New Smuggling Trail Launched
The Isle of Wight has a rich smuggling history that goes back hundreds of years, and many Island families were involved in the import of illicit goods, mainly brought by boat from France. These were especially ‘tubs’ of brandy and fleeces of wool. Niton, and the villages closest to the southernmost point of the Island, were perhaps the most notorious areas for this illegal trade, and a new Smugglers Trail has been devised by Niton and Whitwell Parish Council, following the pathways and hiding places favoured by smugglers in days of yore. By 1830 most of Niton village was involved in the
Crockers Farm – Cowes Milk
Cowes Milk is run by the Bradley family - parents Paul and Mary and their four children Julie, Rose, Jack and Lucy, supported by son in law Martin and local lad Cain. Paul and Mary started the dairy back in 1981 with the purchase of 18 cows all milked in the stable. In the same year the couple expanded to build the milking parlour and their cow numbers grew to 60! In 1995 the herd were awarded pedigree status which gave the family immense pride as well as great successes in the Royal Isle of Wight County Show and the New
Rare baby eagle arrives at Robin Hill
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE UK’S LARGEST BIRD OF PREY UP CLOSE ‘The eagle has landed’ at one of the Isle of Wight’s biggest tourist destinations 10-month-old White-tailed Sea Eagle named Chief has been welcomed to Robin Hill, one of the Island’s leading nature and visitor attractions, set in 88-acres of rolling parkland. White-tailed Sea Eagles were extinct 200 years ago and have a wingspan of up to 8ft, making them the UK's largest bird of prey.\ Chief will be trained by 22-year-old trainer Charlie Rolle – one of the UK’s youngest qualified falconers – as the park prepares to open after
Bluebell Carpets of the Island
The bluebells are all in bloom right now – a little late this year, but more spectacular than ever – and there are many lovely woodlands and downlands to see and smell these beautiful carpets of blue. Here are a few of our favourites. Mottistone Manor Woods Walk up the pathway that skirts Mottistone Manor to the west and the bluebells on the banks of the sunken pathway are just a taster of what unfolds when the pathway splits. Take the right-hand pathway signposted to the Longstone and then bear left/straight on where the path next forks, and you’ll be on a
The Best Locations For Isle of Wight Holiday Cottages
It is fair to say that the Isle of Wight is one of the most popular holiday destinations here in the UK and if you’ve ever been to the island before then you will understand why. There really are so many things to do and places to see when you’re visiting the Isle of Wight and there are lots of amazing accommodations options to choose from these days too, so it is incredibly easy to plan the perfect holiday. For lots of people visiting the Island, a self catering accommodation option is their first choice and many will be searching for
Ventnor Fringe unveils spectacular line up!
The multi-award-winning arts festival, which features gigs, comedy and performances in pop up venues throughout Ventnor, will return for an extended 10 day edition from 23rd July - 1st August 2021. In recent years it has become an important testing ground for artists premiering new material, running in the lead up to Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A host of new acts have been announced including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant Joe Black who will be previewing new show ‘Decopunk’ plus ‘Work In Progress’ performances f rom comedians Lou Sanders (Taskmaster, Travelman, QI) Geoff Norcott (Live at the Apollo, Mash Report, Mock the
Grazed Knee Cider
The first time I heard about Grazed Knee Cider was when I saw an advert on Facebook. They were ‘a-peeling’ to Isle of Wight residents for local apples to make their cider which they would happily swap for fresh apple juice. I thought it was a fantastic idea and sums up the Island community life or at least what I hope it will be one day - “have you got too many apples to know what to do with? I’ll take them and juice them for you, keeping a few for myself”. The Isle of Wight needs to be a
Jack Up to bring the swinging sixties to Shanklin this summer
A chance to escape back to the sixties this August! Owing to very popular demand, Jack Up Events are bringing back the good times with a very special ‘Jack Up The 60s’ evening at Shanklin Theatre on Friday, August 13th as they continue to celebrate all things retro. Multi-talented 5-piece band The Zoots will bring the unforgettable sounds of the iconic decade to life, taking audiences on both a visual and musical journey. This is THE 60s show that's been wowing audiences around the world, selling out and headlining venues from the London Palladium to Old Trafford. Having recently won the 2021 Global
Our Guide To Glamping On The Isle Of Wight
The Isle of Wight really does offer every conceivable kind of holiday accommodation for the modern-day tourist, and there is something for absolutely everyone on the Island. If you’re interested in booking self catering accommodation this year then instead of looking at holiday cottages or caravans, why not try something slightly different and book a glamping site instead? These sites are becoming an incredibly popular choice here on the Isle of Wight. Simply put, glamping is a brilliant way to enjoy traditional camping as you get to keep all of your home comforts and you still get a little bit of
Isle of Wight Tourist Attractions For The Whole Family
When deciding where to go on a family holiday, the Isle of Wight is always a popular choice and it is fair to say that the island has so much to offer families, or big groups of friends. You can guarantee that no one will be bored when you choose the Isle of Wight as your next holiday destination and whether you visit the beach or walk through the countryside, you will easily be able to fill your days with different activities during your stay. Of course, there are so many brilliant Isle of Wight tourist attractions to visit too and