We've never visited the IOW before but are planning a to spend a day in Pompey visiting ships or some such and the rest of the week over the water. Any suggestions of where to stay in Portsmouth and the IOW which might suit a real ale loving OH, preferably access to a pool of some sort for the two teens and garden related stuff for me to visit please? We were looking at all sorts of options, cottages, hotels, lodges and B&b's for a week altogether but not knowing any areas is not helping me narrow it down at all... please help!
I expect ACE will come up with suggestions as to where to stay.
We were on the Isle of Wight a couple of years back, taking our caravan over there. The Botanical Gardens at Ventnor are well worth a visit and we also enjoyed Amazon World, especially going into the lemur enclosure where they climbed all over my mobility scooter, sat in my basket and on my knees. It was a wonderful experience which we hope to repeat in the near future with our grandchildren.
There are some really good Garden Centres on the island and we came back with our caravan shower full of plants.
You will really enjoy the island but it is best avoided during school holidays as it can be crowded.
Because son finishes school next week for the first time we can go outside of school hols, so we can go in July before the school holidays start. I stupidly thought it might be a bit cheaper then, and it is, but not by much!
I like the thought of returning with a car full of plants, one advantage of not going abroad!
We are going to try The Orchards next time we go. I notice that they have holiday caravans as well as catering for tourers so may be an option for you and your family. The prices aren't too bad either, outside the school holiday dates. They have an indoor and an outdoor pool there.
http://www.orchards-holiday-park.co.uk/
Quote from: Deb P on June 22, 2013, 09:33:40
......I like the thought of returning with a car full of plants, one advantage of not going abroad!
Eh! I don't know about that Debs! We go to France every year with our caravan and always come back with our shower tray full of plants.
Good Holiday camp at Bembridge been there twice - try Godshill for your cider and sandown for the shops - cowes nice place but be careful where you park - loads of private or residents only parking when we were there 3 years ago
The weather forecast looks a bit unsettled and mixed, I've been looking at renting a house or similar because we need at least 3 bedrooms and hotels were working out prohibitively expensive....my mum might be coming as well so we need the flexibility in case she decides to come or not. There seems to be still quite a few places with availability so hopefully will get something to please most of us!
Try Appuldurcombe caravan park they have some big statics which have lots of rooms in. Pool, bar, good pubs in the area. Good walking through to Godshill and near to the botanical gardens. Garden centres all over the island, but look out for the little family run types. Loads of plants for sale on the road, in peoples gateways usually with a honesty box for the money. Don't take any notice of the weather reports they never get it right over here.
Be careful over in the west wight as they still stone missionaries over that way, wear yellow wellies in Cowes, They are a bit light on the loafers in Ryde so do not let the men bend over to pick anything up. Oh! and the council shut most of the public toilets, but there are plenty of high hedges. Tuesday Night at the Dairymans Daughter for all the locals having a bit of a folk music session. Good food and ale there as well.
I'll keep a look out for your ferry :sunny:
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Cheers Ace....... :sunny:
Right, I between working nights I managed to rent a nice looking place in Fishbourne for the week, booked the ferry crossings so we are set! Just have to persuade 20yr old daughter to meet us in Pompey now rather than have to divert to London to pick her up on the way down.... When are your kids officially not kids anymore?!
No need to cook then. Just up the road from the Sloop, one of those pubs that do a carvery for about £4.00 eat all you can.
Had a good drive down to Portsmouth.....and then took an hour to do the last couple of miles, totally gridlocked. Daughter got off her coach to meet us as they had done 300m in an hour once in the city and lots of people supposed to catch the ferry, the driver had to get special permission to let them off before the bus station.
Got to the terminal with 10 minutes to spare.....empty car park. They directed us to a queue to wait, I stomped off to the coffee shop in a huff at having to wait another hour in a hot car, only to be shouted back 5 minutes later, there were half a dozen cars and we were the four o click sailing! So, now on the ferry, waiting to site Ace's torpedoes....
Well you will go there Deb - and now you know you shouldn't!
Quote from: Deb P on June 29, 2013, 16:31:24
I stomped off to the coffee shop in a huff
Coffee on the quay! It would have been cheaper to slip one of the staff a fiver to slip to the front of the queue. Or put your hazard lights on and get priority loading :angel11: Just walk with a limp when you get out of the car.
We had a great time a proper traditional English family holiday, visited some lovely beaches, squabbled over crazy golf, visited a castle, a roman villa, went on a chair lift, had lots of real ale and cider in some great pubs, slobbed by our pool on the sunniest days, loved it. Kids took the kayaks out every day and everyone enjoyed themselves more than they expected to what more can you ask.
Spent yesterday in Portsmouth at the historical boatyard, horrifically expensive but brilliant, the Mary Rose exhibition is open now and fascinating, OH found a portrait if one of his ancestors in the Trafalgar exhibition and overall was a great day out to finish our holiday off nicely. Now back home and its boiling! :sunny: