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Around the coastline of the island are "chines". 'Chine' is a local word and now used only in the Isle of Wight and Dorset. It is of Saxon origin and means a deep narrow ravine, formed by water cutting through soft sandstone leading to the sea. The Island has a number of chines but the two largest are Blackgang, where very little of the original remains, due to erosion, and Shanklin, unique in the quality of its flora and fauna. With a drop of 105ft to sea level, and just over a quarter of a mile, the Chine covers an area of approximately three acres.
We walked from the bottom of the chine near the sea, where we had spotted men thatching the roof of a cottage, right up to the top leading out to Shanklyn village.
At the bottom of the chine is the Heritage Centre, with information, museum, shop and the inevitable tea room. Well worth a visit. Leave a Comment
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Shanklyn and Sandown are situated in the south of the island and are almost one resort. However, I found Shanklyn to be the prettier resort; both have a continuous beach. You can access the beach by road or path or by the "chines" (sort of wooded crevices deep into the cliffside). The village of Shanklyn itself is also very pretty with lots of tourist shops, craft shops and tea rooms, not to mention Hotels, Guest Houses and pubs. Leave a Comment
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Visit Flamingo Park, not very far from Ryde, especially if you have children to amuse and entertain although when we were there in October not many children were about.
I especially enjoyed seeing the Penguins who all seemed extremely happy and contented in their environment and looked after very well. Leave a Comment
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Whilst visiting the village we came across a young woman sat on the steps leading to a house opposite the quaint houses in Godshill. Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name but she did have a small gallery shop nearby adjacent to a tea room. Leave a Comment Address: Godshill, Isle of Wight
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Visit the castle in the centre of the Isle just outside Newport. It was the prison for Charles I and home to Princess Beatrice (Queen Victoria's daughter). Visit in the summer for costumed guides and colourful events. Leave a Comment Address: Carisbrook Castle, Carisbrook, PO30Phone: 01983 522107Directions: Bus no9 from Newport
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We spent 2 or 3 hours in Flamingo Park and enjoyed the experience very much. It was not very crowded when we visited as it was October but the Park is very pleasant to wander around with a stream running through it, with ducks and swans etc., seemingly quite free and not penned in. There is the usual cafe and shop and I can recommend the Park as a must to visit if you are on the island Leave a Comment
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God's waiting room, more like
Godshill is a postcard perfect village thronged with pensioners who descend by the coachload for tea and shopping. Godshill is little more than some twee thatched cottages, tea shops, a couple pubs, a nice church and Ye Olde Paye and Displaye Car Parke. All this is shot through with a busy road, so for some peace and quiet you'll need to head uphill for the upper town, where you'll also find the church.
Inside the church at Godshill is this remarkable medieval painting. The Puritans destroyed most of the paintings, sculpture and wood carving in English churches (and what was left the Victorians couldn't be bothered to restore). So it's always a wonderful surprise to come across something like this! Leave a Comment
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In the mid-C19th, two Victorians, in the manner of the time, decided to dig an area of farmland between Sandown & Bembridge, where strange artefacts had been turning up. They began digging and quickly unearthed the lovely Bacchus panel.
The villa was recently saved by lottery money. It is a great place to visit, on a sweep of downland, with fine views. A good family trip - there are lots of 'activities' of an imaginative kind.
The story of the villa is told around the walls, perhaps a little twee-ly, by the villa's owner. He was one Palladius, an exiled Roman official, who had a lucky escape from being executed when Caesar Gallus conveniently died before sentenced was passed. His successor banished Palladius to the terrible island of Vectis on the fringes of Empire.
In Roman times, the villa would have been on what was then a sea inlet above Sandown. A great forest covered the north of the Island: storks and cranes, wild boar, red & fallow deer, would have been hunted there.
The walls of the Villa originally supported a timber frame, filled with wattle & daub, then plastered & painted, though little remains of the murals. Not so the wonderful floors - extremely fine. The first photo shows Orpheus charming the beasts. To quote from the Brading website : "In a 4th Century context such as Brading, this can betray Christian interests, for Orpheus can taken as an allusion to the Good Shepherd."
A startling figure in one mosaic, is that of a cockerel-headed man, shown with wild beasts in an amphitheatre. Historians think the scene may be lampooning Caesar Gallus who criticised in his day for spending his days at the amphitheatre. (And in Latin, 'Gallus' means Cock.)
Apart from the floors, I loved the sheen of the Roman glass. It had a look of sea-glass: lustrous & gorgeous.
You walk around on your own, but there were impressive guides - they really captured the attention of parties of school children.
On-site shop & cafe. £3.95 for adults, £1.95 children, with discounts. (Prices @ 2006) Leave a Comment Address: Morton Old Road-Brading-Isle of Wight PO36 0ENPhone: +44(0)1983 406223Directions: A 3055 road. After leaving Brading village (coming from Ryde) turn right 300 metres past traffic lights. There are buses : 10 and 3.Website: http://www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk
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Alum Bay is famous for its coloured sands, beautiful coastline,glassware and mini amusement park.
You can take the spectacular chairlift down to the beach, play crazy golf and ride the simulator.
Alum Bay is also the spot where Marconi made his first radio transmission. Leave a Comment
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Carisbrooke Castle is a Norman castle in the middle of the island, on a hill near Newport. It has a rich history, and was originally built to defend against the threat of Spanish invasion.
One of the castles most famous visitors was Charles I, who was imprisoned here.
Today, it is open to the public. There are two medieval wells, of which one is still operated by a team of donkeys that are used to demonstrate the treadwheel. There is also a museum housed in the Great Hall that displays objects connected with the history of the castle. Leave a Comment
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