A WEEK… ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT
The perfect family camping holiday
The Isle of Wight has a timeless feel to it and a laid-back pace of life that will appeal to anyone who wants to get away from it all for a week or two.
That’s not to say there’s nothing to do here. Quite the opposite in fact. With wonderful beaches, miles of rugged coastline and oodles of family fun, from ancient Roman settlements to the UK’s oldest amusement park, you’ll easily be able to fill your days, with plenty of options for all ages.
Nestled a short way off England’s south coast, the Isle of Wight spans just 13 miles north to south and 23 miles east to west. Over the years it has been home to the likes of poets, Alfred Tennyson and John Keats. Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s holiday home, remains a popular visitor attraction to this day.
The Needles, on the coast of Alum Bay, should not be missed, especially for the chairlift that takes visitors down to the bay’s beach and gives unrivalled views of the famous Needles Rocks.
Fossil hunters love exploring the Isle of Wight and new specimens continue to be found on a regular basis. Dinosaur Isle is a dedicated museum just outside of Sandown. The Blackgang Chine theme park is charming and the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Havenstreet lets you enjoy the slower pace of a bygone era.
An open double-decker bus tour gives you spectacular coastal views and, speaking of buses, the volunteer-run
Bus and Coach Museum in Ryde is a lovely way to spend a nostalgic couple of hours. And for yet another method of
public transport, take a hovercraft jaunt to Southsea, across the water on the Hampshire coast.
The IoW Steam Railway is a great way to explore, while Carisbrooke Castle and Yarmouth Castle offer historical delights.
DAY 1 THE NEEDLES
The three jagged cliffs that jut out of the sea, just off the west coast of the Isle of Wight, make an iconic image. There’s more than enough going on at the Needles visitor attraction for a full day out: children’s amusements, a Victorian carousel, vintage car ride and a 4D cinema. There’s also a sand shop where visitors can make a sand souvenir, a glass shop where you can watch glass-blowing and a sweet factory. Catering outlets include snack kiosks, a large restaurant and tea rooms. As well as all that, there are the stunning views and the popular chairlift down to Alum Bay beach, from where you can take a quick boat trip out to the Needles themselves.
DAY 2 FOSSIL HUNTING
Dinosaur and fossil hunters love the Isle of Wight, where much of the modern science of palaeontology was developed. For rainy day dino hunting, you won’t do much better than Dinosaur Isle, a dedicated museum just outside of the town of Sandown. The building has a distinctive swooping roof and triangular porch that is supposed to make it look like a pterodactyl. Inside are plenty of real and replica fossils and life-size model dinosaurs, including an animatronic neovenator, and lots of opportunity for hands-on activity. Guided fossil tours are available around some local fossil hotspots, starting at Brooks bay, near Brightstone.
For independent fossil hunting, head for the beaches at Compton Bay on the west coast of the island and Yaverland Beach on the east, where the fossil-bearing Weladen clays appear at the surface.
DAY 3 VISIT SHANKLIN
Shanklin is a charming seaside town with a lovely beach that backs onto a traditional English esplanade, with all the attractions you’d expect, such as an amusement arcade, bowling, go-karting and a pirate-themed crazy golf park. Catch the unique lift to the
top of the cliffs and take a walk through parkland and tree-lined paths into the old village, where there are thatched cottages, independent shops, restaurants and pubs. Shanklin Chine is a fascinating natural attraction. This wooded coastal ravine has waterfalls and lush vegetation growing from the rocks. If you still have time, take a short drive to Brading Roman Villa overlooking Sandown Bay, one of the finest Roman sites in the UK. The award-winning visitor centre tells the story of the villa and provides insights into Roman life through the beautifully preserved mosaic floors to the collection of archaeology.
DAY 4 A DAY TRIP TO COWES
Cowes is probably best known for its annual regatta which takes place every August but there’s more to this town than that. The pedestrianised main street has lots of quirky shops and restaurants and you can wander along the harbour. Queen Victoria is the island’s most famous former resident and her holiday home, Osborne House, is just outside Cowes. The rooms are lavishly decorated and there are pictures of the monarch’s favourite dogs and horses in the Horn Room.
DAY 5 ‘FLY’ TO THE MAINLAND
The hovercraft that zips back and forth between Ryde and Southsea is the world’s only commercial passenger hovercraft service so it’s well worth taking the 10-minute “flight” to the mainland just to say you have experienced it. Once you’re there, enjoy the seaside resort attractions of Southsea, then take a walk along the promenade to bustling Portsmouth, where you can enjoy shops and restaurants, learn about maritime history and get a close-up view of the Spinnaker Tower.
DAY 6 EXPLORE THE ISLAND
The southeast corner of the island makes for a great day out. Start at Appuldurcombe House, once the grandest stately home on the island but now an empty shell. It was the 18th century home of Sir Richard Worsley, who became notorious for a court case in which his wife admitted to having had 27 lovers.
A short drive away is Godshill Model Village, featuring Shanklin Chine in miniature. Godshill is a very popular village for tourists, with its medieval church, thatched cottages and numerous tea rooms and cafés. It also has a great vegan bistro/ restaurant called Tansy’s Pantry, if that’s your thing.
In the afternoon, drive to the seaside
village of Ventnor where there’s a quirky selection of retro and vintage shops. Green fingered types will love Ventnor Botanic Garden, with plants from around the world and themed planting schemes.
DAY 7 STEAM RAILWAY
All aboard for a day of transport-related fun. The award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Havenstreet runs five miles between the stations of Smallbrook and Wootton. At the interactive Train Story Discovery Centre, visitors can see historic locomotives and learn about their restoration in the workshops, get active on a woodland walk and watch a birds-of-prey flying display. The volunteer-run Bus and Coach Museum in Ryde is a lovely way to spend a nostalgic couple of hours. It features around 20 historic vehicles, from an 1880s stagecoach to a
1934 Dennis Ace bus, as well as a selection of more recent buses. There is also loads of island transport and holiday memorabilia, photographs, a tea bar and a shop.