Park Resorts on IOW - Part Two: Lower Hyde

The second location in our Park Resorts series is Lower Hyde, one of two parks situated in the popular seaside town of Shanklin.

Lower Hyde Holiday Park is of a similar size to Nodes Park, but is situated close to a major Island town - an easy walk both to the shops and down to the beach. As such it is an ideal retreat for families and seaside dwellers.

The star attraction is maybe the popular heated outdoor pool, open between May and September. As well as the pool itself an attractive patio area is provided for lounging. For those who prefer the warm ambience of an indoor swimming pool this is shared with neighbouring Landguard Park, with modern facilities and overlooking bar and food area.

As with all Park Resorts venues Lower Hyde boasts some great evening entertainment at the Squires Showbar. There is also an amusement arcade which has been recently refurbished.

Great news is that the park is now open all the year round, albeit with some curtailment of facilities during the short former closed season in winter. Holiday home ownership is available as on all sites and caravans can be purchased from just £16,995.

Remember the Early Holiday Booking Offer in which you can save up to 30% on all 2015 Holidays when you book before the 31st January.

Reproduced with acknowledgements to The Holiday Zone.

Back to the '80s Fundraiser - Shanklin Old Town, March 27th

By Dizzy Daniels

Saturday, March 27, at Holliers, Shanklin Old Village come and join us and GO BACK TO THE 80S!!

This will be an all out 80s mania night to raise money for cerebral palsy sufferer, Gracie-May Fuller, who needs to raise £40,000 for an operation in America.

It will be 80s fancy dress and there will be a prize for the best dressed. There will also be a little raffle, bar dash and a dance-off competition, so make sure you come along and help this very worthy cause!!

Thank you to everyone who has supported the cause so far!!

There will be a charge of £3 to get in and every penny made goes towards Gracie's fund.

Please click here to read about this event or leave a comment on Facebook.

Message from New Zealand

Hi from New Zealand

Here's a photo of my car and it's personal plate. It's "world famous in New Zealand".

You wouldn't believe the number of people who come up to me and ask - and then they launch into a blurb about going on holiday to Shanklin several years ago!

I keep "IOW" going from car to car - fond memories, etc., lived on the Island for 15 super years (1974-1989), the kids were born there and it's only the winter climate that keeps us from returning.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers
David H

Where We've Stayed (Part Six) - Landguard, Shanklin

When we learned we were going to Landguard, we were curious as to what this little site just along the road from Lower Hyde had to offer. We were on the Island anyway enjoying a break that we'd booked earlier, so we decided to pop along and take a look.

The first surprise, of course, was the abundance of Park Resorts flags flying in the wind at the entrance to the park. We had been told it was independent. We were informed at Reception, however, that Park Resorts had taken them over only two weeks previously!

This knowledge came in handy when we strolled into the coffee shop by the pool and were asked to produce our pass cards. Quick as a flash (if I say so myself) I produced the Park Resorts passes which we had been issued at Thorness Bay, where we were staying. That should do nicely...

Landguard is the smallest of Park Resorts' four parks on the Island. Neat rows of caravans in such locations as "F4" and "G3" (as opposed to the "Bluebell" and "Oaklands" clusters at Thorness Bay) overlook, from left to right, the Reception, shop, café, main bar and swimming pool/bar. It is a very clean and peaceful site, and the caravans are impressive.

Even more impressive are the wooden cabins at the rear of the site, if you are lucky enough to book one. These are luxury to the point that I could happy live in one. Really superb.

On a fleeting visit this year I noticed that club passes could also be used at Lower Hyde, about half a mile along the road, and vice versa. I'm not sure whether this means some "sharing" of entertainment.

When the offers arrive and we come to deliberate which park we wish to list as our first choice both our kids now invariably say Landguard. Serene, tidy and with good facilities and easy access to the old town of Shanklin, one could do much worse.

Back at Rookley - and Small Hope Beach...

Can't believe it's been so long since I last posted (pressures of work) but I was back at Rookley at the weekend with the family, or part of it at least.

Once again there would seem to have been a bit of a shuffle at the top. The mystery of Simon's departure remains and now Danni has gone too, but Charlie is back and seems to be running the entertainment side of things. One particularly good sign is that Island View seems to be holding on to its staff, suggesting that it knows how to look after people which, let's face it, is always good news for the customer. The site also now boasts a tidy fish and chip shop where the little grocery shop used to be.

Another fine carp was landed at the small lake, albeit only 5lbs this time but it put up a tremendous struggle. Sadly I picked the only windy and rainy day from an otherwise glorious weekend to venture forth.

If out and about in Shanklin or Sandown and in the mood for a walk I recommend the two-mile stroll between the two along Small Hope Beach (pictured above), where there are numerous cafés and, if you want to hang around for the day, hundreds of beach huts for hire at about £10-£12 a time.

We're looking to liven this blog up again with regular contributions and features, so if you have anything you'd like to submit, either for review or in the form of an article, then please do let us know.