Bonny Blink
The 5 Star Gold Award Isle of Wight holiday home Bonny Blink has special reduced prices on some Spring and Early Summer 2012 weeks with some holiday weeks reduced by as much as £250.
Bonny Blink is a luxurious 4 bedroom property on the sea front in Seaview. This spacious holiday home has wonderful sea views and a walk through the garden takes you right onto the sandy beach at Seaview.
For more information about Bonny Blink visit the Bonny Blink Seaview page.
Isle of Wight Cycling
We have launched our Isle of Wight Cycling Festival Accommodation page with self catering holiday cottages available for the cycling festival at the end of September. This years event promises to be the best yet with a good lineup of cycle routes planned.
The Isle of Wight cycling festival is an excellent opportunity to visit the Isle of Wight and cycle the hundreds of miles of cycle track and bridal paths which extend all over the Island. The organised routes allow you to explore new areas and enjoy the fellowship of the other riders.
For more information about self catering accommodation for the Isle of Wight Cycling Festival visit Isle of Wight Cycling Festival Accommodation
Time lapse video of the ferry crossing from Lymington to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. This beautiful route has views over the wetlands, which is home to many bird species, as well as a lovely views of Yarmouth and the West Isle of Wight Downs behind. http://youtu.be/z_yNG4J3-gM?hd=1
There is no music or sound so if you have a suggestion for a good track please leave us a comment.
The small bay at Steephill Cove has been described as one of the Isle of Wight’s hidden treasures due to the pretty beach, the wonderful locally caught crab & lobster and the peace and traquility gained from an off the beaten track location.
To reach Steephill Cove you must do it on foot but this is part of the charm of the bay which can only be reached by the coastal path from Ventnor or down through the Ventnor Botanical Gardens.
Once at the bay you can relax on the sand and shingle beach, swim in the clear water and enjoy lunch at one of the two crab restaurants with views of the sea. At low tide the beach is revealed to it’s fullest extent and some take the oppertunity for a small game of beach cricket.
The bay is a natural sun trap and is often protected for any wind by the cliffs either side. The friendly and mellow local atmosphere has often lulled visitors into restful sleep while sitting up on the promenade.
For holiday cottages available for self catering holidays in Steephill Cove as well as nearby Ventnor and St Lawrence visit Steephill Cove Holiday Cottages.
Many people don’t know how easy and how beautiful the walk is between Freshwater Bay and the Needles so here is quick outline of the route. The route shouldn’t take more than an hour at a steady pace but you might get delayed by some of the beautiful sea views along the way.
Freshwater Bay
The walk starts at Freshwater Bay with a view of the sea. There is a Lifeboat Charity shop, a cafe and a small village shop at which to pick up some water or food for the walk.
From the beach and facing out to sea turn right and walk alongside the road for 100 meters to where there are some public lavatories. At this point turn left onto a track leading to the coast. After another 100 meters there is a small gate on your right which you pass through and follow the path up the hill.
The path up the hill is very wide and usually has a few people walking the same way. Keep the sea on your left and you won’t go wrong.
After 15 or 20 minutes you should reach the Tennyson Monument which is a good spot to stop and enjoy the view.
Continue down the hill on the other side of the Tennyson Monument keeping the sea on your left but sticking to the footpath. The path goes into a dip before climbing up the other side back onto high ground where you can see the sea again.
Needles View
Keep going right to the end of the headland where you find the “secret” missile testing centre which is now open to the public. From here you should find a great view of the Needles.
You can walk back to Freshwater the way you have come and enjoy the views from a different angle or follow the road down to Alum Bay and take a bus back to Freshwater from where you can walk to Freshwater Bay.
We hope you enjoy this walk but recommend you always walk with a map or someone who knows the way. Always take plenty of water and we recommend taking some local foods and specialities to snack on along the way to make the walk even more enjoyable.
Please leave us a comment if you like this walk.
The pretty little village of Worth Matravers in Dorset is a wonderful holiday destination for those looking for a peaceful coastal location along the world famous Jurassic Coast.
Worth Matravers is a traditional village centred around the village pond with a historic stone church and stone houses made from local Purbeck limestone. The local public house (Square and Compass) is a centre for village life and local music and poetry.
For those interested in walking there are a number of excellent options from Worth Matravers either along the coastline to Swanage or Kimmeridge or inland towards Corfe Castle and along the Purbeck hills.
The coastline below Worth Matravers is a dramatic seaside location with a number of bays which are popular swimmers and those keen to explore the natural formations and history of smuggling and stone working which occurred nearby.
The Priests Way from Worth Matravers to Swanage is a lovely (a fairly direct) route to Swanage and Durlston and is well signposted from Worth Matravers. Follow the Priests Way all the way into the centre of Swanage. From Swanage you can decide how much longer you wish to walk.
Option 1 : Take the bus back to Worth Matravers
Option 2 : Take the steam train to Corfe Castle and then follow the footpath up to Kingston. Here there is a lovely public house (Scott Arms Public House Kingston) to stop for a drink with a view of Corfe Castle before taking the path towards Chapman’s Pool (be careful if you choose to visit the Bay as the path can be slippery) and then back via Hill Bottom and into Worth Matravers.
Option 3 : Go back to Durlston and follow the coastal path back as far as Winspit and then walk inland along the footpath signposted for Worth Matravers.
Once back in Worth Matravers it is worth visiting the Square and Compass to seek refreshment and pass on this walk and your experience of it to those looking for a good route for themselves.
Compass Cottage Worth Matravers
Speedwell Cottage Worth Matravers
Worth Matravers Holiday Cottages
There is separate Worth Matravers Holiday Cottage site - www.worthmatraverscottage.co.uk
Our new Isle of Wight holiday cottage map is now online. The map allows you to view availability and holiday cottages with specific features in a map view.
Isle of Wight Holiday Cottage Map
Here are some of the options with our map:
1. Search by Holiday Dates
You can view all the cottages available on a specific date by selection a holiday date from the calendar. Here for instance is a search made for 18th August 2012 – Map of Cottages Available For 18th August
When you search with a holiday date the price will be displayed in the information window of each cottage.
2. Search By Size
With or without selecting a date you can view cottages of a specific size. Here are some results for cottages sleeping 8 or more people. – Map of Cottages Sleeping 8 people
3. Search by Facilities
With or without selecting a date you can select to view cottages which have a specific feature or several features. Here for instance is a map of holiday cottages which sleep 5 or more people and that take pets and have WiFi Internet. – View on Map
You can view your results in more detail at any time by clicking on the cottage counter in the bottom right hand corner. This will open your selection of cottages in a list so you can read a detailed synopsis of each.
Simple map controls are located at the top left of the map but you might prefer to use the ‘+’ and ‘ – ‘ keys on your keyboard to zoom in and out and use the arrow keys to move around the map.
View our Isle of Wight Holiday Cottage Map
Castle Cottage in Ventnor is today’s featured cottage. This traditional stone built cottage is a wonderful mix of modern comforts with original architectural features to give a comfortable and relaxing place to spend a holiday in Ventnor. Castle Cottage is located on the edge of Ventnor’s ornamental gardens which puts it in one of the most peaceful parts of the town. From here it is a pleasant walk to Ventnor beach via the coastal path and it takes only a few minutes on foot.
In the other direction along the coastal path is Ventnor Botanical Gardens and the seaside village of Steephill Cove which can both be reached within 10 or 15 minutes. Footpaths and bridal ways running inland lead to pretty rural areas around Wroxall and then on towards Godshill. These routes can makeup lovely circular walks or bike rides from Ventnor.
The layout of Castle Cottage makes it feel very spacious. The main front room has a high ceiling which accommodates a mezzanine floor which is used as an extra bedroom or as a separate area to sit and read. A wooden conservatory at the back of Castle Cottage also acts as a second place for repose and here one can enjoy the warmth of the sun even in the cooler months.
A modern fitted kitchen adjoins the front room where there is also a table at which to enjoy home cooked meals.
The main bedroom at Castle Cottage has an en-suite bathroom and a view out into the sunny walled garden area at the back of the property.
View the Castle Cottage Ventnor, Isle of Wight page on our website or view all our Ventnor Self Catering Holiday Cottages.
Holiday Dates Isle of Wight
We list upcoming holidays on our front page but you can look at all the holiday dates with special availability pages at our Isle of Wight Holiday Dates page
www.islandcottageholidays.com/isleofwight/holidays/
The special availability pages are an easy way to see all the holiday cottages available for a given holiday date. You can also narrow down the list to show only cottages suitable for your party size and in particular locations on the Isle of Wight.
Special events such as the Isle of Wight Walking Festival, Cowes Week and Valentines Day are also listed so you can keep an eye on what is still available.
The reputation of Cowes as a centre for sailing and seaside pursuits can sometimes overshadow the other facets of this pretty town on the North of the Isle of Wight.
Cowes has long been a sailing destination and the annual sailing event of Cowes Week has a national and international reputation. However, Cowes has much more to offer than one action packed week in the summer and many visitors are surprised by what they find when visiting the town.
Cowes is divided by an inlet which creates East and West Cowes and each has a distinct character. The two sides are joined by a chain link ferry so foot passengers and cars can go to and fro and so you can easily enjoy both parts of the town.
West Cowes is the larger side of the town and has a highstreet packed with small boutiques. There is a strong sailing theme to many of these shops but you will also find Isle of Wight food, clothes shops, and boutiques selling gifts and kitchenware. There are also a number of cafes, public houses and restaurants.
The Westerly end of West Cowes extends towards Gurnard which is a mile or so along the coast. The coastline here includes a shingle beach backed by a promenade. In the summer ice creams are sold here and people sunbathe and swim.
Osborne House
Crossing the little chain link ferry into East Cowes one also finds a range of shops and places to eat. The most popular attraction in East Cowes is slightly up out of town where one finds Osborne House. This historic building was once the summer residence of Queen Victoria and has now been opened to the public by English Heritage.
Cowes and the surrounding area makes a lovely holiday destination on the Isle of Wight and is also a great base from which to explore the whole Island either by car or on bike along the cycle network. Walking and cycling has been made even easier with a car free path along the estuary to Newport where the cycle and footpath network spreads out across the Isle of Wight.
Find out more about Cowes and Self Catering Holiday Accommodation in Cowes at our Cowes, Isle of Wight page.