I made this. ^^

I know.

😆

Compton bay at low tide – dinosaur footprints in the rock. Real ones and big. Loads of them. (Also 3 toed footprint casts on the beach about the size of a dustbin lid). You have to wade out about 100yards knee high across a rocky plateau in the sea. If you’re lucky to get there when there’s an NT tour going on, just look for a group of around 20 people gazing down, around 100 yards into the sea, knee high water. Sends a shiver down the spine. The kids will love it.

Is it Compton? Or Brook? Admittedly they’re only a few hundred metres apart, but I thought it was Brook. Regardless, Compton at low tide is brilliant. Was hunting through rockpools there with PMistressJ and Jazzy Jnr a few weeks back.

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bakery on the corner in Bembridge for lunch

the butchers down the road and opposite does amazing sausage rolls – far better

if there is an art show on in bembridge buy one of my dads paintings – he’ll be made up!

Think joe cocker is playing the music festival there.

So, we’re back.

Here is my definitive guide to what’s good and what’s mince, for a family with 2 young kids.

We used Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Needles, Amazon World Zoo and the ferry. We aso have National Trust and English Heritage membership. Without them the holiday would have been prohibitively expensive.

The Garlic Festival – Middle of August. Great day out.

Blackgang Chine – Expensive, but the kids loved it. Went back a second time in the evening for the fireworks which were excellent and best viewed whilst stood on the top of the pirate ship.

The Needles – If you have Tesco Clubcard points this is excellent value, if you don’t it is monstrously expensive. Went back a second time for the fireworks.

The Needles Battery – National Trust – Fascinating with great views.

Amazon World Zoo. Old and a bit cramped. I wasn’t happy going here. It was on Tesco though so it didn’t cost me anything.

Monkey Haven. Monkey and Owl rescue centre. New, spacious and much better than Amazon World.

Osbourne House – English Heritage – Stunning.

Carisbrooke Castle – English Heritage – I do like a good castle. Went twice, once to watch some jousting and once to have a look at the castle.

Bembridge Windmill – National Trust – A windmill.

Ventnor Botanical Gardens. Nice if you like that sort of thing.

Steephill Cove – A stunning beach next the Ventnor gardens.

Mottistone Gardens – National Trust – Very pretty.

Newtown Town Hall – National Trust – Worth a look, but I wouldn’t want to pay a tenner to see it.

Godshill Model Village – Very good.

Yarmouth Castle – English Heritage – Quite interesting and it killed an hour or so once we were off the ferry and waiting for our accommodation to be free

Of the towns we preferred the south side of the island. We were staying in Shanklin and liked it. Godshill, Ventnor and Sandown all had charm. Wasn’t much taken with the busier towns of Ryde and Cowes in the north. Newport was OK but the Pizza Express (Tesco Clubcard again) was comically shit. I would have been annoyed if I had paid for it.

In summary we loved it and will definitely be back, maybe on a permanent basis in about 15 years.

Oh yes he is! Got both barrells last weekend when we had the audacity to cycle past his house.

For the purposes of clarity, is it actually allowed to cycle there?

Bookmarked, as we are going at October Half term this year….albeit with a degree of trepidation having read this…..but buoyed somewhat as DBW clearly loves the place and I recall that he’s a fellow halifax’er.

The Ventnor esplanade to Down Lane cycle is the biggest catagorised climb in Hampshire, something like 700 feet over 2 miles, someone I know rode Down Lane recently and the tarmac is far nicer than almost all of the stuff I ride on between Owslebury and Hawkley. In fact the only road comparable I frequent is Longwood Dean Lane.

Bookmarked, as we are going at October Half term this year….albeit with a degree of trepidation having read this…..but buoyed somewhat as DBW clearly loves the place and I recall that he’s a fellow halifax’er.

We had a fantastic time! My kids keep pestering to go back.

The tour round the lighthouse at St Catherines Point is good and kids will always like the donkey sanctuary. I didn’t see them mentioned above.

My sister and her husband go all the time, there’s a family friend with a cottage at Seaview where they stay. I went there with two of my kids last October half term and we really enjoyed it.

There is lots to do, I guess it just depends what you like. I grew up here so spent my days on the beaches and exploring the countryside. If you have young children there is also Tapnal farm.