Winter holidays on the Isle of Wight?

By The Hermitage Team

Many think of the Isle of Wight as a summer island, however more and more people are realising the benefits of that winter holidays on the island provide.

So what are the benefits of booking a holiday on the island after the recognized holiday season has finished? The biggest reason has to be price, everything is cheaper out of season and the savvy holiday maker can make huge savings by delaying their trip by just a few months. Ferry fares, Isle of Wight hotels and even island attractions lower their prices considerably after the summer season has finished.

Weather is still reasonable at this time of year however if weather concerns you why not limit the risk of bad weather by staying at Ventnor hotels as Ventnor enjoys an unusual microclimate. A further benefit can be noticed on the roads, beaches and attractions as the summer crowds have long since departed you can enjoy a far more relaxing break.

One of the most important factors to remember when choosing when to book your holiday is the beauty of the Isle of Wight never diminishes regardless of the season!.

A Weekend at Fairway

A couple of weeks ago we made our way back to the Island for a welcome weekend break at Fairway Holiday Park in Sandown.

The weather was excellent for late October and the entertainment was as good as it's always been - James hasn't lost his touch after all these years. For those who prefer the smaller, independent site to the larger and more corporate operation Fairway really is the place to go.

We visited the Calbourne Water Mill for the first time, which just goes to show that even after all these years there is always something more to surprise you. The staff give a demonstration each afternoon of a mill in operation, and there are various pieces of wartime and antique machinery which will be of interest to the historically minded. The web address is http://www.calbournewatermill.co.uk/, although the link wasn't going anywhere when we tried it.

Shortly before we left we paid a visit to Gurnard Pines, where we will be staying in December. It looks pretty good - sports club and everything - but I'll report further after we've had our stay there.

The Brading Experience

Originally a Wax Works, Brading the Experience is now, as its name suggests a whole experience to be enjoyed and marvelled at.

As well as Animal World the site now boasts World of Wheels, a themed café, a gift shop and a discount themed store.

Enter and make your way around Great British Legends, the Old Rectory Mansion and the Chamber of Horrors.

Brading itself, on the main road between Ryde and Sandown, centres upon a very quaint hill street with several small independent shops, tea houses and public houses.

The Experience itself (Sat Nav PO36 0DQ) is reasonably priced, with special arrangements for school parties. It can be accessed by bus or train (ten minutes' walk). There is also a free car park just a few yards away.

Island options for the approaching winter season

With blogs being used more and more by people looking for travel resources, making sure that people are aware of the opportunities that the Isle of Wight offers is important.

That said, an Isle of Wight hotel can make for a great getaway, either for a weekend or a longer trip. There’s plenty to do on the island; you’re not going to be able to see everything that might interest you. But with a decent, comfortable base of operations, you’ll be sure of seeing that much more, and hopefully enjoy it more too.

There are alternatives for Isle of Wight accommodation, but with winter approaching, camping and caravans are looking less appealing. Holiday cottages though, such as those offered by Gurnard Pines, will still offer warm, cosy places to stay.

Of course, one of the most important things to bear in mind whilst looking for somewhere is how you’ll reach it. Deciding whether you’ll bring a car to the island, and what form of transport you’ll use to get there (ferry, hovercraft or catamaran) are all important decisions as well.

With luck, somebody reading this will find it helpful, and they’ll shortly be stepping off a ferry (or hovercraft or catamaran) to discover the island for themselves.

This article was donated by Artavia.

Sometimes we all need a Middle Man

The Middle Man is a new Internet-based business which is helping a number of other businesses on the Island to compete for what trade there is left in the depths of a recession.

It can be a fallacy to suggest that, when times are hard, one needs to tighten one's belt and hope that when the clouds begin to clear there is still enough left in the bank to enable one to carry on where one left off. The counter argument, and it is a good one, is that when the potential for business declines one has to work harder, and smarter, to keep things going. That is where services like this one come in.

The Middle Man is basically an agent, painstakingly seeking out business opportunities for its clients who are then free to devote their own time to selling or producing. It uses Social Networking, cleverly exploits local Community Forums, scours the web for free advertising opportunities and acts as a helpful friend, generating the business that was always out there but which the proprietor often does not have the time to go out hunting for. What's more, it does it a price which even during a recession does not begin to pinch. At £30 for six months or £50 for a year, many businesses would need just one new customer to cover their outlay.

This new venture is currently in its infancy but it is already beginning to enjoy some deserved success. If it bring trade from elsewhere to the Island then let's hope it continues to thrive.

Dame Ellen MacArthur announces retirement

Round-the-world yachtswoman and Island resident Dame Ellen MacArthur has announced that she it to retire from competitive sailing to concentrate on environmental campaigning.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, she said the inspiration for her decision came whilst spending two months camped on a remote island off South Georgia in the south Atlantic.

Read the full story here.

Park Resorts late offers from £111 for four nights

Park Resorts have a number of late caravan holiday offers available at their four parks on the Island - Languard, Thorness Bay, Nodes Point and Lower Hyde - starting from £111 for four nights (Monday to Friday).

Click here for more information or to make an instant booking online.

The Isle of Wight Marathon - 4th October 2009

Now in it's 53rd year, the Isle of Wight Marathon is the oldest marathon in the United Kingdom.

Registration is at Ryde Rowing Club, and the run begins on the south side of Ryde Boating Lake at 11.00 am. The course consists of a single lap incorporating Ryde, Binstead, Wootton, Newport, Rookley, Arreton, Sandown, Barding - and then back to Ryde. There are eight drinks stations available at approximately three miles apart.


Concessionary travel on ferries is being offered by Wightlink, details available upon entry.

Arreton Barns Craft Village

Arreton Barns is a wonderfully traditional craft village near the centre of the Island that boasts a whole range of shops and attractions.

It's free to visit - just drive in, leave your vehicle in the ample car park and take a look around the gift shops, try your hand at pottery, feed the fish in the carp pond or enjoy a pint of real ale (the Fuggle-Dee-Dum, by Goddards, is particularly appealing) or some of the excellent food on offer at the Dairyman's Daughter public house, where entertainment is also on offer in the evenings.

The shops collectively stock a particularly wide variety of Island produce including season gifts, wines, ciders, beers, liquers and organic farm produce.

There are even a few antique slot machines, specially adapted to take 5p pieces. They're there for a bit of fun, don't expect to get rich on them!

The village is on the main road in Arreton (Sat Nav PO30 3AA). If you are approaching from the Newport direction be careful you don't drive past, it is just on the left after the sharp bend.

"Dormice in Briddlesford Woods" - walk this weekend

The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) will be hosting a walk this Saturday, 19th September near Wootton Bridge.

Briddlesford Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is owned by the charity. It is home to a number of rare species including dormice, red squirrels and bats.

This weekend visitors will have the opportunity to check some of the 400 nest boxes in the woods.

The event will take place in the morning and will be repeated again in the afternoon. Please click here to book a place.