New homes in East Cowes

Sitting on the northern shores of the Isle of Wight just off the coast of South East England, East Cowes is a port town which offers ferries back across the Solent to Southampton. It’s much more than a gateway though, with new homes in East Cowes always incredibly popular for the wonderful way of life they bring. 

Make the Move

New homes in East Cowes are found on the Isle of Wight’s northern tip, where the River Medina meets the Solent, providing close proximity to its better-known neighbour. The Isle of Wight’s compact size means you can drive anywhere on the island within 45 minutes.

Leisure 

Known for its annual Cowes week, the area is a popular choice for those looking for a relaxed pace of life, with a golf course and sailing clubs among local services. Elsewhere on the island, you have the seaside towns of Sandown and Shanklin, sitting next to each other on the east coast, and the Botanic Gardens at Ventnor.  The area’s most famous landmark, Osborne House, is the former home of Queen Victoria.

Add to these some of the UK’s best beaches, wildlife parks, historic houses and coastal walks, and you’ll see that new homes in East Cowes offer a great outdoor lifestyle on your doorstep.

Shopping 

In Cowes, you’ll find the main local shopping area. Many of the independent shops cater for the sailing community, but there is a range of others and many cafés, making it a nice place to walk around or stop off for coffee. Sainsbury’s and Co-op supermarkets, banks and restaurants can all be found on and around the pedestrianised High Street. East Cowes has several shops of its own, including a Waitrose, post office, chemists and several restaurants and pubs, all a short walk from the waterside. 

As the largest town on the island, most well-known stores have their base in nearby Newport, less than a 20 minute bus ride from East Cowes. It’s also home to the island’s main hospital, St Mary’s, alongside a cinema and arts centre.

Transport

East Cowes is a great place to move if you want easy access to the UK mainland: Red Funnel car ferry services to Southampton run hourly throughout most of the year, and the Hythe Ferry passenger service takes a similar route to the Hampshire coast. The River Medina separates East Cowes from Cowes itself, making a journey time of around 25 minutes if you attempt to drive around it. You can avoid this by making use of the ‘floating bridge’ chain ferry which shuttles between the two towns from early morning until after midnight. You can go on foot for free, or take a car for a small charge, and the crossing takes just a couple of minutes.

The only rail line on the island runs down the east coast from Ryde to Shanklin, with Ryde around 20 minutes’ drive from East Cowes. Cycling is a popular alternative, and it’s easy to drive to the main towns, with Newport around 13 minutes away, Shanklin and Sandown within 25-30 minutes and Ventnor and Yarmouth 30-35 minutes away.