MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 8
Frank Sinatra used to sing:
‘It’s very nice to just wander
The camel route to Iraq
It’s oh, so nice to just wander
But it’s so much nicer
Yes, it’s oh so nice to wander back.’
Well, I haven’t wandered along the camel route to Iraq, but I was in the Isle of Wight last week. The Isle is one of my favourite haunts, and when I’m there I always feel as though I’ve drifted a couple of decades or so back in time, when things were more laid back and we didn’t need to rush. Even so, when I was aboard the homeward ferry, although sad the holiday was over I was already wondering how the garden was doing, wondering if there were any letters for me, wondering how our bunny was in his holiday home and, of course, wondering what to cook for tea!
The Isle of Wight is really crammed with lovely things to see and do, and although we managed a full schedule, we only just scratched the surface. We try to go there at least once a year and of course have favourite places that we return to time and again, though it’s also fun to discover new things. This year we visited the Donald McGill postcard museum in Ryde. It’s only small but is jam-packed with thousands of the artist’s saucy postcards as well as other memorabilia, and it was fascinating to see all those cards – and to learn how many the censor banned.
Frank Sinatra used to sing:
‘It’s very nice to just wander
The camel route to Iraq
It’s oh, so nice to just wander
But it’s so much nicer
Yes, it’s oh so nice to wander back.’
Well, I haven’t wandered along the camel route to Iraq, but I was in the Isle of Wight last week. The Isle is one of my favourite haunts, and when I’m there I always feel as though I’ve drifted a couple of decades or so back in time, when things were more laid back and we didn’t need to rush. Even so, when I was aboard the homeward ferry, although sad the holiday was over I was already wondering how the garden was doing, wondering if there were any letters for me, wondering how our bunny was in his holiday home and, of course, wondering what to cook for tea!
The Isle of Wight is really crammed with lovely things to see and do, and although we managed a full schedule, we only just scratched the surface. We try to go there at least once a year and of course have favourite places that we return to time and again, though it’s also fun to discover new things. This year we visited the Donald McGill postcard museum in Ryde. It’s only small but is jam-packed with thousands of the artist’s saucy postcards as well as other memorabilia, and it was fascinating to see all those cards – and to learn how many the censor banned.
The Isle of Wight Zoo, home to rescued tigers and other big cats, is always a must as is the Seaview Wildlife Experience which is the only place I know that you can get mugged, delightfully, by ducks! Amazon World is super too, home to lots of exquisite birds as well as armadillos, anteaters. Best of all is the lemur enclosure where lemurs take great delight in climbing all over you and insist on sitting on the camera when you try to take a photo.
If you’re after history, then Carrisbrooke Castle, Osborne House or the Roman Villa at Brading are all superb places to visit. At Carrisbrooke, not only can you see the window where Charles I became stuck when he tried to escape, but you can see a donkey demonstrate how water was once drawn from the well via a treadmill. Queen Victoria’s house at Osborne is packed with treasures and quirky bits and pieces, and the grounds are marvellous too. The under-cover remains of the Brading Roman villa boast superb mosaics; I just marvel at the detail that can still be seen in these centuries-old paved floors.
Another favourite place of mine is Arreton Barns. This free to enter craft centre cum old village is a great place to spend a few hours, whether you want to watch craftspeople making pottery or leather belts, or prefer to explore the old agricultural artifacts and collectable objects that are scattered around. There is even a collection of old amusement arcade slot machines dating back to the 1950s and 60s, while the shops sell gifts, delicious fudge, retro sweets and pretty lace cloths.
Shanklin is a pretty village, with a deep chine to explore if you’re feeling in need of a walk, or you can just stroll around the gift shops and end up with a cream tea in one of the tea gardens. Godshill is similar, though is let down by its toilets which are right at the edge of the car park and are dark and gloomy. Sorry, I tend to judge places on their facilities. If you expect tourists to visit, then it’s important to ensure their stay is enjoyable. I also enjoy Ventor Botanical Gardens, and sometimes, if you sit really quiet, you will see the rare wall lizards creeping from under the stones to bask in the sun.
Shanklin is a pretty village, with a deep chine to explore if you’re feeling in need of a walk, or you can just stroll around the gift shops and end up with a cream tea in one of the tea gardens. Godshill is similar, though is let down by its toilets which are right at the edge of the car park and are dark and gloomy. Sorry, I tend to judge places on their facilities. If you expect tourists to visit, then it’s important to ensure their stay is enjoyable. I also enjoy Ventor Botanical Gardens, and sometimes, if you sit really quiet, you will see the rare wall lizards creeping from under the stones to bask in the sun.
As well as all the attractions, the Isle boasts a superb coastline. At Alum Bay you can take a chair lift to the beach and then catch a boat which will take you to the Needles – a magnificent sight from the water. I love to just sit on the cliff at Freshwater sketching the wild flowers that abound there, or to take photographs of the shells, pebbles and seaweed on the beaches around the Island. And the final must is an evening trip to one of the places where you can watch the sun setting over the sea – it looked fabulous this year as it turned the sky multihued above the pier at Ryde.
It was good to be home, though – and to get back to the Bower. In the week that I’ve been away, roses and passionflowers have come out, making it more enchanting than ever. All we need now is some sunshine!
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