To bloody love the Isle of Wight?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I’m here now with my 86 year old dad and 5 year old DD. We come every year and rent a cottage, and always have the best time! There’s so much to do in all weathers, the scenery is gorgeous and everyone we meet is friendly. But I don’t know, people sometimes seem a bit sniffy about it as a holiday destination, as though it’s old fashioned or unfashionable or something. AIBU to love it and not to understand why it isn’t seen as a ‘naice’ holiday destination like Cornwall or the Lake District?

It sounds as though you went to East Cowes (functional & industrial) where the car ferry goes and you can walk to Osborne, not West Cowes (grotty yachties, coffee shops & gift shops)

Thoroughly recommend the IoW Steam Railway for small people. Briddlesford Farm nearby is nice too.

We go each fortnight to care for parents, but the boat fares are eye watering in the summer. The downside of the Island is that it's incredibly insular.

I have been to the IoW probably over 100 times - grandparents lived there and then parents. I love it so much, I want to retire there myself. My parents moved back to the mainland at the start of this year and I’m absolutely gutted we no longer have it as a free holiday destination!

I would like to go but I remember checking and the ferry seemed quite expensive.

Also don’t breakdown. My views may be coloured by the fact I broke down on a cliff in driving rain and the AA didn’t arrive for 10 hours!

Going again in August. Am hoping the ryde bookshop is still open! It's the best bookshop ever.

Also Quarr Abbey (where Scott Walker stayed for a while) and Firestone copse are worth visiting. I really miss the waxworks

Someone who remembers the waxworks! Such a freaky place but it was our favourite place to visit as kids. Weird! The monk playing the organ... 😨

Yanbu :)

😮 were they coming from the mainland?!

@Nitgel

I had a lovely afternoon at Quarr last year.
Really nice lunch at the cafe, walk round the grounds, bit of a chat with the pigs. I sat in the Abbey itself for about half an hour- it was very peaceful

The pigs are so lovely and you can buy food for them :) I loved it inside and lit a candle. Such a beautiful building.

I really liked it when I went too

I absolutely love it there.... it's my happy place.

I'm 54 and I've gone at least once a year since my grandparents (now long dead) retired there in the late 70's. My dsis and I used to get shipped off for a week or two in the summer holidays, and just loved it.

I've since holiday'd there with my dc's, dgc's and had weekends away with my dsis.

Does anybody remember the Flamingo park? I was gutted when that closed.

Yes.... super creepy!!

The monk at the waxwork was cool but that witch mask haunted my childhood.

I love it too and when we were in the UK and berthed our boat on the south coast we used to sail over to Yarmouth or Cowes regularly. Not sure I'd want to live there though - having to get a ferry to go to the mainland for hospital visits etc would get old fast. An old colleague of mine grew up on the island and couldn't wait to go to uni to get away, she's never gone back.

I grew up there and it was an incredible place as a young child. However once I got to my teens I loathed it during winter and it coloured my view of the whole place. I left for uni and never went back and my parents subsequently moved off as well.

As an adult however I adore it and miss it terribly (rose coloured glasses). We go back regularly and my two DS’ adore it. We’re going for 2 weeks this summer. Occasionally I float the idea of moving there but whilst I’d love it, it’s the wrong decision for my boys who would have the same issues as teens.

Love the IoW so much. My grandparents lived in Ryde (where you walk) and I try to go every couple of years and was there in late June this year at the Royal Esplanade Hotel, which I adore. We stood on Appley Tower (which you can go up these days!) and watched the Red Arrows do their thing, which was magical. I would seriously consider living there - my American spouse is a little less keen though she likes to visit.

I love it there. Went every year throughout my childhood. 2 weeks in the summer, in the same hotel in Shanklin. Got to know everyone who also went at the same time! My mum kept in touch with them all, and I had a friend but we lost touch as adults.

I've taken my kids and they love it too. We stayed in one of the caravan parks near Shanklin.

Last time we went it was cheaper for us to get the train/ferry/train and a weekly bus pass than it was for the car ferry. We're in the south east anyway, so not a long journey.

We haven't been on holiday this year and I think I've now talked myself into booking IOW for next year. Got to go and see the donkey we sponsor as well!

I think that may be the place I remember with free range wallabies and goats and rabbits?
Lots of ponds down a sloping site with different waterbirds and possibly some penguins?
If so, yes it was one of my favourite places.

We always stay at the Esplanade. Absolutely love it 😊

We do iow every year we travel from the North Highlands it's the furthest you can go and stay in uk 😊kids love it and blackgang chine. Going else where this year my 5 year old is gutted

Every summer we can rent a cottage
in the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear.
We shall scrimp and save.
Grandchildren on your knee:
Vera, Chuck, and Dave.

Sorry, that's my immediate musical association with the Isle of Wight. 😀 I've never been there but would love to go someday. It sounds lovely.

Oh yes, Robin Hill!! Amazing for kids. And the garlic farm is gorgeous. The chutneys are to die for, though very antisocial

Don't joke. From the number of AA & RAC vans another boat at 7.30 on Sunday evenings, they probably did