Cowes is a Town in the county of Isle of Wight.
Cowes is a town on the west side of the estuary of the River Medina on the Isle of Wight. It is known for Cowes Week, an annual regatta.
The town of Cowes is situated on the west bank of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are connected by a chain ferry known as the Floating Bridge.
Cowes Week is a yachting festival that takes place annually in early August. It was first held in 1826 and is now one of the largest sailing events in the world, with around 8,500 boats taking part.
Cowes is also home to The Classic Boat Museum, which houses a collection of over 100 historic boats.
There are great places to visit near Cowes including some great villages, ruins, beaches, towns, castles, historic buildings, geological features and hiking areas.
The area around Cowes boasts some of the best villages including Bembridge, Carisbrooke, Fishbourne, Wootton Bridge, St Helens - Isle of Wight, Shanklin Old Village, and Luccombe - Isle of Wight.
There are a several good ruins in the Cowes area like Culver Battery, and Carisbrooke Castle.
Cowes's best nearby beaches can be found at Whitecliff Bay, Compton Bay and Downs, Compton Bay, and Totland.
Newport - Isle of Wight, Ryde, Cowes, Shanklin, Sandown, and Yarmouth are some of Cowes best towns to visit near Cowes.
The area close to Cowes boasts some of the best castles including Carisbrooke Castle.
Don't miss Carisbrooke Castle, St Helens Duver, The Needles Lighthouse, The Needles Battery, and Fort Victoria's historic buildings if visiting the area around Cowes.
There are a several good geological features in the Cowes area like Compton Bay and Downs, and The Needles.
There are a number of hiking areas near to Cowes including Culver Down.
Cowes History
There are some historic monuments around Cowes:
Places to see near Cowes
History of Cowes
The town’s name has been subject to dispute in the past, sometimes being called Cowes, and then West Cowes. For example, a milestone from the 17th century exists, calling the town Cowes, but up until the late 19th Century the Urban District Council bore the name West Cowes. In 1895 West Cowes Urban District Council applied for permission to change the name of the town to Cowes officially, and this was granted on 21 August 1895.
