Island Line and journey to Ryde, the eastern gateway of the island, and we have a full day at leisure here to explore this vibrant seaside town known for its beautiful beaches and rich history. We can explore the quaint shops, superb cafés, and quirky pubs, discover the rich heritage of island transport at the Bus & Coach Museum, or stroll the scenic seawall footpath. Later, we return to Shanklin via the Island Line in time for our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

After breakfast, we bid farewell to the Isle of Wight as we board our ferry back to Portsmouth and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Daish’s Hotel, Isle of Wight

Ideally located on Shanklin High Street, the historic Daish’s Hotel offers a spacious restaurant serving freshly cooked local dishes, a coffee shop serving drinks and light snacks, and beautiful gardens plus a sun terrace. The classic bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Waterloo	£905	£859
Greater London	£945	£889
South of England	£1,005	£919
East Anglia	£955	£899
South West	£1,039	£959
Heart of England	£965	£895
Midlands	£1,005	£929
Yorkshire	£1,075	£949
North East	£1,129	£979
North West	£1,215	£1,009
South Wales	N/A	£879
North Wales	£1,179	£995
Scotland	£1,155	£995
Join & Leave at Hotel	£735
Join & Leave at Mainland Port	£805
Single Traveller Supplement	£NIL
Deposit	£80

*Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey.

£10 tour discount for holders of National Railcards

July Departure Supplement £40

4 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal

Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)

Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described

All excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Important – Please select the number of passengers before proceeding to ‘Book Now’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
28th July 2026	£765 Per person	Book Now	Callback
22nd September 2026	£725 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Daish's Hotel, Isle of Wight

The Needles

Visit Yarmouth

Island Line

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Visit Ryde

The Needles ©AdobeStock

The Needles, Chair Lift ©Shutterstock

The Needles, Glassmaker ©The Needles

The Needles, Glassware ©The Needles

The Needles, Confectioner ©The Needles

The Needles, Sweet Shop ©The Needles

Isle of Wight Steam Railway1 ©AdobeStock

Isle of Wight Steam Railway2 ©Shutterstock

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