High Street, Cowes

Street guide, Isle of Wight

The main street in Cowes, running parallel to the waterfront through the heart of the sailing town. Cowes High Street has a distinctive maritime character, with chandleries, yacht outfitters, sail makers and marine equipment suppliers sitting alongside restaurants, cafes, pubs and independent shops. During Cowes Week in August the street is packed with sailors, spectators and visitors. At other times it has a quieter charm, with the smell of the sea and the sound of halyards clanking on masts in the marina nearby. The buildings are a mix of Georgian, Victorian and twentieth-century frontages, generally modest in scale. The Royal Yacht Squadron sits at the western end of the waterfront, and the Parade leads from the High Street to the yacht club and the harbour entrance. The street is narrow and one-way in places, giving it an intimate, almost continental feel.