It may only be a short distance from the mainland – around four miles – but taking a break on the Isle of Wight is like entering another world, one devoid of the stresses and strains of everyday life; it’s a place where the clock seemingly ticks a little slower, as we discovered on a recent trip to the isle.
The adventure begins the moment you drive your vehicle onto the Wightlink ferry. My family and I took the shorter Lymington to Yarmouth route. It’s an efficient, reliable service and affords just enough time to enjoy a drink and snack from the onboard shop before arriving the other side of the Solent.
There is ample choice when it comes to finding accommodation on the Isle of Wight, which has 57 miles of coastline. As a caravan-loving family, we were delighted to stay at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park, near Sandown. This quiet, family-run site is surrounded by trees and fields; although it’s close to a tiny light aircraft landing strip, it doesn’t cause any problems regarding noise; in fact, the most noise you’ll hear at this tranquil setting is birdsong or the sound of children playing on the various slides and climbing frames.
The holiday park offers everything you’ll need, including games room, bar and ample car parking. Vehicles can’t be parked alongside caravans. Having two children, I appreciated that this policy means a safe environment for children to play; and don’t worry, when you arrive with suitcases and bags to haul up to your caravan, there are plenty of large trolleys available for transporting your equipment.
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
Although surrounded by greenery, Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is close to Sandown, minutes away from a Morrison’s supermarket and ideally situated for exploring the Isle of Wight’s family-friendly attractions – and there are plenty.
My 13-year-old daughter, Hollie, and seven-year-old son, Peter, are fascinated by dinosaurs so our first port of call was Dinosaur Isle, an interactive museum along Sandown sea front (parking charged April-Oct). The museum, apparently shaped like a pterosaur, the giant bat-like creature of the Cretaceous skies, offers visitors the chance to “hear the sounds and encounter the smells of a real Cretaceous Park.”
Inside, you encounter life-size reconstructions and models of the main dinosaurs to have supposedly roamed this part of the world; Peter and Hollie enjoyed watching the robotic Neovenator. The Isle of Wight is one of the world’s richest fossil locations and guided fossil walks run during the year (pre-booking essential).
More dinosaurs were on offer at Blackgang Chine, near Ventnor, where tickets purchased provide unlimited returns within seven days. Although I’m not usually a fan of theme parks, Blackgang Chine is an exception. The open-air site, close to the sea, is divided into zones, ranging from Pirate Cove and Cowboy Town to Waterforce and Fairy Land; then there’s the new attraction: Restricted Area 5, where you enter the gates “at your own risk”! After more than four decades, Dinosaur Land has undergone a makeover; now, you can get up close and personal with all kinds of dinosaurs, including an Argentionsaurus, the largest animatronic T-Rex in England.
The company’s sister park, Robin Hill Adventure Park and Gardens, near Newport, is also worth a place on your holiday itinerary. New for 2014 are Robin Hill’s Days of Adventure, where you can try your hand at, among others, archery, mountain boarding and survival skills. Amid this countryside setting, the award-winning park offers a 4D motion cinema, pitch-and-putt and our favourite, a quarter-mile downhill toboggan run.
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
Two “must-see” wildlife attractions are the Owl and Monkey Haven, near Newport, and Seaview Wildlife Encounter, close to the village of Seaview. Opened in 2010, the Owl and Monkey Haven has been created to “provide a safe and happy home for primates and birds of prey in need of care”. It’s home to over 30 owls and more than 50 monkeys. We watched feeding time at one of the monkey enclosures before, feeling peckish ourselves, heading for an ice cream at Xhabu’s Tea Room.
Later, Hollie and Peter were excited when they were allowed inside the marmosets’ enclosure to feed them – an experience any child will remember for a very long time.
(c) Richard Webber
(c) Richard Webber
One thing we liked at the neatly designed sanctuary was the informative signs providing not only the usual information about the respective animal or bird’s natural habitat but humorous details concerning their personality, too, such as the gibbon which likes slapping keepers, playing with a cardboard box but dislikes boring food.
(c) Richard Webber
Seaview Wildlife Encounter, meanwhile, is situated on the northeast coast, just outside the picturesque village from which it takes its name. It scores highly for its location alone, offering visitors fine views across natural parklands to the Solent and mainland. Visitors can feed animals – such as wallabies, meerkats and penguins – enjoy interactive animal experiences and watch keeper presentations within the park, which is divided into areas, such as Pelican Bay, Tropical House, Piggy Paddock and Wallaby Walkabout. Make sure you take your camera because each enclosure has a camera flap which can be lifted to allow wire-free shots.
You can’t visit the Isle of Wight without heading for the Needles Park at Alum Bay. Admission to the site is free, although there are charges for parking and the pay-as-you-go attractions.
For an unforgettable experience, pluck up courage and jump on the cable car; the steep drop from the attraction to the beach below, famous for its coloured sand, isn’t for the fainthearted – but it’s another of those “must-do” activities. It’s the perfect way to appreciate not only the world famous multi-coloured sand cliffs but the Needles Rocks and lighthouse.
Back up at the Needles Park, there are many activities for children, including a tea cup ride, vintage cars kiddies can pretend to drive and water walkerz. You can also make your own sand souvenir, watch glass being blown and much, much more.
The problem with the Isle of Wight is that there is so much to do you’ll invariably run out of time before you’ve covered everything; that’s what happened to us so we’ve decided to return to continue seeing all those attractions we didn’t reach, such as Carisbrooke Castle, travelling along the vintage steam railway and admiring Butterfly World. And time should be made for simply exploring the villages, countryside and enjoying such good old seaside traditions as walking along Sandown Pier, digging out a few coins for the amusements and testing your skills at crazy golf on Shanklin seafront.
The Isle of Wight is, in my view, a perfect destination for families who enjoy a variety of activities and landscapes. We’ll certainly be back!
More information:
Wightlink Ferries, 0871 376 1000, www.wightlink.co.uk
Isle of Wight Tourism Guide, 01983 813813, www.visitisleofwight.co.uk
Cheverton Copse Holiday Park, 01983 403161, www.chevertoncopse.com
Dinosaur Isle, 01983 404344, www.dinosaurisle.com
Blackgang Chine, 01983 730330, www.blackgangchine.com
Seaview Wildlife Encounter, 01983 612261, www.seaviewwildlife.com
Robin Hill Adventure Park and Gardens, 01983 527352, www.robin-hill.com
Owl & Monkey Haven, 01983 530885, www.owlandmonkeyhaven.co.uk
The Needles Park, 0871 720 0022, www.theneedles.co.uk