Isle of Wight

Well we are back from the Isle of Wight overwhelming impression...foggy.

Day one: We got the train to Portsmouth harbour and across on the catamaran ferry to Ryde. Then a bus to Newport and a bus to Brighstone where a very nice 3 bedroom house was ready and waiting for us. ( we had a bit of a worry when we came to print off the accommodation sheet and found they had booked it for January the company had rung after we booked the cottage

to say that it was full and the company booked us the new one, obviously at some stage the screen reset to current dates, anyway they rang around on the island and got us the one we eventually stayed in)

It was a modern house more New Zealand

style with big lounge, modern kitchen and 2 bathrooms, so very suitable for us and Deb and Steve who came on holiday with us.

The village itself is very quaint with some lovely thatched cottages and a National Trust Ye Olde Shoppe.

Went to the local pub the Three Bishops for dinner and very pleasant it was too.

Photo link

Day two; up and off we went for a long walk, a very long walk see link below

Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/hMsaBT

Sadly it was foggy , the sort that you can see 50mtrs ahead and nothing else, we walked along a cliff top 180mts straight down to the sea. Was a bit scary in places as you could not see where the edge was until you got to it.

It was a lovely wander not too arduous but 18.54km is a long way when you normally wander to school and back each day.

We checked out the Needles a nice sea cliff or three and the site of the rocket engine testing in the 1950's.

Back towards civilisation and a lovely example of how to decorate your front yard.

We then headed back past the shopping and sand filling centre , yes even here at the end of the island there is a tacky area with things to play on and lots of multi coloured sand from the cliffs

that you put in glass shapes and they seal it up for you. No we did not do that , we had a nasty snack and then got the bus back to Newport.

A big shop at Morrisons and then the bus to Brighstone and collapse with wine and nibbles then dinner and a sleep.

Woken in the middle of the night with the news about the Christchurch earthquake, both P's brothers rang, thank you for that guys, what a terrible thing to happen.

Next morning we spent a lot of it checking website on my iphone and watching the news to see what had happened. Poor P a bit upset as all his family and childhood memories are in Christchurch. Fortunately at present no one we know is injured or missing.

That afternoon P and I went to the island records office and tracked down some of my family from 1848, my great, great, great grandparents lived there briefly ( the Gomars).

We managed to get some census data and a marriage certificate.

Deb and Steve went off to try and go on the steam train but missed it.

Day 3: A long walk in the other direction

Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/dT7K3z

this time 19.8km and for parts of the day the fog cleared giving a glimpse of lovely rolling countryside and again huge scary cliffs, this time with masses of erosion and very

fragile cliff edges.

Walk walk walk walk very nice pub for lunch, after leaving muddy boots in porch.

Then off we went again Finally the sun came out and it was a very pleasant if still muddy wander along to Ventnor.

A look around the sea front an icecream and then back on the bus. One advantage of the bus rover ticket is that you get to see all over the island ( when the windows are not fogged up ).

Day 4:

Packed , Breakfasted and off to Newport on the old people shopper bus, in and out of villages all over the place and we were the youngest by a mile.

Once there we could not find anywhere to store our bags so Debbie and I stayed

with them in a cafe and the boys went off to Carisbrooke castle. After a yummy coffee and pastry we asked if we could leave all the bags there and yes we could so we were free to go shopping for the morning.

A good potter about then we all met up for lunch, a bus to Ryde, a catamaran to Portsmouth Harbour, a look around the historic docks and then on the train and here we are safely back in Bath.

A lovely week away.