The Wonders of the Isle of Wight with Darren & Laura

 The Wonders of the Isle of Wight 

The sun was shining as we headed to the famous tourist  hotspot The Needles where we marvelled at the chalky points jutting out of the sea.

 

We visited the Alum Bay sand shop where we all choose a glass ornament and filled them with the brightly coloured sand that you can only find here on the island. Everyone thought they would make great mementos. 

There was a fascinating demonstration from the skilled glass blowers as we watched them make a glass vase right in front of our eyes.  The sweet factory was a hit with our group as we learnt how they make these little tasty treats.....and we got to sample some too! 

A great day was spent at Osborne House where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert resided in the summer months. Inside the house we got an intimate glimpse into Royal life as we explored the private apartments and grand reception rooms lined with furnishings and artwork from the Royal collection. Outside we wandered among the flower filled gardens and discovered the quirky museum in the Swiss Cottage where we learnt about the interests and personalities of each of the nine princes and princesses in the ‘Childhood at Osborne’ exhibition. We then followed the path to the private beach where the Royal children learnt to swim. 

We drove to the seaside town of Ryde. We headed straight to the beach and enjoyed a walk along the promenade. It was such a clear day that we were able to clearly see the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in the distance. 

A brilliant day was spent at the Wight Military and Heritage Museum. There were lots of gasps as we marvelled over the old military vehicles and uniforms on display. We got an insight into what life would have been like in WWII in the replica street scene. 

It was down to the bowling alley where the games began! First, we split into two teams and with a few strikes and some high score we soon had our winner! Pool was next and it was a nail biting match as the black was potted. It was a great effort all round.