Jacket In
As usual, just at the point where you start to relax in to being away, it’s time to go home. I open the curtains to look out at the rather plain (if imposing) building opposite our window.
Only for the hook holding the curtain rail up to come off the wall. I managed to put it back up, but I can guarantee it will fall off again the next time someone so much as looks at it. The hotel is in need of some repair. On the day we arrived someone walked into the bar carrying a random chunk of metal that had fallen off the building. Going down the (narrow and winding) stairs that night I’d obviously leant too heavily on the metal hand rail, as one of the panels connecting it to the wall came away. Plus, the shower head had given up all pretence of trying to stay up at the top of the pole and had fallen down and clumped me on the head three times.
Whilst having breakfast it became apparent the staff are falling apart as well as those working in the breakfast room were steadily character assassinating each other and those not there.
I managed to get the bags down the stairs and out into the drizzling rain without wrecking anything else, and we made our way down to the bus station. The alleyway between the two is lined with a number of silhouettes of Newport’s great and good over the years.
At the bus station it is a case of which of the many routes to take to get back to Ryde. After some help from one of the locals we go for the longest one. Even if it was raining it would be a good opportunity to see some of the south of the island, we hadn’t been able to get to.
It was another slow rollercoaster rise as the bus headed through Blackwater and Rookley to Godshill. It is difficult to know if it was called this back in antiquity and they took it literally to build a tall church on top of the hill, hidden away by a tree covered steep bank (reminding me once again of Breedon on the Hill in Leicestershire); or whether they built the church and changed the name of the village to acknowledge the church making it God’s Hill.
The bus continues through Wroxall and down the south side of the downs into Ventnor where it does a lap of the town centre. It looks as if it is another lovely town. Somewhere to visit properly if we come back to the Isle of Wight.
As is Shanklin which we follow the coast road along to. Coming through the mainly thatched Old Shanklin into the more modern town. So modern it has a railway station. The end of the short line from Ryde Pier Head station.
We head next to Sandown, which is now contiguous to Shanklin via Lake (yes, a village name, not a geographical feature). It doesn’t look as nice, but we didn’t go through the main old part of the town.
From there it is a straight run up through Brading into Ryde. Going through Brading I see a sign for the Brading Roman Villa. It is somewhat surprising to find the Romans were on the island. It certainly doesn’t show in the roads. I don’t think I’ve seen a straight road anywhere on the island. When we get off the bus it has stopped raining and the sun is breaking through the clouds.
I go into the local tat shop (I love the name of it too), and get some generic island tat, map postcards and fridge magnet, a pen and some playing cards.
We go for lunch at the Ryde Castle. It isn’t a castle. It’s a castellated house that’s been turned into a hotel and pub. It looks good though.
It is a theme across the island. Everywhere we have been has had street names with Castle in them; Castle Street, Castle Road, Castle View, Castle Hill, etc. They were in Cowes, East Cowes, Newport, Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown & Ryde. None of which had a castle, or any evidence of ever having a castle. Carisbrooke also had Castle Street, but I can forgive that, there is a castle there. Yarmouth had castle as well, but no Castle Street, it sits on Quay Street.
The other theme is the island loves an Esplanade. Everywhere we went, or went through had an Esplanade, in Cowes they had three different ones. East Cowes, Yarmouth, Ryde, Shanklin, Ventnor, Sandown all had them. I don’t think I’ve seen as many Esplanades in the rest of the country.
A quick look at the time gives us the idea to try for an earlier hovercraft back to the mainland. It isn’t as hectic as the terminal coming over on Friday, and there is room for us on the next one going, with only a couple of minutes to wait.
At the other end I take another photo of the retro pier and arcade, using the retro filter on the camera.
We get on the hoverbus shuttle, and wait as the driver delays leaving so his mate can get on. And go one stop! But enough of a delay that we’re going to miss the train and have to wait an hour for the next one.
It does give us the opportunity to nip to the Portsmouth shopping area, and I spy (with my very beady eye) Victory Sports. An American sports outlet. And just like that my birthday money is gone. But the jacket is well worth it.
And then it’s back to the station and the journey back to Crawley and home. And back to work. Where’s that e-mail from the national lottery?
For other articles on my 2022 travels have a look at my list
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