#87 Finding Donkeys and Ruins
Discovering the Isle of Wight – Part 2
Our week in the Isle of Wight continued with another day of guided hikes and a free day. (Read about our journey and first two days here) Our second day of hiking with HF Holidays started by having a coach bring us to our starting point in the quaint little town of Godshill. After a quick peek into the church on where else (?), God’s Hill, we started off into the surrounding countryside.
Unfortunately, one of my kids pulled a muscle ascending too vigorously on day one. Two kids hung around the village and did some exploring. The hikers had a continuous and mostly gentle ascent for an hour and a half until we reached our midday stop at the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary. Donkeys have lived and worked on the Isle of Wight for centuries, most notably at Carisbrooke Castle in Newport, where they were used to run the mechanism of the water well. In the Wroxall Valley, a sanctuary for donkeys in need of rescue or welfare was established in 1987.
From their website:
“We offer any donkey in need a loving and forever home in the Wroxall valley on the Isle of Wight. Our charity relies entirely on donations, adoptions and fundraising from the public. Without you, we wouldn't exist.”
The sanctuary cares for 117 donkeys and a few ponies. Their rescue stories are told for visitors to learn and to donate. We had ample time to check out the shop, the café, and use the loo. We ate our picnic lunches at the many picnic tables provided for guests.
After lunch, we gathered again to walk off further to the ruins of the Appuldurcombe House, the shell of a large 18th-century English Baroque country house of the Worsley family. The family and its property fell on hard times The family lost financial interest in the house and it became a home for monks and then quarters for soldiers during World Wars I and II.
From the Wikipedia page:
“Troops were billeted in the house during both world wars, and at the onset of the Second World War the house was taken over by the military. On 7 February 1943, a German Luftwaffe Dornier Do 217 that was engaged in a mine-laying mission turned inland and dropped its final mine very close to the house, before crashing into St Martin's Down. The mine exploded, blowing in windows and causing the collapse of part of the roof.”
The ruins at the Appuldurcombe House
After roaming the grounds, it was a gentle mostly downhill walk back to Godshill, where we would meet the coach again. Luckily, there was time to take tea in an outdoor tea garden. Our British hiking companions taught us how to eat our scones, clotted cream, and Victoria Sponges. Of course, there was much discussion on the proper order of how to apply these treats to the scones for maximal enjoyment.
The next day of the week was a planned free day for the week of walking tours. Our family decided we needed some city time and we set out on the local bus service to the central town of Newport and then on to the waterside city of Cowes. One of the ferry links from the mainland (Southhampton) is centered in Cowes and most of the yacht racing clubs and facilities are located there.
The area is most famous as the favorite summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. They bought a large property and rebuilt the house in an Italianate style in the 1850’s. After Prince Albert died in 1861, Queen Victoria continued to visit Osborne House because it was one of her favorite homes. She died there in 1901 and the property was donated to the National Trust. The visit to the Osborne House, in East Cowes, is a popular and much-loved day trip on the Isle of Wight. We chose not to go.
We ambled up and down the waterfront area and the High Street shopping area. We all picked out a few nice items for ourselves and bought a bottle of the locally produced gin called Mermaid. We enjoyed lunch at the Harbour Kitchen at 117 High Street in Cowes. It was clean, folks were friendly, and the food was excellent. Prices were quite reasonable for the very touristy area, and we timed our departure to hop on the short bus ride back to Newport and then a second bus back to Freshwater Bay. The busses were packed with the Islands school kids heading home from their day of classes.
We rested awhile before our evening’s outing. We informed the dining room that we would all be going elsewhere for dinner. Our three kids picked Jaffran Indian restaurant to try right in the village of Freshwater. They walked about a mile to the spot and gave it got high grades for service, variety, and taste. They are tough critics to please.
Beach huts of Colwell Bay Isle of Wight
My husband and I had booked a table at a popular place in Totland overlooking Colwell Bay. that we read about in the Times of London. The Hut is located right on the beach with spectacular views across to the Hurst Castle, an artillery fort established by Henry VIII on the Hurst Spit in Hampshire, England in1541. It formed part of the king's coastal protection program against foreign invasion. The colorful beach huts line the shoreline alongside the restaurant. On fine weather days, people arrive at the restaurant by boat. We reserved a taxi to meet us at the hotel and to drive us over to the coast.
The Dover Sole at The Hut, IOW
Due to windy conditions, we had to sit inside, overlooking the patio. The fresh seafood and artfully presented dishes did not disappoint. We both enjoyed the Dover sole which seemed like the right thing to choose while so close to the White Cliffs of Dover. The restaurant was crowded with patrons who were enjoying the ample food and refreshments. We watched the sunset in the west and a few hardy souls were swimming in the chilly water right outside. I highly recommend The Hut for the food, service and incomparable setting.
Part 3 will highlight the end of our Isle of Wight visit and a quick stop in London. Cheerio!
