The Wonders of the Isle of Wight with Midi & Marguerite

 The Wonders of the Isle of Wight 

The sun was shining as we made our way to the infamous tourist attraction The Needles. We stopped at the sand shop next where everyone chose a bottle or heart to fill with colourful sand collected from the cliffs here at the Needles. What a lovely keepsake.

We all plucked up courage and boarded the spectacular chairlift ride, taking us on a journey past the coloured sand cliffs to the beach. The views were breathtaking.  

Another amazing experience was at the glass factory where we watched the fascinating art of glass blowing and the marvelled at the variety of bespoke glassware made.

Today we chose to visit the steam railway, a heritage railway on the island. We boarded at Wootton station and settled into our Edwardian carriage with vintage drop light windows which we opened to let a breeze in as we travelled through the unspoilt countryside. We stopped at Smallbrook Junction and watched the steam engine detach and puff up the line to reattach at the other end of the train. 

Next, we visited the Train Story Museum steeped in 150 years of railway history. Our guide John walked us through the displays of Victorian and Edwardian carriages alongside a collection of rare artefacts. He gave us a running commentary throughout our tour and encouraged us to dress up as guards re-enacting stories from the past. Stephen was willing to oblige and loved waving the flags on the platform. 

The sun was out so we headed to the seaside town of Shanklin where we set up camp on sunbeds to enjoy a few hours of relaxation. We paddled, took photos, played in the sand and sunbathed for the morning into the early afternoon. As beaches were our theme today, we then moved on to Sandown, known for its long, sandy beach. Here we enjoyed lunch at the Sundial right on the sand. It was lovely to sit in the sun watching the world go by. A stroll along the promenade was a must, stopping off for ice cream on the way. 

The onsite swimming pool was the perfect way to end our days, splashing around and practising our swimming. We also loved relaxing in the warm jacuzzi. 

The evening entertainment never disappointed. We partied the night away in true JollyDays style to the incredible live shows and disco music.