The Beach, Osborne House

A glorious September day today so ideal for a walk down to Queen Victoria's private beach at Osborne House. The beach previously closed to the public has been extensively renovated by English Heritage throughout the Winter with a new Pavilion /cafe which sells delicious ice cream and includes changing rooms for those who wish to bathe in the sheltered water.

The beach was a favorite spot for the Queen and her children who used to walk down every day to play on the shingle and look for sea shells. Queen Victoria had a seating alcove from where she would paint the scene in water colour, copies of which are on display on the information boards. The decoration in the alcove is particularly ornate.
The bathing machine from which she would be wheeled into the water to swim has been fully restored and brought down from Swiss Cottage where it had been on display for many years.
In the film 'Mrs. Brown' part of which was filmed at Osborne, Judy Dench who played the Queen enters the sea from a similar machine.

The beach is proving to be very popular with the visitors and on a day like today as Queen Victoria herself said,' It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot.