Travelled : 62 Kilometres from Bosham to East Cowes, Isle of Wight (via Wightlink Ferry, Portsmouth ยฃ130 return)
Visited: Nothing just travelling.
Stayed : Roadside parking on the waterfront, East Cowes. Free untimed after 6 pm. N50.76309 W01.28760
By mid afternoon we have departed Bosham heading west on the A27, getting the feel of the Hymer again. We fill with diesel and find a supermarket before heading into Portsmouth. We have seen the odd documentary about the Isle of Wight and have it on our bucket list. Mind you with the cost of the ferry ticket we had second thoughts, but it’s not our inheritance. I have booked the cheapest possible ticket departing at 11 pm. By 7 pm we are in the carpark, after being nice to the girl at the counter she agrees to move us to the 10 pm.
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We settle in, have a quiche we purchased earlier in the day from a little bakery in Rustington, delicious and a couple of drinks. A short nap later we are rolling onto the ferry. 40 minutes later we roll in IOW looking for a parking spot. 10 minutes later we are on the seafront in East Cowes, the bed is down and goodnight.
The IOW ferry awaits, not for us however. This was the 9.30 pm service, it was dark by the time we loaded.
Date : 8th July
Travelled : 16 Kilometres from East Cowes to Newport, Isle of Wight
Visited : Osborne House, East Cowes, included in English Heritage, Overseas Visitor Pass (ยฃ62 double) and Cowes Village
Stayed : Free Carpark adjacent Carisbrooke Castle, Newport. A bin but no service. N50.68688 W01.31572
We have parked adjacent to a favoured dog walking area. They start arriving at 6 am and by 8 the area is teaming with dogs running here and there, with their elderly owners chatting to each other. The morning is cool and grey which seems to be the pattern since we arrived. One owner walks over whilst we are having breakfast and admires the Hymer and starts chatting about his Hymer and their travels. He gives us a couple of tips about Germany before walking off with his dog, which had quite happily made itself at home on the floor of the Hymer.
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It’s just on 10 am when we drive up the hill to Osborne House. Built by Queen Victoria and Albert it was their summer home until his death. It was then vacant for several years before she resumed her summers on the IOW.
Osborne House, beautifully maintained it houses an extensive collection of very personal items associated with Queen Victoria and Albert.
The gardens at Osborne are a real highlight of our visit. Osborne is the IOW main tourist attraction, the carpark was almost full including several coaches. However the place is so big it’s easy to wander about as you like.
Typical Osborne all the rooms are full of this and that, as though Victoria had just stepped out.
This caught my eye, don’t know why. Too much antiques roadshow I fear.
A brief opportunity to catch some rays on the beach at Osborne.
It’s lunchtime and we drive back down the hill into East Cowes and jag a great Hymer sized parking spot and stop for a camper car lunch. Cowes and East Cowes are divided by the Medina Estuary, no bridge but an old chain ferry is the only means of access.
The Chain Ferry linking Cowes and East Cowes, ยฃ1 return. Pam thought it looked like fun until she found out it costs ยฃ1.
Cowes is the home of yachting in the UK, the entire foreshore is a series of marinas.
Cowes is an odd little village, nothing but pubs, marine chandlers and up market fashion shops.
It’s time to say goodbye to Cowes and we turn the Hymer south toward Newport in the centre of IOW. We are looking for a free spot for the night and we aim for Carisbrooke Castle hoping we may be able to park there or closeby. Must be peak hour, it takes almost an hour to make our way through Newport to Carisbrooke. The roads are so narrow with cars parked in the most ridiculous spots, add the buses to the mix. Adjacent the castle we find a lovely big carpark with no restrictions and a lovely view.
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Hi Guys…..finally got our computer working again & have been flooded with e-mails. Have just read thru both your posts so far & sounds like your having a great time, although the weather seems to be ‘very English’ lol….
3 thoughts on “The Isle of Wight (part 1) England. 2016 ๐ฌ๐ง”
Bet you thought you were back in Sydney’s winter by the look of the weather, although it is predicted to reach 22 degrees there today.
Hi Guys…..finally got our computer working again & have been flooded with e-mails. Have just read thru both your posts so far & sounds like your having a great time, although the weather seems to be ‘very English’ lol….
English weather continues, it’s not really an issue. Makes for a good sleep if it’s a bit cooler.