Fresh Air Pursuits

Track Down Rare Plants
If you are interested in unusual plants – both wild and cultivated – you can track them down with the help of The Rare Plant Trail, a beautifully illustrated Wightlink pack that traces a route around the Isle of Wight to spotlight 20 of the UK’s most noteworthy plants. These range from some of the country’s largest trees to its tiniest flowering species, many chosen because they encourage are wildlife, like the endangered red squirrel and dormouse, and a tremendous variety of birds, insects and butterflies. Available free from Wightlink (call 0870 582 7744), The Rare Plant Trail is ne of a collection of fresh air guides to help ecotourists plan a greener Wight break. These include A Wighter Shade of Green, which is packed with information on the best eco-sites, food, attractions, walks, bike rides, events and even extreme sports activities.

Wight’s a Walker’s Paradise
With more than 500 miles of marked footpaths, many of these across dramatic scenery, there’s a walk to suit everyone on Wight. And there are free walking guides from Wightlink (call 0870 582 7744 or see our walking page). These include Wightlink Walking, four routes for seasoned ramblers; Isle of Wight Pub Walks, for walkers who prefer the idea of a short troll with a pub at the end of it, and 10,000 Steps, Walking to Fitness on the Isle of Wight.

Pedal Power
Cyclists are spoilt for choice on the Isle of Wight, with challenging long rides and shorter ones, like those featured in Wightlink’s free Easy Peasy Pedalling pack. Bring your own bike or simply hire one. Green & Wight Cycling Holidays will bring bikes, adjusted to suit you and your family, to Wightlink’s ferry terminals - and you can order helmets, panniers and other cycle gear as well. The service includes routing you to your accommodation as well as baggage collection and delivery to coincide with your arrival. When you leave, they’ll simply reverse the procedure.

Prices start from £25 for two days hire but you can secure a 10% discount by quoting Green Getaways when booking. Call 01983 731888 or visit http://www.wightcyclehire.co.uk