For a great day out in the isle of wight head to portsmouth and jump on the fastest ferry service across the solent on the worlds longest running hovercraft operator in europe in just 10 minutes land on the prime seafront shore at ryde full of unspoilt beaches and independent boutique shops well known as englands largest and second most populous island iow is just a few miles out in the english channel and has long been a popular holiday destination with a sunny climate stunning geogra