Express & Star

Isle of Wight, England - travel review

Nibbling on raw garlic, surrounded by all manner of alliums from around the world, I was a bit worried about 'offending' anyone later at dinner.

Published

But then again, the party of people at The Garlic Farm and Shop at Mersley on the Isle of Wight were all in the same boat, I guessed, as the sweet/pungent aroma floated around the tasting room.

My 19-year-old son A-Jay and myself were guests of Visit Isle of Wight and the Coach Tourism Association. The other guests in our group were intrigued that a teenager would even want to explore this 'retirement' haven.

The Garlic Farm and Shop at Mersley

As it turns out, this is a false perception. This little isle has everything to entertain every age group. It is the sunniest place in the UK, with beautiful beaches, miles of footpaths, a steam railway, theme parks, music festivals, military history, the list goes on.

The Wightlink ferry had taken our coach-load from Portsmouth to Fishbourne. This pretty little port is in stark contrast to the mainland bustle, with dense forest right on the shoreline and calm clear waters to greet us.

Winding our way south to The Garlic Farm, a tractor trailor then took us on a 20-minute rumble up to the farm itself, while owner Colin Boswell gave us a potted history. Colin has spent years exploring garlic's history and origins, experimenting with the many different varieties on the island. We then spent a good hour visiting the tasting room – there were a dozen raw, smoked and baked varieties to try – the cosy cafe where you can try garlic beer, and the shop which is filled with, well, everything garlic.

The gorge leading down to the sea at Shanklin Chine

Our next stop took us south-east to Shanklin and the island's oldest tourist attraction, Shanklin Chine. Carved by nature over thousands of years, this stunning tree-lined gorge cuts its mark from Shanklin Old Village to the sandy beach and esplanade far below.

For nearly 200 years, millions of visitors have wandered through and marvelled at its chasm-like sides decked in tropical vegetation and towering trees, as well as freshwater streams and waterfalls.

From here we headed to our lodgings for the night, the Ocean View Hotel in sleepy Shanklin. Perched on a clifftop with panoramic views of the English Channel, this charming hotel boasts spacious rooms, some with balcony, an indoor swimming pool, snooker room and entertainment most nights in the ballroom. And tucking into a delicious three-course meal in the hotel's restaurant, the garlic became but a sweet memory.

The next morning the coach took us back inland for a touch of nostalgia. Havenstreet is a living, working museum, and just one of the stations which forms part of the island's steam railway. Guards and drivers don authentic uniforms of the era and they added to the atmosphere on a 10-minute jaunt along the restored line, followed by a tour of The Train Story Discovery Centre, a huge exhibition space housing an impressive collection of locomotives, Victorian and Edwardian carriages and other rare rolling stock.

Next stop was the quintessential English village of Godshill which, as our trusty driver and tour guide Derek told us, boasts some of the oldest architecture on the Isle of Wight.

Charming thatched cottages line the winding main street along with traditional tearooms, gift shops and quaint pubs. Godshill is also the site of the first ever Isle of Wight Festival, which took place at Ford Farm in 1968. But the icing on the cake has to be its model village... of the village .... in the village. The attention to detail from the church replica to the thatched cottages and the fantastic use of real trees and moving parts make this an absolute delight to behold.

After a couple of hours, we all headed off to the westernmost tip of the island and what turned out to be the highlight for me at least. The Needles at Alum Bay is a geological gem – chalk stacks that jut vertically from the sea. And the only way to reach them is by boat – and the best way to reach the boats is via the chairlift.

Ocean View Hotel, Shanklin, is perched on a clifftop with panoramic views

This gentle white-knuckle ride isn't for everyone. The chairs glide slowly above the trees and walkways below, before descending almost in a vertical cliff drop to the beautiful Alum Bay and pleasure boats below, which give passengers a close encounter with The Needles.

Our final stop for our stay was a visit to Osborne House, the private getaway of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert which they bought in 1845.

Victoria used Osborne for more than 50 years, entertaining foreign royalty and visiting ministers, finding solace there after Albert's death. We were given a tour of many of the rooms, followed by a stroll through the grounds' woodland which opens out on to the beach.

All too soon it was time to head back to the mainland. We caught the Red Funnel Ferry to Southampton before bussing back to Portsmouth and finishing off with an exhilarating visit to the dizzying heights of Spinnaker Tower.

A-Jay enjoyed his weekend much more than I imagined and has vowed to return – for the music festivals at least.

By Debbie Bennett

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.