England’s Isle of Wight: A Walk in Cowes & A Royal London Yacht Club Tea

“Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear

We shall scrimp and save.”

Paul McCartney & John Lennon, When I’m Sixty-Four

Sailing themed banners and blue, white and red bunting were fluttering across streets and storefronts in the seaport town of Cowes, remnants of the Isle of Wight’s annual sailing regatta. Cowes Week, which had just wrapped up the night before we arrived, is considered one of the world’s oldest and largest sailing competitions. Held the first week of August, the event draws as many as 100,000 fans and competitors to this town of 15,000 residents.

The Seabourn Sojourn was anchored offshore, requiring a tender to reach the dock. Herb and I had signed on for an afternoon walking tour and tea at the Royal London Yacht Club. We arrived a couple of hours ahead of the tour, planning to get a feel for the island on our own.

The Isle of Wight sits in the English Channel off the coast of southeastern England. A strait known as The Solent separates the island from mainland Great Britain. Cowes – pronounced like the animals – is a popular holiday destination with strong maritime roots, known for boat design, boat building, sail making and manufacturing hovercraft and early seaplanes called flying boats.

Cowes stretches along the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, across from the smaller town of East Cowes. The towns are linked by a chain ferry known as the Cowes Floating Bridge.

“The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar

This on the eastern, that on the western shore.”

~Charles Godfrey Leland, 19th century poet

The Parade

We began our walk along an esplanade called The Parade. The warm sunny morning and bright azure sky added to the summery ambiance, telling us – as if we hadn’t already figured it out – that this was a coveted beach destination. The Parade is one of those places where you want to take your time, savor the views and harbor activity and simply enjoy just being there.

We passed a row of cannons, complete with a sign in bright red and black letters: “Warning – Starting cannon may fire at any time.” We watched the Red Funnel ferry make its way across the Solent. And we passed statues of lions perched on pedestals marking the spot where the Parade becomes the Egypt Esplanade.

Walking Through Cowes

Herb and I retraced our steps along the esplanade, stopping by the dock to meet our guide and the rest of the group. The Parade becomes High Street when walking in the opposite direction, leading into the town of Cowes.

It’s a lovely little place, with well-preserved architecture and winding brick streets. Shops have names like “Finding Joy,” “Live Like This,” and my personal favorite, “Mrs. Hedgehog’s Knit Bits’ Wool Shop,” creating a feeling that people here have figured out how to live well – and maybe have a sense of humor, too. Window displays of sailing-themed items also abound, from clothing decorated with sailboats and anchors to art and photography showcasing the regatta and maritime scenes.

Our guide Jane spun a few local tales along our walk, including the legend of the Union Inn and its resident ghost. As the story is told, a fisherman working as a smuggler would bring prohibited items into Cowes every evening. He would wait for his wife to hang a lantern in her window at the Union Inn, signaling that it was safe to come ashore. One night she forgot to place the lantern in the window. Her husband came ashore without the warning and was caught by the authorities. To this day, it is said that her ghost haunts the ill-fated room.

Royal London Yacht Club Tea

On the way to tea, Jane led us into the hills for a view above Cowes’ town center. We passed pristine brick townhouses, an old stone church and cemetery and a park set up for a children’s carnival. It was a round-about way to reach our destination, which was back on The Parade, but I was happy for the chance to see another part of Cowes that was a little off the beaten path.

The Royal London Yacht Club, Jane explained, is one of eight yacht clubs in Cowes. Unlike the older Royal Yacht Squadron, which lays claim as the birthplace of yacht racing, The Royal London Yacht Club is open to non-members.

Friendly servers greeted us at the Royal London Yacht Club and directed us to the upstairs balcony, where our tea had been prepared. It was actually more of a feast than a tea, with scones, desserts and sandwiches piled high on an elegant three-tiered serving dish. A large white teapot and matching white china rimmed in deep blue and decorated with the club’s flag and insignia completed the table décor.

I couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful setting overlooking the harbor. It was as if we had our own private spot at Cowes Week…without the crowds.