Ryde

Victorian resort town and main gateway for foot passengers from the mainland

The busiest arrival point on the island for foot passengers from Portsmouth, connected by the Wightlink catamaran and the Hovertravel hovercraft from Southsea. Ryde sits on the north-east coast facing the Solent and has a population of around 30,000, making it the largest town on the island. The pier, at half a mile long, is one of the oldest seaside piers in England and carries the Island Line railway from Ryde Pier Head into the town and onwards to Shanklin. Union Street runs uphill from the Esplanade and forms the main shopping street, lined with independent shops, cafes and Victorian architecture. Ryde has wide sandy beaches, a boating lake, an ice rink and a lively community calendar. The architecture is predominantly Georgian and Victorian, reflecting the town's growth as a fashionable resort in the nineteenth century. The residential streets climbing the hillside offer views across the Solent to Portsmouth and the South Downs.