Isle of Wight Literary Festival: a bookish weekend

If you fancy a cultural weekend away from Southampton, the Isle of Wight Literary Festival is an easy one to build a trip around. Now in its 15th year, it runs from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October at Northwood House, a Grade II* listed Georgian manor set in a 20-acre park in Cowes, and it has built a reputation as one of the more scenic literary festivals in the country.

The line-up is the main draw, with more than 40 speakers across the four days. Among the confirmed names are Larry Lamb on his memoir Mummy's Boy, Clare Balding with her debut novel Pastures New, Amanda Barrie, Iain Dale, Clive Tyldesley, Sophie Raworth, and crime writer Ann Cleeves, who launches The Dying Light here. The bill rounds out with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Celia Imrie, Mary Portas, Stephen Sackur, Robert Hardman, Penny Junor, Kit Kemp, Eric Lanlard, Helen McGinn, Geoffrey Robertson, Dr Ben Robinson, Dr Nicholas Courtney, Jill Dougherty and Michael Gray, plus a long list of historians, poets, cookery writers and journalists. It is not just the big names, either: the festival keeps a wide net, with everyone from palaeontologist Megan Jacobs to opera star Mike Christie and wine expert Helen McGinn on the bill.

There is a fair bit going on beyond the talks. LitFeast, the culinary strand that first appeared in 2023, is back with cookery demonstrations and wine tasting at Northwood House, led by Chris Galvin, Miranda Gore Browne, Eric Lanlard, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Professor Tim Lang. Other highlights include an afternoon tea and etiquette talk with Grant Harrold, The Royal Butler, at the Royal Ocean Racing Club, a murder-mystery event with Ann Cleeves, a Saturday evening performance by Cowes-based singer and G4 member Mike Christie, a wine tasting with Helen McGinn, a whisky tasting with Ian Buxton, the Fizz Quiz, and tours of the Royal Yacht Squadron with Commodore David Hughes. There are also sessions on Bob Dylan's Isle of Wight connections, military strategy, Britain's coastal heritage and the great rivers of Europe. For families, the Schools' Programme aims to reach every school on the Island, bringing in more than 20 children's authors in what has been designated the Year of Reading.

Getting there from Southampton is the straightforward part. The Red Jet ferry takes about 28 minutes from Southampton to Cowes, and from there it is a ten-minute walk to Northwood House. The Southern Vectis no.1 bus is the other option. Red Funnel runs a travel partner offer with 20% off vehicle ferry travel, a £13.50 adult Red Jet day return and £6.70 for children, and a £22.00 adult foot passenger period return valid on crossings between 9 and 12 October. On the ground, a Festival Buggy with a mobile phone is available for assistance from 2pm to 6pm on Thursday 9 October and 10am to 6pm from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 October, all venues have disabled access, and a golf buggy serves the St Mary's venue and anyone who cannot walk far. Tickets go on sale from mid-August via the festival website, and advance booking is recommended as popular sessions sell out quickly, though organisers have kept tickets affordable across the top speakers. The festival has been awarded The King's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest UK voluntary group award, for its contribution to education, cultural life and wellbeing.