Postcard from... the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a hidden gem of an island offering the very best of British countryside with white sandy beaches, friendly people and loads of activities for the kids. I spent an eye-opening weekend there with my darling husband, Mark, and two of the harshest critics: Josie is seven (is there a pre-pre-teen?) and Alex ‘I no like’ is two.
Getting there
From the South, the Isle of Wight is quick and easy to reach, with ferries sailing from Portsmouth and Southampton every half hour or so. We rocked up at 9am in Portsmouth and got straight on to a ferry. On the way back we chose a very popular sailing time and would recommend reserving a slot in peak season. Have a look at the Redfunnel ferries website for Southampton and Wightlink for Portsmouth sailings. The Redfunnel site also has lots of discount tickets for attractions and is well worth a visit. Fares vary hugely so check in advance to get the best deals. Our crossing was 20 minutes and it was a real highlight for Josie and Alex. Accommodation
There’s plenty to choose from on the Isle of Wight: from campsites and caravan parks to the luxurious Priory Bay Hotel, most places on the Isle of Wight are close to the beach, so choosing accommodation is more a matter of finding what suits your family and your budget. The most popular beaches are near Sandown and Shanklin.
We stayed at the Priory Bay Hotel, an elegant country house hotel that offers a warm welcome to families. They have two beautiful family rooms in the hotel with adjoining rooms for the kids and baby monitors so that you can enjoy a child-free dinner in their fabulously elegant, adults only ‘Island restaurant’. Should you choose to have dinner with the kids, the bright Priory Oyster restaurant overlooks some of the 70 acres of woodlands and grounds. A wooded path leads down to a private beach but be prepared to be sidetracked by ancient ruins, rare wildlife and wild garlic which is a bit of an obsession with Mark. Josie changed from a High School Musical wannabe into an explorer and we spent ages picking through the secluded beach for shells, cuttlefish bones and other flotsam. For rainy days the hotel has a small playroom for younger children as well as board games and a good DVD library. I thought the charm of wooden rocking toys wouldn’t last long but my children loved the play area.
We stayed in a ‘tithe barn’ which was large and comfortable and gives you all the benefits of being part of the hotel whilst having a bit more space. There are also self catering cottages in the grounds and it is worthwhile thinking about what will suit your family needs best. One word of caution, the outdoor pool and cliff tops might be dangerous if you have a little one who can get out on their own. Talk to the staff and they’ll advise you on the best accommodation for you.
Activities
The Isle of Wight is the British seaside at its best. Miles of white sandy beaches, souvenir shops, rides and indoor play areas for those inevitable rainy days (even though I’m assured that it never rains in the Isle of Wight!). Away from the beach though there are fun parks, a medieval castle, a Roman villa and dozens of other activities to keep the kids occupied. We spent a day at ‘Blackgang Chine’ which was enchanting fun park with plenty for 0-14 year olds to do. There are a few exciting rides and then lots of magical areas to discover in the beautiful cliff top grounds. The ‘frontier town’ was a personal favourite and there are lots of photo opportunities in the saloon and general store.
Josie cooled her heels in the jail for a while whilst Alex fed the life size model horses. A gang of 6 to 9 year olds were galloping through the park totally absorbed in being cowboys and it occurred to me that the real magic of ‘Blackgang Chine’ is that it doesn’t saturate kids with flashing lights and noises, instead it gives them a chance to be a bug hunter, a cowboy or a princess trapped in the tower. It’s definitely a full day’s entertainment and great value for money. There is also unlimited return for 7 days so you can really take time explore it.
We headed out to the Needles park on a fairly cold day and there are some rides for little ones as well as sweet making demonstrations and glass blowing. Certainly worth a visit for a morning, although it can get expensive at £1 to £3 a ride.We found one of our best discoveries by accident; intrigued by signs for The Garlic Farm we thought we’d pop in for five minutes to pacify my husband after hours of Pink and Gwen Stefani in the car. We had lunch there and are seriously considering staying in one of the cottages next time we visit the Isle of Wight. Mark tried all of the 20 or so pickles and chutneys in the shop tasting - including the Devil's Blood chilli sauce - and still managed a good lunch. The cafe is a bright and airy modern-style barn with huge windows and traditional wood burners and looks out over farm land with chickens and peacocks roaming around. It offers real gourmet food that pleased even my picky toddler and the bill was still only £5.00 more than the seaside burger and chips for the family that I’d bought in a cafe the day before; great value and served by the nicest people. I was told that there is a maize maze in summer and a beautiful country walk where you can see some of the Isle of Wight wildlife.
The Isle of Wight is a well kept secret for those looking for a British break and particularly for families. It does get booked up by those in the know so be prepared to hunt around for what you want. Island Breaks is a great website to get you started.
by Mel Patterson, 19 May 2009.
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