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The Independent
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
15 of the best things to do on the Isle of Wight
When planning an island holiday for sun, sand and fun for the family – the 147sq-mile diamond off England 's southern shore may not be the first that springs to mind. The Isle of Wight, a haven for retro staycations, hiking trails and stylish seafood for the sailing set, has long been working on its rebrand from drab to fab. And with vineyards, friendly alpacas and an emphasis on wellness, setting sail for some of the UK 's sunniest days is well worth the ferry ride. An annual music festival dances in Newport, Cowes Week sweeps across the Solent and rides still spin for thrill seekers at the UK 's oldest theme park. That's before even donning a wetsuit to dive into the coastline or laying a towel on some of Britain's best beaches. With buckets of things to do away from the sand, here are the top ways to pass the time on an Isle of Wight getaway. 1. Try the UK's oldest rides at Blackgang Chine At Ventnor's Blackgang Chine, the UK's oldest family theme park, you can ride, scream, and dance your way through 180 years of thrills and games. Its summer firework extravaganzas and Halloween spookfests are family-friendly highlights of the island calendar, and it's easy to navigate Cowboy Town, Dodo Valley and the moving dinosaurs of Restricted Area 5 with little ones. 2. Visit Queen Victoria's Osborne House The grand Osborne House, Queen Victoria's seaside retreat in East Cowes, combines Victorian opulence with Italianate gardens for a visually and culturally enriching afternoon spent experiencing royal life. There are beautifully preserved staterooms, royal apartments and servants' quarters to explore on more than 300 acres of landscaped grounds before sipping tea with raised pinkies in the terraced café. 3. Dive into seafood at The Hut What's a trip to the seaside without a fish supper? For something fancier than a chippy on the coast, The Hut in Colwell Bay reigns as the seafood spot in West Wight for stylish surf 'n' turf and unrivalled sunset views. This is where leisurely lunches on the Solent are done best. Here, boats drop diners off on the jetty for bursting stacks of fruits de mer, platters of Porthilly oysters on beachfront tables and boozy sundowners on the rooftop terrace with a playlist primed for hauling yachties out of their seats to dance the night away. 4. Ride the Steam Railway It's all aboard the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for a charming 10-mile round trip through some of the island's best landscapes. Puff through the countryside, rolling from Havenstreet to Smallbrook Junction and on to Wootton in ornate Victorian and Edwardian carriages, with or without the kids, to enjoy over 150 years of railway history before a light bite in The Barn Cafe. 5. Cruise the Needles A trip to Alum Bay not only offers an action-packed high-speed ride with The Needles Pleasure Cruises – for a whistle-stop tour of the water's iconic chalk stacks – but also a steep trip down the colourful cliffs on the famed chairlift, giving you the chance to see the three landmarks up close for yourself. Trips leave the bay for a close-up look at the Needles rocks and lighthouse seven days a week (weather permitting) on boats Yarmouth Rose, Summer Rose, Ramblin' Rose and Wild Rose. 6. Go wine tasting at Adgestone Vineyard Holding the title of the UK's oldest commercial vineyard, Adgestone Vineyard's vines are planted on a south-facing slope with panoramic views of Brading and, although small, are well worth a visit when the sun comes out for tours, pours and live music. Tantalising wine tastings swirl through full-bodied reds, crisp glasses of blush and a sparkling blue for just £22pp, including a self-guided tour of the cellars and vines and live music performances. 7. Get pungent at The Garlic Farm Love it or hate it, garlic chutney, garlic olives and garlic vodka strongly season Arreton Valley's Garlic Farm with its pungent namesake. Since 1983, there has even been an Isle of Wight Garlic Festival held on the third weekend in August devoted to the powerful bulbs. The island's farm happens to be the UK's largest garlic producer, with as much as 50 acres of the cloves grown each year. Visit for farm tours plus garlic-based tastings in the on-site restaurant. 8. Befriend an alpaca The residents of West Wight Alpacas – woolly Suri alpacas that is – welcome visitors on treks of the farm's 23 acres of countryside. Whether walking with Larry, Oreo or even Amadeus, you'll learn all about the South American animals on a scenic stroll with your unique new pal. 9. Kick-start summer at The Isle of Wight Festival Big-name acts descend to serenade the island and kickstart the al fresco activities for the Isle of Wight Festival in June. The original festival was held at Ford Farm in 1968, with the likes of David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Fleetwood Mac performing at past instalments of 'Europe's answer to Woodstock'. This year, Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake will take to the stage at Seaclose Park in Newport. 10. Walk the Tennyson Trail The chalky Tennyson Trail stretches from Carisbrooke to The Needles, travelling along the spine of island highlights, Afton Down and Freshwater Bay. Keen walkers can get their steps in on the poetic 14-mile hike – best planned with a well-deserved refuel at Dimbola Tea Room – or stop to catch their breath and dolphin spot at The Tennyson Monument. 11. Downsize at the Godshill Model Village With its thatched cottages and model village, pocket-sized Godshill epitomises 'chocolate box'. The 1/10th scale replica of Godshill and Shanklin Old Village in the 1920s is a timeless family attraction set in the grounds of the Old Vicarage. After being charmed by miniatures, tie in lunch at Loaph for trendy sandwiches, pastries and breakfast rolls that are more than bite-sized. 12. Sail into Cowes Week With August comes Cowes Week, the seven-day sailing regatta that draws a nautical-loving crowd of over 100,000 at the height of the summer holidays. One of the longest-running sailing events in the world, Cowes Week has been a part of the British sporting calendar since 1826, with up to 600 keelboats participating in the races. Pitch up with a Pimm's to make the most of the lively sailing scene between 2–8 August. 13. Embrace a wellness event at Ventnor Botanic Garden Get to Ventnor for immersive sound baths, yoga and pilates backdropped by the 22-acre sanctuary of Ventnor Botanic Garden. Wellbeing experiences are scheduled in the studio or amongst the trees with gongs, crystal bowls, chimes and percussion part of the current 'Trees of Life' sound series. 14. Take the bus for a ride round the island Hop on and off a Southern Vectis bus for an open-top ride around the island. The Island Coaster linking Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin with the West Wight area is the longest bus route on the island, cruising the Military Road towards Freshwater with impressive views over the coastline. 15. Sweat it out at a Slomo sauna Looking for some R&R between sightseeing? Book a 60-minute Slomo sauna in Freshwater Bay to sweat it out on the edge of a pebble beach. Open every weekend until the end of June 'whatever the weather', this site is steps from the Albion Hotel and a wood-fired pizza van for a slow Sunday on the island's west coast.
The Guardian
21-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Inject some zing into your weary garden with electrifying euphorbias
I'm fortunate enough to work from a posh outhouse in the back garden. Known as The Hut, it could grandly be called A Studio, but is, in reality, a large shed with better-than-average insulation, some bookshelves and a fan heater. I get to have a potter in the garden as part of the 'commute', but recent weather has meant my current options to get to work are: gingerly cross the patchy lawn (which I intend to reseed next week, before we go away, so it can germinate in peace) or take the less-direct gravel path. The latter would be the sensible option, except that my euphorbia is absolutely rocketing away, and offers a sort of thigh-high wash of its own. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. You'd probably recognise euphorbias even if you didn't know what they were; in the final, bright days of winter they are a happy, often-neon beacon of hope and promise. My Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii are currently exploding out of an old agricultural water trough that I tried, and failed, to turn into a small pond (I never could stop the leaks), but they previously lived in the gravel garden, until they grew too big for their boots. If I was trying to contain them, I failed: they now rise resplendently to chest height, frequently threatening to engulf the toddler whole (crucially, never when the stems are cut – the sap can be quite nasty on bare skin and in eyes). This is why they have a bit of a reputation for being a horticultural thug, or taking up space over other plants. In theory, E. wulfenii prefer well-drained soil and full sun, but mine are in a pretty damp, cramped container in a shady corner next to the house that only gets evening sun, and it evidently hasn't done them much harm. For small and container-based gardens, they really pack a punch for an easily bought plant, those massive lime-green flower heads sparking interest, shape and texture in a garden on the verge of spring. E. wulfenii is also drought-tolerant, making it a good option for pots that tend to dry out more quickly later in the year, and evergreen. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Other options are E. amygdaloides var robbiae, which I've grown on balconies over the past decade – both sun-drenched and woodland – and will spread contentedly in the ground, rarely growing more than half a metre and flowering a little later in the year. E. palustris, meanwhile, flowers in early summer but boasts auburn foliage with the autumn. If lime green sounds a bit Brat summer, be reassured – it works. My iPhone notes app reminded me to 'order more euphorbias' five years ago, along with alliums (purple, I suspect). The latter didn't work very well in my soil, but the euphorbias have stuck around. Plus, the colour tends to fade as everything else ramps up, leaving a pleasingly odd and architectural silhouette long into the dwindling days.
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
How 'cars and coffee' meets can fuel Gen Z society
At a former pub, signs and posters offer positive messages for Gen Z Hut at West Meon, Hampshire, was taken over in 2024 by Caffeine & Machine, one of many groups that organise so-called car and coffee meets for motoring Phil McGovern says under-30s car culture can sometimes be troubled and needs to be fostered in the right mantras on display include "I love you, man" and "Driving under the influence of nothing but joy". Cars and coffee meets are a global phenomenon, which reportedly started in the United States in the early gather to talk motoring, show off vehicles and, of course, drink hot beverages. Fourteen-year-old Isaac Potter is a regular at The Hut, practising his photography skills and meeting fellow enthusiasts."My grandad basically got me into cars from a really young age," he says."Just talking to people and getting to know them, getting to know more about their cars... it's just a nice thing."Caffeine & Machine, which also runs venues in Bedfordshire and Warwickshire, has transformed the long-deserted pub into a car fan firm organises a mix of ticketed events and free McGovern says: "There's a thing to fix in society on a wider level."We've got a platform to show how doing it in the right vein is actually a really good way of doing it."It's been really heartfelt and beautiful." Elsie-Rose Robbins, 24, has brought her Alfa Romeo to The Hut to meet fellow "Young Giulietta enthusiasts" and gain says: "There's a bit of a stigma – maybe younger women feel like they can't be a part of this because it's always been more male-dominated. "But that's not to say that if you have a passion for it you can't just go for it... Whatever you may think is holding you back probably isn't."Cars and coffee meets are not immune from organiser, who asked not to be named, said he had given up hosting events at another venue after an outbreak of has had its fair share of unauthorised late-night gatherings, seizing vehicles for dangerous driving as recently as December, police in Peterborough said planned car meets, intended for "good-natured car enthusiasts", had a "history of becoming anti-social".However, Phil McGovern hopes The Hub and venues like it can be a "safe haven" for responsible engine Potter says he feels comfortable in the cafe's words painted on the building, he says: "When you go somewhere, you have to feel safe and you want to feel welcomed, and a place like this, as it says on the wall, 'It feels like home.'" You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
