Isle of Wight Walking Holidays: Vectis Revealed Returns in October
Published 10 September 2026 · Updated 18 October 2026
Vectis Revealed: Ancient Paths and Island Stories is a guided Isle of Wight walking weekend led by landscape archaeologist Kelly Wetherick. It runs from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 at The Fig Tree in Shanklin. A residential place costs £400 and an island day guest place costs £195.
September's weekend filled sooner than we expected, and a number of you wrote to ask whether there might be another chance. There is. If you have been looking at Isle of Wight walking breaks and want something more than a map and a packed lunch, this is the weekend we would point you to. Two days on the chalk downs and the seafront with someone who reads the ground the way most of us read a newspaper, and a warm hotel to come back to each evening.
What is Vectis Revealed?
Vectis was the Roman name for the Isle of Wight. Kelly describes the island as a diamond, twenty-six miles by thirteen, with a chalk ridge down its spine and claylands and greensands to either side. In her words, put a pin in a map anywhere on the Isle of Wight and there is archaeology under it.
Vectis Revealed is a small heritage and walking weekend built around that idea. You walk the paths with Kelly, she shows you what is beneath your boots, and in the evenings she fills in the story with illustrated talks. Among archaeology holidays in the UK it is unusual in one way: the guide, the landscape and the hotel are all close together, so you spend your time walking and listening rather than travelling.
What happens each day?
The October programme follows the same shape as September. We confirm the exact timings when you book.
Friday 23 October. Arrive in time for lunch at 1pm. In the afternoon Kelly leads the first walk up onto Shanklin Down, where she tells the island's 10,000-year story from the top. This is the steeper of the two walks and needs a reasonable level of fitness. The day ends with dinner and Kelly's illustrated evening talk.
Saturday 24 October. A morning walk along the seafront and the old military ground, known as the Garrison walk, which is mostly flat and easier underfoot. After lunch there is an afternoon lecture on the Romans and the island's place in the wider empire, and dinner together in the evening.
Sunday 25 October. Breakfast is served from 8am to 10am, with check-out by 11am.
Who is Kelly Wetherick?
Kelly is a landscape archaeologist who has lived on the Isle of Wight since she was nine. She is a former teacher and spent years working in the island's museums and heritage sector before turning to the landscape itself. She lives in the west of the island near Tennyson Down, and her husband's family have rested in Brading churchyard since the 1400s.
Her walks for the National Trust, the National Landscape and the island's two annual Walking Festivals sell out. The feedback she hears most often comes from people who live a few hundred yards from the path: I walk this every day and I have never seen that feature before. One walker who lived half a mile away told her she had opened their eyes to a completely new way of looking at that landscape.
Kelly puts it simply. She wants you to stand on the down, feel the wind on your face, and experience the place as people might have experienced it 3,000 years ago.
What links the Mary Rose, 1545 and the Isle of Wight?
Kelly filmed her short introduction to the weekend on a very windy Culver Down. Behind her is Portsmouth and the stretch of the Solent where, in 1545, the Mary Rose sank beneath the waves. Her question to the camera was this: how are the Mary Rose, 1545 and the Isle of Wight all connected?
She will not tell us the answer in advance. What we can say is that the defence of the realm, and the island's place on the front line of it, is one of the three threads she keeps returning to. The other two are the deep story you can read from Shanklin Down, and the Romans. If you enjoy this kind of story, our post on the hidden history of the Isle of Wight is a good place to start.
What is included, and what does it cost?
There are two ways to join us.
Residential, £400. The full weekend. Two nights at The Fig Tree, breakfast each morning, lunch on Friday and Saturday, dinner on both evenings, both guided walks and Kelly's talks. You will have one of our en-suite rooms, each with tea and coffee facilities, a smart TV and free Wi-Fi.
Island day guest, £195. For those who live on the island or are staying elsewhere. Lunch on both days, both guided walks, and dinner on both nights, with Kelly as our guest speaker on the Friday evening. No accommodation.
An extra night either side of the weekend can be added for £75.
How do I book?
Call us on 01983 241 010 or email events@thefigtreehotel.co.uk and tell us whether you would like the residential weekend or the island day guest place. You can also use the chat on this website. If you want a room for an extra night, you can check availability and Book Now on our own booking page.
Booking direct means we can arrange a ferry discount for you, so do ask when you get in touch.
Getting to the island and to us
Ferries run to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington. Tell us which crossing you plan to take and we will help with the discounted fare for guests who book direct. Our getting here guide sets out each route, the crossing times and the drive on to Shanklin.
The Fig Tree is at 10 Queen's Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6AN. We have free on-site parking, a lift to every floor and step-free access, and the beach is about a 10-minute walk away. The terrace is where most of our guests end up with a cup of tea after a walk.
We are run by two sisters, Karen and me. Small, well-behaved dogs are welcome in selected rooms for £30 per stay; see our dog-friendly hotel page for how it works.
A note on fitness and accessibility
The Friday walk on Shanklin Down involves a steady climb and needs decent fitness. The Saturday seafront and Garrison walk is mostly flat. Shanklin is a hilly town, so if you have any concerns about either walk, call or email us before you book and we will give you an honest answer. Our accessible hotel page describes the lift, step-free access and accessible rooms.
If you want more walking ideas for the days either side of the weekend, read our guide to the best coastal walks near Shanklin.
Quick facts
- Dates: Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026
- Residential weekend: £400 (two nights, breakfast, lunches, dinners, guided walks and talks)
- Island day guest: £195 (lunch and dinner on both days, guided walks, no accommodation)
- Extra night either side: £75
- Guide: Kelly Wetherick, landscape archaeologist
- Breakfast 8am to 10am, check-in from 3pm, check-out by 11am
- Free on-site parking and free Wi-Fi
- Book by phone on 01983 241 010, by email, or use the chat
Frequently asked questions
- Is the September Vectis Revealed weekend still available?
- No. The 22 to 24 September weekend is full. We added a second weekend, Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, because so many people asked for another chance to join Kelly Wetherick on the chalk downs and the seafront.
- Can I join if I live on the Isle of Wight?
- Yes. The island day guest place is £195 and includes lunch on both days, both guided walks and dinner on both evenings, with Kelly speaking as our guest on the Friday. You go home to your own bed each night.
- Is there a ferry discount?
- Our team can arrange discounted ferry crossings for guests who book direct. Tell us which crossing you plan to take when you get in touch by phone on 01983 241 010 or by email, and we will help with the fare.
- What should I bring on the walks?
- Bring walking boots or sturdy shoes, a waterproof and warm layers. It is October on a chalk down above the Solent, so expect wind. Lunch and dinner are part of the weekend, so you do not need to plan them.
- Can I bring my dog?
- Small, well-behaved dogs are welcome in selected rooms for £30 per stay, and in reception and the bar. Please mention your dog when you book. Ask us before you book whether your dog can join the walks.
Plan your stay
Stay with us at The Fig Tree in Shanklin. Breakfast is included, parking and Wi-Fi are free, and there is a lift to every floor.