CENTRAL

EXPLORE CENTRAL

In the middle of the Island you’ll find the county town of Newport, which is surrounded by a series of smaller villages with impressive downland stretching away to the south and east.

NEWPORT

WHY GO? Shopping in Newport offers less of a distraction from mainland life than other Isle of Wight towns, but it has its own charm.

Seek out independent shops including The Little Nook (thelittlenook.co.uk), which stocks a wide range of local produce, crafts, and gifts. “Zero waste” store Peach (peach-veganzerowaste.co.uk) caters for vegan diners in its cosy café.

St Thomas’ Square is the place for al fresco lunch, with cafés and restaurants including French Franks (frenchfranks.co.uk) and Toto (totoiow. co.uk). Nearby, you’ll find the small Museum of Island History and Watchbell Lane, which must be the Island’s narrowest shopping street. If you’ve got a few minutes, pop into homeware and hardware store W Hurst & Sons (hurst-iw.co.uk) in nearby Holyrood Street. It’s a local favourite which offers a shopping experience which has disappeared from most mainland high streets. Head from here down to Quay Arts (quayarts.org), which has art galleries to visit, a craft shop selling locally made gifts and a café bar with riverside terrace.

This side of Newport is also home to the Isle of Wight Festival in June. Outside of festival time you can explore the park and arboretum or walk along the banks of the River Medina to see the remains of paddle steamer ship “Ryde Queen”.

A short drive from Newport is the imposing Carisbrooke Castle (english-heritage.org.uk) where Charles I was imprisoned before his execution. A free alternative is the one mile walk around the Castle’s grounds. Children will love running up and down the dry moat.

From the Castle, walk to Carisbrooke Priory (carisbrookepriory.org.uk) – a less well-known historic gem on the Island. The former nunnery is now a house of prayer which is free to visit. Explore the atmospheric cloisters, chapel and courtyard garden or stop for a coffee in the tea rooms. Call ahead, as it’s not open every day.

TOP TIP – MONKEYING AROUND

The number one “thing to do” on the Isle of Wight according to Tripadvisor reviews is, more often than not, the fantastic Monkey Haven (monkeyhaven.org), just outside Newport. This primate rescue centre has won several high-profile awards, with its collection of happy animals, knowledgeable staff, and an immaculate park. Once you’ve met the monkeys, head up the road to Briddlesford Farm (briddlesford.co.uk), to sample a tasty menu of fresh seasonal food from the Island’s farmers and growers at the Bluebell Café. In the school holidays you can often book onto farm tours, just don’t forget your wellies!

WHY GO? The picturesque village of Godshill is home to much of the Island’s older architecture and the “chocolate box” cottages that have adorned the front of many postcards.

Explore the emporium of shops at the Old Smithy (theoldsmithy.com), which links up with the large free car park. Children will enjoy the small detour through the model-filled Old Smithy Gardens. You’ll then emerge onto Godshill’s main street, which is furnished with traditional tearooms and quirky shops.

Check out the delightful Godshill Model Village (modelvillagegodshill.co.uk), which depicts

FEELING HUNGRY?

For a traditional Godshill experience, try a cream tea at Worsleys (facebook.com/ worsleystearooms). Cook and Baker (cookandbaker.co.uk) offers a more modern style of café lunch in a stone cottage with gardens. Vegans should veer off the main road and head along Church Hollow to Tansy’s Pantry (tansyspantry.co.uk). The restaurant and café has earned many plaudits with its plant-based menu.

For gastropub food, try the Taverners (thetavernersgodshill.co.uk) on the main street. Expect locally sourced ingredients, served in charming surroundings. The Griffin (thegriffiniow.co.uk) is a popular pub which is a family favourite thanks to its play area.

Godshill, and the nearby resort of Shanklin, in perfect miniature, surrounded by award-winning gardens. Nearby Chocolate Island (islelovechocolate.co.uk) is a must-visit for visitors with a sweet tooth, with many of their chocolate creations made on site. You can burn off some of the inevitable calories with a walk up to the medieval All Saints Church, which overlooks the rest of the village.

THE DOWNS AND SURROUNDING AREA

WHY GO? When you hear reference to “The Downs” on the Isle of Wight, it usually refers to the central area of Arreton, Mersley, Ashey and Brading downs. Southern Vectis’s open top bus tours will show you the best views during the warmer months. Travel as a group or buy a Rover + Breezer ticket for the best value. It’s valid for 24 hours, so canny visitors spend one

afternoon on The Downs tour and the next morning on The Needles open top bus tour.

The valleys surrounding the downland are known for farming and local produce. Isle of Wight tomatoes produced in Arreton can be found in most supermarkets.

At Arreton Barns (arretonbarns.co.uk) you’ll discover resident artists and craftspeople, as well as a farm shop, a shipwreck heritage centre and a popular pub (dairymansdaughter.co.uk). Further east, along the Arreton Valley, is the famous Garlic Farm (thegarlicfarm.co.uk). Entry is free but it’s worth paying a few pounds for the tractor trailer tour of the farmland.

TOP TIP – HEAD FOR THE HILL

To the north of the main downs road, set in the opposite valley is Robin Hill (robin-hill.com), which is the sister park to Blackgang Chine. The extensive woodland, toboggan run and other rides should provide a whole day’s entertainment for junior school-aged children.

To make the most of your ticket, visit towards the start of your holiday and return for free within seven days. During school holidays, come back in the evening to see the park lit up and catch a family-friendly show in the woodland amphitheatre.