Isle Of Wight

Holiday Brief

For the bank holday at the end of May, we should go to the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England. We can go from Saturday to Monday if it's possible. There are a few things that need to be organised, but it shouldn't be too hard, wight?!

Who's coming

• Marc - definite
• Ben's Cookies - probable
• Caz - probable
• Tom - probable
• Matt - definite
• Dr Sloan (if Ben's Cookies can persuade him)

Transport there and back

Assuming we're taking a ferry across, we should probably book this quite quickly...

1. Red Funnel - Car + 5 people = £105

From Southampton to East Cowes (55 mins)

2. Wightlink -

Car + 4 people = £107

1 person = £13.40

From Portsmouth to Fishbourne

Or from Lymington to Yarmouth

Where we'll stay

Ryde

We'll be staying at Ryde, the Isle of Wight's largest town with lively pubs, restaurants and golden beach.

Once two separate small communities, Ryde is now the Island's largest town. In 1781, Union Street connected the hilltop-farming village with the small fishing hamlet. With the construction the pier - Britain's first - in 1814 and the establishment of a regular ferry service from Portsmouth in 1825, Ryde grew into an elegant Victorian town.

There are grand town houses and terraces throughout Ryde. Designed by Gilbert Scott and built in 1869, All Saints Church with its grand spire dominates the skyline of the town.

Union Street, lined with fine Georgian and Victorian buildings, together with the long high street are packed with shops of all types. The Royal Victoria Arcade contains a number of boutiques and antique shops and there is an intriguing stalls market in the cellars beneath.

In addition to the fine shopping, Ryde town centre also offers a cinema, a theatre, a gym and a public library.

Ryde Pier, at nearly half a mile, is the second longest pier in the country. A high-speed passenger catamaran operates between Portsmouth and the pier head where the rail way line from Shanklin terminates, using 1930 London Underground rolling stock.

There is also a connection with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Smallbrook Junction near Ryde. Next to the pier is the hovercraft terminal which links to the mainland in as little as eight minutes.

With its six miles of glorious sandy beaches, a grand esplanade and promenade, Ryde's seafront offers its visitors a wide choice of activities. Along the esplanade you will find ten-pin bowling with an indoor children's play area and amusements, an indoor ice rink, and a swimming pool with retracting roof. There is also a canoe lake, paddling pool and a small fun fair and a dotto train, and at Appley a children's play area with pitch and putt course.

The promenade stretches from the esplanade, past Appley Gardens to Puckpool Park. Along the promenade is Appley Tower, a Victorian Folly. At Puckpool park there are remains of a 19th century battery and leisure facilities including tennis courts, a bowling green, crazy golf, putting green and a children's playground.

Below the sea wall lies a fine golden sandy beach, which at low tide extends for hundreds of metres. This offers an excellent sunbathing and play area for children but care should be taken by parents of young children and non-swimmers, as the tide can turn very quickly and the low lying sand can be covered in minutes.

If we are unable to stay in Ryde, there are the following places:

• Cowes - Large town, you can get the ferry over from Southampton.
• Newport - Large town in the centre of island.
• Sandown - Typical seaside resort. Amusement arcades/crazy golf/pier/zoo etc. Plenty of B&Bs.
• Shanklin - Just down the coast from Sandown, again lots of B&Bs.

Nightclubs are mainly in the 'holiday' areas of Shanklin / Ventnor

What we'll do

• Zorbing on the way down?

Zorbing is possible in theory, but we'd have to make an early start :-( ie. leaving at 9am! and also, it's a bit expensive -

£35 for 1 person/ ride

£55 for 2 people/ ride

£65 for 3 people/ ride

But I'm up for it though. Again, we'd have to book this quite quickly.

Matt

• play volleyball on the beach?
• Go for a walk along the beach / cliffs
• Go and have a look at the needles and the lighthouse

Marc

• Album Bay (coloured sands)
• The WW II fort built into the cliff (either on the east or west point of the island)+
• The old ballistic missile testing range
• Blackgang Chine (incredible trippy theme park with gnomes and life size giants etc)+
• Cowes (if it's the right time of the year)

+ - if they are still there; the sea has been eroding the cliffs and making them fall into the sea

Caroline

Only preferences are extreme sports/activities, as follows:

• scuba diving/snorkelling and surfing

• water skiing

• visit Branston farm (ok not so extreme, but we'll need a break and there might be baby animals there!!!)

• Robin Hill Country Park (Boasts the island's three biggest rides - The Tobaggan Run, The Time Machine and Colossus plus MUCH MUCH MORE)

• Isle of Wight Horse Riding (let me know in advance so that I can bring my horse riding outfit, helmit included!)

• Butterfly Paragliding Ltd (Tandem flights: Soar the cliffs one on one with an instructor. Usually around twenty minutes airborne.

Same day bookings and gift vouchers, free upgrades. Allow enough time for a full afternoon on site. An unforgettable 'learning to fly' experience)

• Vectis Gliding Club: Gliding may be an activity that you have always wanted to try but have never had the opportunity to do so. Well, why not come and experience the thrill of silent flight by visiting the Vectis Gliding Club on the Isle of Wight.

The sensation of flight differs from that of any other activity and the view from 2000 feet above the ground provides an interesting and quite different view of the Islands natural beauty.

• Island Offroad Adventure. Experience adrenaline at 5mph! 4X4 driver training and corporate entertainment. Open to all, whatever your experience. Fantastic white knuckle site. Qualified instructors.

• Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures. Based in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures offers you the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic couple of hours climbing ancient trees on private land. Under full supervision from a qualified arborist you will soon be swinging between the branches and seeing the Island from a new perspective!