Never Been Here Before...

Up until 4 days before our break we were not sure where to go, the weather forecast has been abysmal for the last few weeks with no real improvement over our holidays, so at the last minute we made the decision to go south but where?

We checked on the interweb and found a good deal with a package from Red Funnel ferries so after a few phone calls we were book on a ferry to Isle of Wight with the last pitch on our 3rd choice camp site.

Sunday 23 July

Day 1

After doing the last minute packing we left home about 11am, we topped up with fuel and headed off, M5, M4, A34 towards Southampton, Adéle found a THS at Copythorne in The New Forest run by RCBDA for a stop-over before the ferry tomorrow. We were made really welcome by the Stewards Ann & Andy, Keni The Crow couldn't wait to have his photo taken.

We sat with the van doors open enjoying some warm sunshine before tea.

Before we started the Othello Championships we took a walk through the THS to the paddock to check out the alpacas.

Monday 24 July

Day 2  

The alarm went off at 6.30am, an early start this morning, ablutions done, I took Izzy for a walk around the paddock before returning for breakfast, bacon & tomato butties, we wanted to be off early as to not catch any hold ups on our journey to Southampton to catch the ferry.

we were booked on the 10am Red Funnel ferry to East Cowes, we arrived a little early but had no issues booking in, in fact it was very straight forward, ANPR cameras picked up our registration number, the friendly check-in staff checked to make sure our details were correct then passed us our boarding ticket, we were directed to lane 21 to wait for our boat.

We didn't have to wait long, boarding started 9.45, we were on the lower open deck, towards the front but we hadn't expected so many steps to climb, or more importantly, Izzy to climb but she did well.

We sat on an outer deck on the stern of the boat, we watched the last of the cars to be loaded and spot on 10am the ship sailed.

We had a good uneventful-ish crossing apart from a large group of people playing very load music, Adéle went to speak with the crew who sorted it straight away. We were off the ship an hour later driving on 'foreign' roads.

We decided to go straight to the camp site and book in, have lunch then go out and explore.

The site is very nice, very clean facilities, our pitch is good nestled in the trees.

After lunch we took a drive out to find Bembridge Fort and Downs but the road leading to it was only 6'6" wide, vera is over 7' wide so it was a no go, it then started hammering it down, we called into Sandown but the rain was relentless, we decided to return to the site for tea and cake.

The afternoon soon passed reading and writing the diary before long it was time for tea, pasta with chicken and a tomato and mascarpone sauce.

After clearing up we started the Othello championships off, Adéle came second best tonight but tomorrows another day.

Tuesday 25th July

Day 3

We woke early-ish to blue skies and sunshine, we showered and had breakfast full English, we are going to Osbourne House the summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, me being me took the road to Ryde only to be told by Mrs.P that we should be going to East Cowes.

I knew that really, just wanted to take a look at the hovercrafts at Ryde.

After our little detour we still arrived at this now English Heritage property just after opening and were surprised how many people were already here including 3 coaches.

We has to queue for our tickets even with EH membership, when we got into the grounds it didn't seem so busy.

We made straight to the house before many more people turned up.

The house and its contents were stunning, we spent all morning in the house and gardens, it was almost 2pm so went back to the van for a spot of lunch before returning to explore the woodland walk down to the beach, 

we checked out Queen Victoria bathing hut and sat on the beach with an ice cream then made our way to the Swiss Cottage built by Prince Albert for his children. Just as we were returning to the van it started to rain, we sheltered for a few minutes before blue skies once again appeared, we have done so well with the weather today.

It was gone 5.30 when we left, almost 7 hours enjoying this wonderful summer palace.

Returning to the site we stopped for a little shopping.

It was 6.30 before we started cooking tea, a chicken curry tonight with naan bread.

Tonights game of Othello didn't go to plan, I was totally out played, Adéle smashed it, so one game all. Hopefully I will be on my game more tomorrow.

Wednesday 26th July

Day 4

Woke 7.30, showered, then took Izzy for her morning walk, we have another bright start to the day, we had our breakfast, a full English as is usual when we are away in the van, well away in the van in this country, today we plan to travel the entire length of the island to visit The Needles, the Sat-Nag said it was 26 miles but would tale almost an hour.

We made our way towards Heaton Warren, which is the oppersite side of the needles as the reviews said it was the locals view point but when we were there it appeared that there was over a three mile walk and we felt it was too much for Izzy so after another bit of research we decided to follow the normal tourist trail and park at the Needle Attraction site.

When we got there it was heaving, so many cars they were putting them in a field, we were directed to the coach park. I went to pay the car parking, £10 for camper vans! we've stayed on aires in France for less!!

We packed our rucksack and started the walk towards the needles, not so many on the walk, they all must be at the attraction site.

The pleasant walk took us to the top of the headland where we found the viewpoint where countless photos have been taken, Adèle even managed to stand on the top of the cliffs for the obligatory selfie, there had been a secret rocket testing station there in 1950s which was interesting to read about, parts of the silos are still visible.

We returned back across the headland to visit The National Trusts site of Needles Old Battery, a victorian coastal defence fort built in 1862 but was never used, it came back into life during both world wars as a gun emplacement.

We had a good explore around the site, there were even better views of the needles from here especially when we went down the cast iron spiral stair case to the tunnels that lead to the search light and gun emplacement lower down in the cliffs.

It was getting late in the afternoon by now and we hadn't had any lunch so a cream tea was in order, freshly made scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream together with a big pot of tea.

After the last look around the Fort we made tracks back to the van, we took the quickest route back to the site but this too was almost an hour.

Back at the site we topped up with water then parked up for the night we are having steak frite for tea but just as I got out the BBQ it started to rain, not deterred we pulled out the awning and started the BBQ.

The steaks were lovely washed down with a glass or two of red wine followed by a spot of cheese and a glass of port.

Its still chucking it down, we decided that we would have a lie in tomorrow, take things easy.

Thursday 27th July

Day 5

We really did have a lie in, it was gone 9.30am when we woke, still raining but only lightly, we showered then I took Izzy for a short walk.

Breakfast or more accurately brunch was 11.30, we said that as its clearing a bit we would take the short drive to Carisbrook Castle, as we left the site it started raining again, half an hour later as we drove in the gates of the castle it was drizzling and misty, not the weather to walk around a castle, we had a snooze in the hope it would clear, It didn't.

We decide to cut our losses and return to Whitefields but would check out Ryde on the way back, arriving at Ryde it had dried up so we parked up and went for a walk along the worlds oldest and second longest pier and probably the only one that you can walk along, drive your car along and catch a train from.

We saw the islands passenger hovercraft 'taking off' they are so busy with many foot passangers going to and from the island.

Time was getting on so we left Ryde and returned to the site for tea, tonight we have roast pork belly with Middle Eastern harissa freekeh followed by cheese.

Hopefully wen will get a game of Othello in tonight as last night we were both too tired to play.

Friday 28th July

Day 6

Woke 7.30, another grey start to the day, our normal routine followed, showers, dog walk, breakfast. We plan to go back to Carisbrooke Castle as the forecast is better for today, so after breakfast we travelled the 9 or so miles to Newport. 

We parked up in the main car park, it was still dull but at least it was dry, we checked in with our English Heritage membership cards.

The castle was much better than we were expecting with plenty to explore, I walked the castle walls and Adèle went to explore the gardens. There a  good museum on site showing the history of the castle and life of The Isle of Wight from the past. It was gone 2pm when we found the tea rooms, Adèle had a cream tea and I had a piece of apple shortbread both of which were very nice but I wish they would serve drinks in proper cups not these McD type paper things.

Our second stop of the day was St. Catherines Oratory, as we approach the area we bathed noticed the hills around us were covered in low clouds we joked about it covering the Oratory, we parked Vera in the car park oppersite, left Izzy in the van, she has walked more than enough for today, walked over the road and up the hillside.

Once we were insight of the top the Oratory was indeed in cloud and it was blowing a hoolie, we did get to the top, took some video for our next YouTube series and photos but the cloud cover was getting dense and we couldn't even see the the coast now so we reluctantly returned to the van.

Our trip back to Whitefields took us the coast road through St. Lawrance, Shanklin and Sandown.

Back at the site we pitched up, put on tea, minted lamb with new potatoes and mixed veg, we sat back with a beer and G&T talking over what has been a lovely day, in fact, what has been a lovely break, we are returning to the main land tomorrow afternoon so will find something else to explore first thing.

After tea, minted lamb with new potatoes and mixed veg had a last Othello game of the Isle of Wight Championships, at first things were going my way but sly old MRS.P had some savage tactics up her sleeve and I was thoroughly thrashed again, so the holiday cup goes to Adèle winning 3-1.

I took Izzy out for her nightly walk, sulking, me that is not Izzy.

Bed by 10pm.

Saturday 29th July

Day 7

The alarm woke us at 7.30am, we didn't want to be over sleeping today, we were expected to be off the pitch by 11am, so it was up for showers, Izzys walk then breakfast, as I showered first I had started breakfast ready for Adèle by the time she had returned from the showers. we had a leisurely breakfast then got ready to leave, all tidied, loo emptied and grey water dropped we left Whitefields Forest Park a tad after 11am.

We popped into the supermarket for a few essentials before making our way down to Cowes to have an explore we were going to take the floating bridge across the river but is was not working so doubled back on ourselves and found a free park up on the esplanade in East Cowes overlooking the harbour, we took time and had lunch there then had a walk along the promenade.

before we knew it it was 3.45 and time to book in with Red Funnel ferries, spot on time we were loaded and at 4.30pm we left the Isle of Wight. We had a good crossing even though it was very windy, there were many cruise liners leaving Southampton waters as we arrived with hundreds of passages waving from their upper decks.

By 5.30pm we were off the ferry and in the middle of Southamptons rush hour, we only had 12 mile journey to tonights stop over, a THS run by Waterside DA just out of Winchester, we had already phoned ahead this morning to make sure there was space.

We arrived 25 minutes or so later, met by very friendly stewards £13.50 for the night, and yes there was plenty of space only 7 other units on a vast field over looking the countryside.

We sat in the sunshine with a beer and G&T talking over our latest adventure, we have had a lovely time, the weather has been better than we were expecting, the roads were not as bad as we were told and although we didn't cram lots of sight seeing we saw what we wanted to.

Adele started tea, chicken Kiev with chips and veg, we toasted our holiday with a glass of wine as the sun went down.

Sunday 30th July

Day 8