Our jolly video tribute to those who Walk the Wight http://youtu.be/gWKZO2fsjek . Well done all of them.
We at Island Cottage Holidays were proud to take part in Walk the Wight 2012 and would like to say “hi” and “well done” to all the lovely people we met along the way. We hope to publish some of our photos taken along the way which include the Sandown Bay, Carisbrook and Freshwater which all looked beautiful in the sunny weather.
Walk The Wight
We are raising money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice by taking part in this years Walk the Wight. The annual event is an organised walk across the Island from Bembridge in the East to Alum Bay in the West, a distance of over 26 miles. We are raising sponsorship right now and match every donation made via our online booking form.
If you are interested in taking part you can register for the 2012 walk any day before the 4th May 2012 at http://www.iwhospice.org/walk-the-wight-registration.aspx
We also offer Walk the Wight Accommodation for the week including the 13th May.
Bramble Cottage
Bramble Cottage is our cottage of the month and a cottage we are very proud to be able to offer to you. This traditional stone cottage enjoys a lovely rural location in the countryside around Carisbrooke and views of Carisbrooke Castle can be glimpsed from the bedroom and the garden.
Bramble Cottage has excellent access to some of the main walking trails on the Isle of Wight. A few minutes walk away are the Tennyson Trail, which goes all the way to Freshwater Bay and The Needles, and the Shepherds Trail, which goes all the way down to Shepherds Chine on the South West Coast. Footpaths also lead cross country to Carisbrooke Castle and directly to Godshill.
For a pub walk you may choose to walk from Bramble Cottage to the Blacksmith Arms on the Carisbrooke Road (www.blacksmiths-arms.co.uk).
Bowcombe is a little know village but is surrounded by some of the most interesting attractions on the Island. Within a short drive are the historic villages of Carisbrooke, Godshill, and Shorwell. There is a direct road to the South West Coast and then onwards to Ventnor via the coastal road..
For more information visit Bramble Cottage Isle of Wight
Here is the cycle ride from Newport to Godshill (for a drink or lunch in the sun) and then on to Shanklin. Alternatively, you may prefer to walk the same route.
If you need to rent a bike on the Isle of Wight you may wish to talk to Wight Cycle Hire (http://www.wightcyclehire.co.uk/).
If you are going on holiday to one of our holiday cottages you can arrange for bike hire to be delivered to your door for when you arrive. www.islandcottageholidays.com/isleofwight/cycle/hire/
Rocklyn Cottage
Rocklyn Cottage is a new holiday cottage to Island Cottage Holidays located in the South East Countryside of the Isle of Wight. This beautiful location puts it next to the cross roads of the popular Stenbury and Worsley Trails as well as within a short walk of the village of Godshill.
Rocklyn Cottage has 3 bedrooms and is a spacious and comfortable cottage. There is a double bedroom, a twin room and a single room which makes it suitable for a family wishing to walk, visit the coast and explore the Isle of Wight.
From Rocklyn Cottage there are a number of walking and cycling options ranging from a short walk to Godshill, where there is a good public house and a number of small boutique shops, to joining the cycle network and walking or cycling to Shanklin in the East or along the Worsley Trail to St Lawrence and Ventnor.
For more information about Rocklyn Cottage visit islandcottageholidays.com/isleofwight/cottages/rocklyn/
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
Pet Friendly Cottage Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is an ideal place to travel with your pet and the miles and miles of footpaths make it a great place to explore with an energetic dog.
A number of our regular guests return year after year to explore the hills and coastline with their faithful friends and look to us to supply a range of self catering holiday cottages which accept pets right across the Isle of Wight. We have more than 50 cottages which are pet friendly and most of them have excellent access to the open countryside or footpaths that run along the coast.
Our Pet Friendly Cottages in Freshwater and Alum Bay, for instance, have access to the Tennyson Down which runs across the spine of the Isle of Wight towards Carisbrooke and Newport. It is possible to descend to the coast and return back through Brighstone and Brook via the Isle of Wight coastal path.
For a complete list of our Pet Friendly Cottages visit our Pet Friendly Cottages page
Small Fluffy Cow
It may not be a very Christmas themed photograph for this time of year but maybe we could all do with a break from Reindeers and enjoy a picture taken earlier in the year of a young cow.
This youngster is huddling down and enjoying the last of the days warm sun or savouring the taste of a days worth of fresh grass.
This photograph was taken along the cycle track between Alverstone and Newchurch on the Isle of Wight where you can also see many other signs of life. Badgers, ducks, foxes, rabbits and much more have been spotted regularly along this route.
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