PLACES TO VISIT ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

There is always something new to explore every time you visit the island. From festivals to vineyards, historic houses to donkey sancturies, theme parks to dinosaurland, the island has it all. We have included a brief list of some of the more famous items but we encourage you to explore.

Osborne House

“It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot” – such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to this royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children.

Osborne House

Take an intimate glimpse into Queen Victoria’s family life as you tour the nursery and private rooms of Victoria and Albert. Marvel at the magnificence of the Royal Apartments including the sumptuous drawing and dining rooms and the richly decorated Indian-inspired Durbar Room. Admire the stunning view from the terraces across the Solent – said to remind Prince Albert of the bay of Naples and stroll through Osborne’s extensive grounds.

Explore Queen Victoria’s private beach, now open to the public for the first time. “We have quite a charming beach to ourselves,” Victoria wrote in 1845 and it was here that the Queen regularly bathed and where her children learned to swim.

The beach is a pleasant 20 minute stroll from the house down the Valley Path – stout footwear is recommended in the winter. Enjoy views across the Solent from Queen Victoria’s alcove, and spot seabirds from the shore.

Carisbrooke Castle

One of the main tourist attractions in the Isle of Wight, Carisbrooke Castle is best known as the place where King Charles I was imprisoned. You can still play bowls on the very green Charles used. For a castle that has lived through more than 800 years of service, including resisting a siege by the French and seeing off the Spanish Armada, it’s also wonderfully well preserved.

Castle

There are all the ingredients here for a great value family day out in the Isle of Wight. Children will love dressing up as Norman soldiers or Civil War troopers, and meeting the castle’s famous donkeys, while for the grown-ups, the new Edwardian style Princess Beatrice Garden is a joy to explore.

Donkeys

Not to be missed…

The New Princess Beatrice Garden, designed by TV presenter and award winning garden designer, Chris Beardshaw.
The tranquil castle chapel and Carisbrooke Castle Museum with its fascinating Charles I and Princess Beatrice memorabilia.
Feeding and grooming demonstrations at the donkey centre.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Your visit to The Award-Winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway will engage, inspire and excite you. The sight of powerful majestic steam engines, the charm of quiet rural stations, and the friendliness of traditionally uniformed staff, will leave you with some enduring memories of a special day out. Special events run throughout the year for all ages

isle of wight steam railway

Ventnor Botanic Garden

“Nestling in the microclimate of The Undercliff, Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight has a subtropical and exotic plant collection unrivalled elsewhere in the UK. Plants which would normally be found in protected glasshouses thrive and naturalise in geographical plantings based on the Mediterranean zones of the world.

As you will see at Ventnor Botanic Garden there is much to see at Ventnor and we hope you enjoy this unique and wonderful garden.”

Chris Kidd, Curator.

Ventnor Botanic Garden

Tapnell Farm

This is great local attraction that is 10 minutes by car from the holiday site. Tapnell Farm Park is a former dairy farm, turned all-weather attraction, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Isle of Wight. It is one of most popular things to do on the Isle of Wight, and a great family day out whatever the weather! It also has the Isle of Wight’s only outdoor aqua park.

Meet the animals in our Animal Barn, and get up close and personal with some of Tapnell’s cutest and smallest residents. Wander round the Wallaby Walkabout with our mob of tame wallabies, and admire the marvellous meerkats as they stand guard. Venture into The Paddock and enjoy the views in the company of our friendly goats, alpacas and their other animal chums.

They also have a great on site family friendly restaurant and bar, The Cow, serving home-grown and locally sourced produce and is renowned for its award winning burgers.

Local Supermarkets Sainsburys & Tesco open 7 days a week

Sainsbury’s the local supermarket is five minutes drive from Brambles site with easy parking nearby.

On 24 March 2022, a new Tesco Supermarket store is opening in Freshwater which is only five minute drive from Brambles site and free parking.

The Pier at Totland

Totland Pier Cafe/Restaurant, Madeira Road, Totland, Isle of Wight PO39 OJP Tel No: 01983 685100 Email: hello@totlandpier.co.uk

Fabulous location, situated right on the pier over looking beautiful sunsets. Lovely friendly staff. It takes approx a 15- 20 minute stroll along the beach, from Brambles site, 10 Minutes in the car.

Allsorts of Gifts

1 School Green Road, Freshwater PO40 9AJ

In the heart of Freshwater All Sorts supplies all of your holiday essentials such as gifts, souvenirs, beach items, toys, postcards, jewellery and much more.

Mottistone Gardens

Set in a sheltered valley this magical garden is full of surprises, with shrub-filled banks, hidden pathways and colourful herbaceous borders. Surrounding an attractive Elizabethan manor house this 20th-century garden is experimenting with a Mediterranean-style planting scheme to take advantage of its southerly location. Other surprises include a young olive grove, a small organic kitchen garden and a traditional tea garden set alongside The Shack, a unique cabin retreat designed as their summer drawing office by architects John Seely (2nd Lord Mottistone) and Paul Paget.

Mottistone Gardens

Fort Victoria

Fort Victoria combines country park natural trail with some local attractions in the old Fort. There is a cafe, planetarium, reptilarium, model railway and local art shop. Parking is free. There are fantastic views across the solent and you can climb on top of the fort roof to get some real panoramic views. You can easily walk to this attraction from Linstone Chine Holiday site via the public footpath at the top of the site. Its about a 15 minutes walk.

West Wight Sports & Community Centre

Moa Place, Freshwater PO40 9XH Tel No: 01983 752168 Email Address: info@westwight.org.uk

West Wight Sports and Community Centre. Health and Fitness at the heart of the Community

The West Wight Sports and Community Centre Trust is a registered charity (reg number 273334) providing activities which support our community’s physical and mental health and well-being. Based in Moa place, Freshwater, on the Isle of Wight, the sports and community centre has swimming pools, sports hall, gym, cafe, meeting rooms, community centre, exercise classes, community kitchen, hair salon, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, chiropractic clinic and lots more. The Centre is a hub for the West Wight community providing a diverse range of services including supporting the vulnerable and isolated, providing youth services aa well as all the traditional activities associated with a sports and community centre. The History of the West Wight Sports and Community Centre is a story of real community spirit, triumph over adversity and sheer determination. It is the efforts of those people that have left the legacy of the sports centre which has become an integral part of the West Wight way of life and will do for generations to come. Visit The History of the West Wight Sports and Community Centre website to read the full story.