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We're off to the IOW in a few weeks, travelling from the jcn 4 M25 area down to Portsmouth and from there to Fishbourne on the Island via WightLink ferries. I've never been there before and am wondering if anyone has any tips for the trip down to Portsmouth and/or the ferry crossing. We're hoping to get the ferry at 2pm ish on the Sunday and think we need to allow around 3 hours for the journey to Portsmouth in order to be at the port in good time. Does that sound reasonable? Anyone got any thoughts on the best route to take? TIA.
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Pick up A 3 all the way to Pompey.RED FUNNEL from Southampton will have been cheaper.
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Roadworks at Hindhead on the A3 could add 20 minutes to the journey - I would estimate it will take you 90 minutes from the M25/A3 junction to Portsmouth
MVP
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Thanks for the replies. Yes we knew about the Southampton option but our holiday home is much closer to Fishbourne and Southampton means a slightly longer car journey too..
TVM for the raodworks tip - just the sort of useful info we need. :)
Any other thoughts/advice welcomed.
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Set your clocks back fifty years when you get there, and IIRC you're not allowed to mention furry little animals with big ears that allegedly breed prolifically. ;>)
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Very helpful I must say :)
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I've heard since some factories close on the island, the crime rate has gone up by 70% !!!
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M25/A3 junction to Portsmouth ferries should be about an hour on Sunday.
Funnily enough the roadworks at Hindhead haven't been the nightmare they threatened to be - so far. If anything the traffic is worse heading north, and I'm sure that the southbound the traffic is lighter than before. I think a lot of people must be playing safe and using the M3 instead.
For what it's worth I raced around the Isle of Wight (in a boat) last month. 55 miles in a straight line, further with tacking, tides, etc. We came 275th out of 1,800 boats!
Edited by boxsterboy on 16/07/2009 at 16:50
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Nice - can we borrow it?... ;)
Tks BTW.
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For a driving laugh, have a go around the Coppins Bridge roundabout (E side of Newport where the roads from Cowes, Ryde, the south and the town converge). Marvel at the road designers that though that number of traffic lights on a roundabout was a good idea (Assuming they haven't seen sense since I was last there and done something sensible with it!).
Don't go to Godshill unless you are 1) old 2) on a coach 3) insane :-)
Nice walking along the downs / undercliff at the south end of the Island, plenty for the kids at Blackgang Chine (if it hasn't fallen in the sea) or Alum Bay / the needles. No where is more than 1/2 hour drive (oh no, forgot about all the grockles this time of year - make than an hour!). If you're into alternative transport then a ride out and back to the mainland on the Hovercraft from Ryde has to be a thought.
Mind you it's 10 years since I made my jail break, so all bets might be off!
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Sadly, not my boat :-(
If you've got time to kill at Portsmouth ferries, there is plenty to check out - HMS Victory, Mary Rose, dockyard museum, Gunwharf Quay (Spinnaker Tower with fabulous views, retail outlet shops and nice water-front bars/restaurant with an underground car park). In fact, I would go so far as to say its worth getting there earlier than planned and start your holiday on the mainland!
Edited by boxsterboy on 16/07/2009 at 17:52
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Richard, there is still some of Blackgang Chine left, although some has disappeared into the sea - and we enjoy it as well as the children. Alum Bay is a bit tacky at the Visitors Centre now and very expensive if you get lured onto the rides or want to go down to the beach on the cable lift and so on, quite enjoyed the glass factory though. Was very expensive parking too.
If you do visit Yarmouth (very pretty round the area) check out the Puffin Ferry, as they sometimes do trips round by Alum Bay and to the Needles - apart from anything else, you can see all the look-out slots carved in the cliff face during various wars. We are doing this trip (again) on the 18th August going from Lymington. They also go over to Hurst Castle, which is a brilliant day out, despite being on the 'mainland'.
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As said alum bay ruined now
shame it was great 30 years ago
ive never had bad weather in the iow hope your weeks good too
loads to do
my best bits were the inland choo choo and riding on the old london underground trains
the bit about using the hovercraft is good too ,if youve never been on one i highly recommend it if they still run
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If going from Junc 4 on M25 is it worth going M23 past Gatwick, then go across A27 , options for finding alternative routes and avoiding Hindhead completely -
If you have young kids -its amusing to my youngsters to have the tomtom on when going on the ferry !! Enjoy
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IIRC you're not allowed to mention furry little animals with big ears that allegedly breed prolifically. ;>)
I think that's the Isle of Portland near Weymouth.
Sorry, can't offer any advice for the route!
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Hovercraft still very much in operation: www.hovertravel.co.uk
Not as much fun on the current diesel powered AP-1s as it used to be on the old Gas Turbine powered SRN-6s (IIRC) where the door was right in the front. My Dad commuted to Portsmouth on it for nearly 20 years. Worth watching it come in, but stand far enough away not to get a soaking!
Alledgedly wild wombats on the IOW. Never saw one though!
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Remember Cowes Week is 1st to 8th - great fun, lots to do but very very crowded! Fireworks on the last night are amazing - we watch from the mainland, usually near Lepe.
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IIRC you're not allowed to mention furry little animals with big ears that allegedly breed prolifically. ;>)
I think that's the Isle of Portland near Weymouth.
You're right. Must have overdosed on the Sanatogen. ;>)
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Don't go to Godshill unless you are 1) old 2) on a coach 3) insane
I beg to differ!
Godshill is a quaint little village, with a model village of Godshill.... within the model village, is a model model village.......... well worth a visit
There is also a Cider Barn where they sell 'home' made ciders.
there are a fair few tea shops, small restaurants etc, for when you get peckish.
I adore the island... I just wish I could get there more often, they always seem to get the best of the weather, although I do remember one year we had a very wet tent.........
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And if you need Velcro fastened shoes or slippers, or lavender polyester twin sets-Sandown is the place.
If you have your bus pass (like us) the bus network is excellent, and if you sit on the top deck you get the views, and can enjoy the ride, instead of having to pull in frequently to let them (the buses) pass.
Most roads are narrow, even the "main " roads, with high hedges right next to the edge, so driving a car would be a pain.
We took a camper van but only drove it between sites at Merstone, Chale Green and Freshwater Bay.
The ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth was cheapest for us with a 6m motorhome,2.65m high.-£110 return-for comparison we go Dover-Calais return at the beginning and end September this year for £83.25 return!
I checked the Red Funnel prices from S'ton-more expensive.
Go to Osborne House after mid day-we went round almost on our own.
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If you are taking the A3 route and the delights of Gun Wharf (as previously mentioned) don't appeal and you have kids &/or dogs. Stop off for a picnic/walk/kick about at Queen Elizabeth Country Park just south of Petersfield and about 20-25 minutes from the ferry terminal.
Can anyone help me understand why people like the IoW? I can see the place from the end of the road, but can't see the attraction, other than you feel like you are going somewhere because of the (expensive) ferry trip. What's the island got that I can't find on the mainland? Serious question, because I'm quite happy to be proved wrong during the summer holidays. I need a day out that will please the missus, two teenage sons and two small dogs. A good pub for dinner at the end of the day would be good too.
Edited by Chris M on 18/07/2009 at 14:19
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RE CHRIS M Peace & quiet unlike Portsmouth or Southampton.
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Fortunately I don't live in either!
If I want peace and quiet I can walk to places as quiet as anywhere on IoW.
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RE Chris M .Not if you live within sight sight of the IoW.
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Watergate
Top of Butser Hill on a warm summer evening looking west over the Meon Valley.
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Re Chris M Nobody lives on Butser Hill.
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I wondered why it was so quiet!
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Re Chris M.If you can manage the ferry fare to I W i will show you far far better places than Butser Hill.
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No problem rustling up the £40 ferry fare, but would like some sense of money well spent when I get there. Apart from the peace and quiet, what attractions are there that I can't find bigger and better on the mainland? They can't all be up to Alum Bay standards!
Last year did Arreton Manor which was quite good followed by Amazon World in the afternoon (less good - my wife's choice). Late afternoon/evening spent with friends at their holiday home in Bembridge. Pleasant enough day, although as the friends main home is only 15 miles from us anyway, going overseas wasn't really necessary to see them.
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In a mood for a multi-mode day out a couple of years back we drove to our local station, took a train to Lymington Pier, ferry across to Yarmouth, then open top double decker bus down to the Needles. The latter can be something of a white knuckle ride as the road gets very near to the cliff edge.
The little cafe at the Needles Battery has a view difficult to beat, looking down along the Needles to the lighthouse. Then went for a short walk round the remains of the rocket motor testing grounds adjacent to the Battery.
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Re Chris M.Explore Yarmouth Cowes Ventnor .Try the wonderful inland footpaths.Why do 10,000 people WALK THE WIGHT every year many from the mainland?
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No problem rustling up the £40 ferry fare but would like some sense of money well spent when I get there. Apart from the peace and quiet what attractions are there that I can't find bigger and better on the mainland?
I simply don't see holday destinations in terms of bigger/better. One might go for thefirst time to see what its like or on the umpteenth return to revisit childhood haunts - Freshwater BAy seems almost timeless. Little in the mainland presents so much variety of view, geology (and thus landscape) and habitation. The opportunity to go somewhere and feel you've seen most of it in a week or so ismight also count for something.
The view from the West High down beats almost anything
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