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Cowes Beach, located on the Isle of Wight, is a popular destination for those seeking a traditional British seaside experience, with its two-mile esplanade shingle beach and rich history.
Cowes Beach is a two-mile esplanade shingle beach situated in the harbour, making it an ideal spot for family swimming and taking in the views of the Solent. The town of Cowes is renowned for its natural water activities and is a prestigious Victorian town.
The beach at Cowes is predominantly shingle, with some sand exposed at low tide. To the west of the town, the beach is mostly gravel and slopes into deep water with strong currents. At high tide, there can be little beach left. The long pebble beach is backed by a wide esplanade, making it a great place to sit and watch the various yachting events that take place here.
Along the Esplanade, there are shops, refreshments, and public toilets. Egypt Point is particularly favoured by anglers. The beach offers views over the Solent, and at any time of year, it is a good vantage point for watching cruise ships and container vessels sailing by from Southampton. A variety of interesting shells often get washed up onto the shore, as well as pieces of smooth, coloured glass.
The beach is not particularly suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs, although the esplanade which runs along the seafront allows those who don’t want to go onto the beach itself to make the most of the views and breathe in the sea air. Running behind much of the esplanade is a grassy park with colourful flowerbeds, suitable for picnics. A kiosk is open in the summer months, selling ice-creams, snacks, and a variety of beach goods.
A short stroll from the beach, the timeless Victorian resort of Cowes has a wide range of classy shops, restaurants, and other amenities. At the eastern end of the beach is the Royal Yacht Squadron, at Cowes Castle, originally built in 1539 as part of Henry VIII’s defences.
Cowes Beach is adjacent to the Isle of Wight Coast Path.
Shingle Pebbles
Tonight | ![]() |
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Chance of rain | 0% |
Min temp. | 13°C |
(feels like | 13°C) |
Wind 4mph | ![]() |
Tomorrow |
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Chance of rain | 0% |
Max temp. | 24°C |
(feels like | 22°C) |
Wind 7mph | ![]() |
Max UV Index | ![]() |
The tide at Cowes Beach is currently rising. High tide will be at approximately 10:11 PM, and the next high tide will be at approximately 12:21 AM tomorrow.
Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low
Approximate sea surface temperature:
18.7°C
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Isle Of Wight Coastal Footpath (1 miles)
Osborne House (1.6 miles)
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway (4.5 miles)
Monkey Haven (4.7 miles)
Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve (4.7 miles)
Quarr Abbey (5.1 miles)
Haven Falconry (5.9 miles)
Isle of Wight Steam Railway (5.9 miles)
New Holmwood Hotel & Restaurant (330 yards)
Number 3 (210 yards)
Murrays Seafood Restaurant (150 yards)
Moocow (210 yards)
Mojac's Restaurant and Bar (190 yards)
All distances are approximate
less than a mile west-southwest as the seagull flies, just over a mile by road.
Location: Cowes
Location type: Urban
OS Grid: SZ490966
Country: England
Local Authority: Isle of Wight
Parish: Cowes
Nearest postcode: PO31 8BJ
(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)
Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.
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