With our plethora of LEGOLAND souvenirs and three exhausted children crammed into the backseat of the hire car, we bypassed the motorway and opted for the more scenic A3 route as we headed to the south coast for our next port-of-call. We usually catch up with the children’s Aunty Maggie once a year when she heads home from Holland for Christmas but with a bolt-hole apartment in Southsea, this was the perfect opportunity to do a stop-over with her before catching the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight.
Twenty-four hours in Southsea gave us enough time to enjoy the summer sunshine while walking the 5km round-trip from Southsea to Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays. At a leisurely pace, en route we explored Clarence Pier and watched boats of all shapes and sizes sailing along the Solent, the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland. Once we arrived at Gunwharf Quays we headed to the Emirates Spinnaker Tower. Soaring 170metres above Portsmouth Harbour, the views across the Solent are spectacular from the tower’s Sky Garden. We also braved the Sky Walk, a glass floor on Viewing Deck 1 that provides a view straight down for 100 metres to the harbour below… not one for the faint-hearted!
The following morning we abandoned the car in Southsea and boarded the Hovertravel ferry as foot passengers. It’s the fastest crossing to the Isle of Wight at only 10 minutes and lands at Ryde on the north east coast of the island. There are alternative ferry routes and services but to take the car over can be quite pricey and some hire car companies have restrictions in place for taking the car off the mainland. Fortunately ‘Visit Isle of Wight’ had pointed us in the direction of the island’s Co-wheels Car Club. It’s a fantastic pay-as-you-drive scheme with low hourly rates that include insurance. We collected our high-spec hybrid car just outside the Ryde ferry terminal from the very affable Paul who provided us with an island map and some tips before we set off for some island exploration. At only 23 miles by 13 miles, we had allowed ourselves 36hrs on the island and were confident that we could fit a lot in.
Our first stop was Monkey Haven, an award winning rescue centre for monkeys, birds and reptiles. It proved to be a fantastic start to our IOW stay with so much to see and do from discovery trails to keeper talks. We all fell in love with some cheeky Gibbons and chattered with the Barbary Macques before grabbing a quick lunch in the tearoom to plan our next stop.
A 10 mile drive south towards Ventnor and the truly unique Blackgang Chine, set in cliff top gardens, perched on the island’s south coast. It’s an amusement park unlike any other I’ve ever visited, and I’ve been to quite a few now… Originally established as a visitor attraction for Victorian holidaymakers, the park retains its charm in spades and blends it with eccentricity and curiosities. There was something to satisfy all members of Team Thompson with magical lands, roaming dinosaurs, water slides and a cliffhanger rollercoaster. After several hours of amusement, we left feeling that we had each experienced something a little bit special.
With only one night on the island, we booked into Appuldurcombe Gardens Holiday Park with its open air pool and on site fish and chip shop. What more could a family of intrepid explorers ask for at the end of a busy day! Based in an idyllic setting in 14 acres of secluded grounds, our home for the night was a luxury static caravan, a far cry from my own childhood memories of caravanning.
Day two on the Isle of White had a lot to live up to after the family fun experienced on Day 1… thankfully it didn’t disappoint. With lots to see before our ferry back to Southsea later that day, we made a beeline for Tapnell Farm Park. This proved to be a huge hit with everyone and so much more than a petting farm. The Straw Bale Adventure Barn is home to indoor zip wires, climbing walls and a pedal go-kart track so it seemed like a good place to start our visit. Competitive racing helped to get the adrenaline pumping before a family session on the outdoor pillow trampoline.
Lots of ‘who can jump highest’ challenges left mum and dad suitably exhausted so we decided to wind down before lunch with a walk around the farm to meet the animals. There were all the usual farm livestock, including sheep and pigs, as well as a few less expected guests such as meerkats and wallabies. With appetites well and truly ‘worked up’, we opted for lunch at the farm’s aptly named ‘The Cow Co’ restaurant. Spectacularly stacked beef burgers and epic milkshakes left everyone satisfied and ready for our final stop before leaving the island.
Robin Hill Country Park is set in 88-acres just outside Newport. It’s the sister park to Blackgang Chine and offers something a little different with endless woodland walks and falconry displays to toboggan runs and tractor rides. It proved to be the perfect way to finish our trip to the island with glorious sunshine and meandering strolls through the parkland before driving back to Ryde to drop off our Co-wheels car and board the ferry once more.
It was a whirlwind visit to the Isle of Wight (next time we’ll definitely stay longer!) but a huge highlight when it comes to our Summer Adventure… now where to next for the third and final stage of our trip?
Isle of Wight Info
For all information regarding events, attractions and accommodation on the IOW, check out visitisleofwight.co.uk
To join the Co-wheels Car Club (free membership) and make a booking, head to co-wheels.org.uk/iow
Family Day Trips worth checking out – monkeyhaven.org, blackgangchine.com, tapnellfarm.com and robin-hill.com
Accommodation – Luxury caravan, lodge and apartment rental in the south of the island can be booked via appuldurcombegardens.co.uk
Click to view article images:
