There is more to the Isle of Wight than music festivals.
Admittedly we visited the Isle of Wight primarily to attend the fantastic Isle of Wight Festival in June, but also took the opportunity to see a little more of the island and its attractions while we were there.
Here are my top tips for things to see and do.
Ride on a bus
The bus service all around the island is excellent. You can pay for your ticket on the bus (credit card / contactless is accepted) and 24hr Freedom or multi-day tickets are available so you can hop on / hop off wherever the fancy takes you.
The buses are equipped with wi-fi and usb charging ports in the seat backs too. Excellent.
There are also some open-top buses so you can soak up the views, one of these is the Needles Breezer which takes you up to the famous landmark.
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| The Needles seen from Alum Bay cliffs |
Ride on a train
While riding on a bus we got chatting to some ladies who were visiting the island and had arrived as foot passengers on the ferry. The were staying in Sandown and had taken the Isle of Wight train from the port. They had us in hysterics as they described the journey. The train service has not been updated (unlike the bus service) and you will be riding on old, re-purposed, London Underground trains! I'm told they are very wobbly and noisy, not comfortable at all but possibly worth a trip just for a laugh.
There is also a Steam Railway and they have a Real Ale train, running on 21st July, details
here. Real ale will be on tap at the stations along the journey and a supper of bangers and mash is served. The ticket includes a complimentary pint!
Go ghostsign hunting
Following our super day out with Mr Ghostsigns in London (see post
here) we are now beginning to spot ghostsigns all over the place. Eagle eyes will be able to spot quite a few in Newport, and some in Ryde. How many can you spot? If you need a hint or two take a look at my instagram feed (@inthepix).
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| Ghostsign spotted in Newport |
Be quiet, eat cake
If quiet contemplation is your thing head to the Benedictine monastery at Quarr Abbey just off the main Ryde to Newport road. There are ruins of the original 14th Century abbey to see and the current abbey (built in the early 1900s) to admire. It is a beautiful spot to visit, either in the abbey itself (it is very humble inside and perfect for some quiet time) or walking in the woods.
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| Quarr Abbey |
Towards the back of the abbey you will find a very small graveyard where the monks are buried with simple crosses as headstones. I found this quite moving.
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| Simple headstones |
For some retail therapy visit the shop and gallery space, when we were there we saw a colourful exhibition of art by a local artist, Pat Clarke. There are gardens to wander through and last, but not least, we discovered a lovely teashop and farm shop. Eating cake overlooking the garden was just perfect!
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| Courgette and avocado cake at Quarr Abbey teashop |
Admire the houseboats at Bembridge harbour
The coastal village of Bembridge is at the east of the island and has a windmill (National Trust), marshes, beaches and an interesting harbour. Walk from Bembridge to St Helens and you will pass quite a few houseboats moored up in the harbour. These are all impressive, some because they are bold and colourful, others are quirky and some are full of history (one was actually one of the 'Little Ships' of Dunkirk).
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| Bembridge houseboat in the style of Miro |
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| Wooden style houseboat |
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| This boat played its part in the Dunkirk rescue |
It is lovely walking around to St Helens overlooking the harbour and arriving at a beach maintained by the National Trust. There is a causeway to cross which makes it an easy walk, however this was closed due to maintenance on the day we visited so we walked up to the village green in St Helen's and past the house where Jeremy Irons used to live as a child.
Down at the shore, scrambling over the rocks and watching the ships crossing the Solent is full of surprises small and large, from tiny crustaceans in the rock pools to huge cargo ships leaving Portsmouth.
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| Limestone ledges perfect for rock pooling at St Helens |
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| Container ship on the horizon |
Eat freshly caught lobster while sitting over the water
Having wandered past the houseboats look out for the floating Seafood Cafe in Fisherman's Wharf, out in the water off a small jetty. Here you can tuck into the freshest crab and lobster, caught that morning and freshly cooked. Sitting out on the decking, with the blue water lapping below and seabirds bobbing about, it is a delightful spot to eat a simple seafood salad. The cafe is run by
The Best Dressed Crab company who also run a seafood shop next to the cafe so you can take some fresh seafood home with you too.
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| Fresh lobster salad |
Discover Roman life
Overlooking Sandown Bay,
Brading Roman Villa is the place to discover how the Romans lived on the Isle of Wight. Outside take a wander around the grounds and peer into the remains of their underfloor heating system, take in the views and have a go at telling the time with their human sundial. Inside there are Roman mosaic floors to marvel at and a decent cafe too!
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| Human sundial at Brading Roman Villa |
The Romans liked their wine and it is presumed that the nearby vineyard was originally planted by the Romans, to find out more see the next tip!
Sample an English red wine
Do you know the difference between British wine and English wine? Well if you while away a couple of enjoyable hours at
Adgestone Vineyard near Brading you can take a wine tour and learn all about this lovely little vineyard and the challenges of real English wine. Finish this off with a tasting of all their wines (and liqueurs) and you might need to take an island bus home!
In fact, you could stay the night too, they do have a single Bed & Breakfast room on site.
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| Adgestone Vineyard |
I hope this has whetted your appetite for the Isle of Wight, for even more things to do visit the official tourism site
here.
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