Isle of Wight

What on earth is crapola scenery and suburban bin character?

The Isle of Wight is lovely. I would love to go again.

We'll be back there in September because it's our golden wedding anniversary this year and it's where we met and married. The old gang of 'not so young farmers' is still alive and kicking so we'll be having a knees up at one of our old haunts.

We visit as often as we can and usually stay at Rookley Country Park as it's situated in the middle and close to all our friends - Everywhere on the Island is near though

I've booked one of the new lakeside lodges as a (secret) treat for DH as he loves to spend a bit of time fishing with one of his old mates so they'll be able to just pop outside instead of having me drive him and his 'stuff' all over the place.

In the meantime the ladies will lunch

Love I.O.W. yes there are pretty villages and lovely coast line

Sounds idilic merlot

Idylic even

We've booked at Warners in May for a few days looking forward to it haven't been for a long while but I remember is lovely

Penelope Keith visited a few of the coastal villages in her series on Channel 4 last Saturday evening.

The inland villages are beautiful as well.

I loved the IOW! Its like a step back in time but in the nicest possible way. We were lucky, the weather was gorgeous and I've never seen as many wisteria covered houses. Just thinking of it makes me want to go back.

I went on a works holiday and wasn't looking forward to it, but its the most lovely place!
Its really quaint and pretty, with lovely tea rooms and gardens. I loved it.

It's a lovely island, as Smithy says, it's a bit of a step back in time, quite "old-fashioned" (in a nice way) in places. Lots of pretty villages, beautiful countryside and coast, and quite a few things to do. If you have a car over there you can drive right round in less than a day, at a slower pace than on the mainland. I believe it also gets more sunshine per year than anywhere else.
My Dad lived there for a number of years before his death, and I've not been back there since.

The IoW is beautiful. If you go, do visit Bembridge and have tea in the beachside cafe near the lifeboat. It's perfect.

Absolutely love the Isle of Wight and have had many lovely holidays there. West Wight is my particular favourite, with Freshwater Bay, Tennyson Down, Alum Bay and The Needles having spectacular scenery. Can't think of any part of the island that I wouldn't be happy to visit though.
Can't recall any suburban bin characters.

Another one here who doesn't really understand the question but just wanted to say I love the IOW

Haven`t been for a good few years now, but the IOW is a lovely place, ideal for a relaxing holiday, but plenty to do as well. Is Blackgang Chine still as fun-filled and magical? My kids loved it there.

Most of Blackgang Chine is in the beach at the bottom of the cliffs now callgirl1. My kids loved it there too but, each year we went back, there was less and less of it to see! Even the Military Road that goes past the Chine was diverted for a while due to landslips.

Blackgang Chine was falling into the sea (apparently) 37 years ago when we were there.

We must go back and find out if there is any left
Or if there are still wallabies hopping around on the IofW

blackgangchine.com/about-us/

Happy to amend my earlier post 're Blackgang Chine with the above link. Think it's moved a little further inland due to recurring landslips but it's still open for business.

Yes, it's so sad to see the undercliff around St Lawrence disappearing. DH and I met at the St Lawrence Inn at a mutual friend's 21st birthday bash. I believe it has closed now.

The Buddle Inn, further along the undercliff, is still doing a roaring trade by all accounts and is always our first port of call. Happy memories of family gatherings when my lovely Dad was alive.

I have a little story about escaping wallabies:

My brother was training in pathology at St. Mary's hospital. Driving across Arreton down late one night, he and some friends unfortunately hit a wallaby. It was stunned and probably bruised but otherwise unhurt. They smuggled it into A&E, put it to bed in one of the cubicles and scarpered!!!!

Allegedly!!

I can almost believe it too merlotgran!

Thank you for the update Chewbacca. We first went in 1971, then 72 and 73. The next time we went we just had the 2 youngest with us, but they still enjoyed it, as did we, that was in 1983, and we were informed that it had begun sliding into the sea, but didn`t realise how bad it was. It looks a bit fancier nowadays, but it still looks fun, we`ve always been at night, never in daylight. Would love to go back.
Love your story Merlot!

We had our honeymoon there in 1961, then went back to celebrate our Golden Wedding. It was lovely, but I hadn't remembered how hilly it was. Why has Rowantree not come back to tell us what " Crapola scenery Surburban bin character " means?

I too LOVE the IOW and have been many times. Lots of advice about where to visit - I would like to add The Donkey Sanctuary. We visit there every time we are on the island.