Joanna Lawrence

I have visited the Isle of Wight over 30 times in the last 40 years, so I like to think I know it fairly well. Summer holidays as a child were spent paddling in the shallow calm waters of Sandown bay, while as an adult I have enjoyed chasing sunsets on the beaches of West Wight, as well as dancing to the Rolling Stones in a dusty field at the annual Isle of Wight music festival. But it was only back in 2019, when I first walked the coastal path around the entire island, that I fully realised just how much more I had to discover on this compact diamond in the sea. These are my top seven highlights. 1. The food! The island has its own micro climate, boasting more hours of sunlight than most of the UK. So not only do you stand a good chance of keeping your waterproofs in your bag, but the extra warmth ensures perfect growing conditions for some fabulous local produce. Isle of Wight tomatoes, grown in old glasshouses at the Tomato Stall, are widely known as being incredibly sweet and juicy, recommended by chefs and sold across the UK. Meanwhile at the…