Isle of Wight Part Two
Isle of Wight: Island Adventures, Stunning Views, and Seafood Delights
We stayed in the south side of the Isle of Wight. This was our second mini-break to the island. Last time, we were charmed by the majesty of Osborne House. This time, we based ourselves in the town of Shanklin to visit the attractions nearby.
You can drive from one end to the other in about 45 minutes on the ‘A’ roads although this can sometimes involve playing ‘dodge the tractor’.
We stumbled across The Steamer Inn in Ventnor, a pretty spot overlooking the sea. We visited out of season, so it had a genuine, friendly local feel. We didn’t need to book and were seated right away.
Sadly, they were out of the highly recommended chowder. I had the Thai curry which was creamy and packed with plenty of fresh seafood. My wife declared her fish pie as exceptional. We started with some whitebait which had a delicious, light coating. The dishes were generousnand washed down perfectly with a local Isle of Wight ale.
Highlights: seafood dishes and seaview
We visited The Needles, arguably the most photographed view on the entire island. We focused on the chair lift for our visit. The car park is predictably and unnecessarily overpriced. And the cliff top itself was a seaside with shops and rides, that marred the natural wonder.
The chair lift had that moment where it changes from horizontal to vertical in an instant. It’s short-lived and perhaps a tad pricey for what it is, but the view of the Needles is worth it.
We took the steep chairlift down to the pebbly beach of Alum Bay. This is where the geology makes it worthwhile. You can actually scratch the cliffs to see the incredible variety of sand colours. The geological strata have been folded almost vertically here, exposing over 21 different shades of sand.
Afterwards, we dropped in on the quaint port of Yarmouth. Firstly a ferry port, yes, but the small narrow streets around it ooze charm.
Highlights: natural wonder of the cliffs and the Needles.
