#89 Walking to Carisbrooke and Yarmouth
Part 3 (and final) Post from hiking the Isle of Wight
Here is the final post from my hiking trip to the Isle of Wight that I took in July. You can read the first and second parts here (and here) that explain how my museum-going, city slicker family came to vacation on a very pastoral island in the UK. Travelers say that the Isle of Wight is very much like a miniature of the British mainland. On our fourth day, we visited the quintessential British castle located there, Carisbrooke Castle, near the city of Newport.
Carisbrooke Castle photo by Jay Kettle-Williams
From the English Heritage website:
“Sitting high and proud at the heart of the Isle of Wight, Carisbrooke Castle has been an artillery fortress, king's prison, and a royal summer residence. Today it’s the quintessential romantic castle, with plenty to see and enjoy in the fresh open air. Experience far reaching panoramic views from high castle walls, or wander the moat to discover King Charles I's bowling green. Enjoy the tranquil Princess Beatrice Garden and stunning St Nicholas' Chapel, all before meeting the adorable Carisbrooke donkeys.”
After the British Civil war, which occurred in the 1600’s, King Charles I was prisoner within the castle walls of Carisbrooke Castle. He was treated quite well with ample space to move around and a large bowling green to play upon. In the castle museum, some of his encoded letters and artifacts are on display. Unfortunately, he met his end at the executioner’s axe. His young daughter, Princess Elizabeth, died as a child of scrofula (tuberculosis) while imprisoned in the castle.
In the 20th century, the castle was upgraded and refitted to become the part-time residence of Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. She spent much of her childhood growing up on the Isle of Wight. When her husband and son died, she was appointed the Governor of the Isle of Wight. She added the chapel, beautiful gardens, and updated quarters to her residence quarters in the castle.
photo by Chen Mizrah
The most popular attraction in the castle is the water well driven by donkey power. At some point donkeys were introduced to turn a mechanism like a hamster wheel that was used to raise and lower water from the castle well. Demonstrations of the wheel are conducted daily to the delight of school children and all the other visitors. The donkeys don’t actually haul water any longer and are well cared for in the stables. When they retire, they go to the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary that we visited on the previous day.
The conservators have done a nice job telling the ancient history and more modern history of the castle and the whole island. Of course, the Castle has a well-equipped coffee and tea spot to take care of all the visitors. The visitor experience could be upgraded with an audio guide for visitors with QR codes for different languages, but they clearly are not ready for the full digital experience. All in all, Carisbrooke Castle is a precious British national resource and a five-star experience for all visitors to the Isle of Wight.
The next day, I took a shorter walk to stay with a hobbled relative. We took the group bus to the Botanical Garden in Ventnor. These occupy the grounds of what was one the Chest Hospital on the Isle of Wight. In the early 19th century, the only treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis was to send patients to get fresh air and sunshine. A hospital was established on this site. From the website:
“The microclimate originally attracted the National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest in the 1860’s and 150 years later the health-giving attributes of the microclimate continue to benefit VBG plants and Garden visitors. Dr Arthur Hill Hassall, a polymath of his times, visited Ventnor to recuperate from an illness and foresaw the role the micro climate could play in alleviating the scourge of the day – tuberculosis.”
The hospital eventually closed and the grounds were donated to become the Ventnor Botanic Garden. After wandering about the grounds, we made our way out the back gate to the coastal path going north. With a few ups and downs on the trail, we found ourselves walking along the esplanade in Ventnor. The British elites have been visiting the beach along this area since Queen Victoria made it fashionable in the 19th Century. On this cloudy, windy, and cold day, there was nary a beachcomber in site.
Ventnor Botanic Garden photo by Dele Oak
We made our way up the hill to poke around the town. We settled on a cute little restaurant called the Cantina. Everything was made from scratch and to order. We enjoyed our selections. It was one of the few places that took cash only so be forewarned.
We hopped on the very well-used public bus system to catch a ride back to the hotel. Our meals are bundled into the price of the HFHolidays tour. Every evening a menu is set out with choices available the following evening meal. Each guest makes their choices for the three-course dinner and voila, it is served to you the following evening. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of the food served in the dining room.
Our last full day on the Isle of Wight was rainy and windy. Our good luck with the weather had finally run out. We were able to get in a relatively easy walk along the River Yar to the village of Yarmouth. It was the same town where we arrived a week earlier on the Lymington Ferry. Under a light rain, we passed a few drawing horses and hiking locals on the path.
Path along the Yar photo by Joan Naidorf
Yarmouth has a few sites and its own Castle built to fortify the Solent from invaders. One gets a good view when coming in or out on the ferry ride to Lymington. We declined our picnic lunches and instead, ducked into a nice, dry pub. Our family of five enjoyed the local beers and the elevated fare of The Wheatsheaf Inn on Bridge Road. Since the rain was steady, we hopped on the Island Breezer line which brought us right to Freshwater Bay. We got some much-needed rest and packing time before leaving for London the next morning.
The week of walking tours is a very British way of spending a holiday. Some of our fellow hikers have been coming on these trips for more than 30 years. They were a font of information about the various locations and programs.
It’s easy to see why Americans don’t hear too much about the Isle of Wight. The Brits want to keep it firmly for themselves and who can blame them? Miles and miles of verdant countryside slope gently into the white chalky cliffs by the sea. With excellent transport and lodgings, one doesn’t even need a car to enjoy the bounty of Britain on the Isle of Wight.
