Isle of Wight and Dorset recommendations

[DUMBODOGGY]

Hi Cruz.

We have literally just walked in the front door from our first ever camping trip in our T25, we have never been camping so it was all very new to us.

We wanted to go somewhere for a bit of an adventure so we thought of the IOW as we had to catch a ferry and my little las was very excited by this!

W drove down to Lymington on Friday afternoon and caught the 4pm ferry to Yarmouth, we booked ahead and stayed at The Orchards Holiday park in Newbridge (Just over 3 miles to the ferry port at Yarmouth and 8 miles ish to the needles). The campsite is ace, it has everything you need, a good shop etc and great facilities including 2 pools. The Orchards booked our ferry for us, for 3 nights camping and the ferry package cost £120 all in, including a hardstanding pitch with electric and water.

On the first day, we drove around the coastal road (Military Rd) to Newbridge on the south coast. We parked the bus up and had a couple of hours having a wonder around all the old shops and the beach front etc. Certainly would recommend this. We jumped back in the van and carried on around the coastal rd to where we started.

On the second day we drove down to Blackgang Chine, a must if you have kids!!!!

All in all, a great trip! plenty of T25/Bays doing exactly what we did!!!!!

Have a great trip!

Dave

[Cruz]

Hi Dave

Glad you had a good time. Plenty more to come I hope

We go there just as all the great unwashed are leaving the festival

[rgd008]

Mearnsy, We're in Gurnard. Sure we can hook up sometime. Weekends seem to be really busy though at moment. Work on mainland so not home that early in week. At festival in two weeks but not camping, then should be out and about from then on. Only just got back on road, fuel pump died so got new electric jobbie put in as replacement for old mechanical one.
Roy

[matt brighton]

Hi

We have just returned from 4 nights IOW and 3 nights at Polzeath.

We really enjoyed "the Garlic farm" on iow for a day out - google it for details - I wasnt really looking forward to but having been made to go it was a really good afternnon out - the tractor ride and tour is a must and I came away v pleased we went.

Grange Farm campsite is very very exposed - no shelter and on a cliff overlooking the sea to the prevailing SWesterly weather and our first day/ night was frightning - 65mph gusts and i thought the camper would blow away - never mind the awning !!!

Weather got better but this site is a very exposed one - then again - you can walk the the beach (pebbles) and great views... - the Wight Mouse Inn nearby is a good place to eat and it has an on site catering van if you want it.

Hope you enjoy your trip

matt - brighton

[matt brighton]

Cheers for the suggestion but we've been all over the new forest.

If I had just 3 days to fill on the IOW which are the must sees? Coast walks, national trust, villages etc etc?

Tha Garlic Farm....

(I wasnt too enamoured about the idea before I went ) - The Tasting kitchen is lovely - the tractor tour is a must and we came away happy - knowing more about lots of farming/history/nature typet hings which I didnt before - and stank of garlic for days!!!

They even do garlic beer - an aquired taste !

[Cruz]

In the end we went to

Dennis Cove in Padstow - Nice as always

Hook Farm in Uplyme - 40min River walk to Lyme Regis or a 5 minute bus. Walked the Golden Cap and the Undercliff. Very nice site £15pn

Durdle Door at Lulworth - Very expensive large static site and wet. Pub in east lulworth was nice as was the coast when it stopped raining ££££££££pn.

Grange Farm on IOW - Wonderful site, easy walking to the Three Bishops in Brighstone. Yes it was very windy one night (about 60mph) but nothing a few beers didn't fix. £15pn

[docklad]

anyone thinking of popping to the IOW this week, be prepeared for an invasion of athletes from all over the world. The international Island games are taking place. My son is competing in a number of events. There's about 70 from Anglesey attending. Enjoy

[gypo]

Im looking at booking for Aug on the Isle could someone recomend somewhere on the coast so i can walk to the beach for a bit of fishing in the evening also not too far for the kids to walk into the village?
cheers
G

[Cruz]

Im looking at booking for Aug on the Isle could someone recomend somewhere on the coast so i can walk to the beach for a bit of fishing in the evening also not too far for the kids to walk into the village?
cheers
G

Gypo when we were at Grange Farm (http://www.grangefarmholidays.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the site was by no means as full as the picture on their website ) people were fishing on the beach right next to the site. The beach is literally yards away. They were also surfing and bodyboarding. They have a big kids playground, as well as plenty of animals for them to see like goats, alpacas, a donkey, pony and horse, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, pigs etc. The village of Brighstone is about 15 mins stroll away, just ask the owner and they will point the way to the footpath through the fields. The village has a pub, a newsagents and a well stocked village store with fresh fruit, veg and bread. Grange Farm will even sort out your ferry travel too and it works out a bit cheaper.

I'd also recommend a walk to the Needles from the Tennyson Monument. You can park for FREE and it avoids the tack-fest that is Alum Bay MAP FOR CAR PARK

[gypo]

Cheers Cruz good man.
G