Steephill Cove, tucked quaintly between a few rocky cliffs on the south side of the Isle of Wight, is a hidden gem reminiscent of a small Mediterranean bay.  I remembered coming here as a child to play on the safe sandy beach and so on a recent weekend break to the Isle of Wight with my fiancé I decided to pay it a visit.

Perhaps it is the lack of road access that has kept Steephill unspoiled and arguably the prettiest place on the Island.  With no noise except that of the waves and the occasional seagull it is miles away from the stereotypical English seaside.

Parking is only five minutes away in the Botanical Gardens car park, but be prepared to carry everything you need down onto the beach via a small windy path.  Even the locals have to carry down their entire shopping etc.  Moving house must be a nightmare.

Upon arrival it was clear that nothing much had changed.  The cove was still home to the local fisherman’s boat and as we were to discover this boat is put to good use.  Each day the resident fisherman lands a catch of the most beautiful local lobster and crab almost all of which is sold directly in the cove at one of the cafes or restaurants.

The Boathouse Restaurant is a fantastic al-fresco restaurant that seems to have been created from reclaimed wood combed from the cove itself.  If you want to eat here then I would recommend booking as it is very popular, if your numbers permit The Boathouse has a cubby-hole downstairs, open to the sea front that is only big enough for a single table. Rain or shine, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic lunch or dinner.  It is the kind of place where you could easily get through a few nice bottles of Champagne munching on the freshest, tastiest seafood available. 10/10.

There is also Wheelers take away at which you can feast on fresh crab sandwiches (the best ever) and crab pasties (a creation of Mandy Wheeler, a very nice lady, of which I am sure if they could catch enough crab meat would be sold to great acclaim the world over!) 10/10

Further down towards the end of the cove there is also a more traditional but wholly respectable looking café selling teas and coffees.

Accommodation in Steephill cove is also pretty special with a few unusual places to stay. 

Some useful links:

www.wightstay.co.uk/boathouse.html
www.steephillcove-isleofwight.co.uk

On our trip we did not actually stay at Steephill but at a great barn converstion near Newport. Clare is a star and place is great:

http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/england/E294.htm