Isle of Wight

Im disabled, we used to go to there quite a lot years ago. We used Sandown as out base as it fairly flat on the prom. A few hotels on the front which we would stay at but cant remember their names now. Hotels a bit dated,but if you do your research your sure to find 'disabled friendly ones'
Ventnor is very hilly so we always gave that a miss, but Godhill is beautiful and if l remember the main tourist street is flat, with lovely cottages and tearooms.
Shanklin is beautiful but hilly if being pushed in a wheelchair but if possible l would try a visit as its very pretty.
Most of the Island is hilly but some of the tourist areas in the towns as fairly flat so l would say give it a go but plan your day trips and parking areas first. you can get round the whole island in a day so if car touring the sites and not getting out to walk its really lovely looking at the beautiful countrysides and villages from the car.
Sadly l dont go there any more as l cant cope with the ferry crossing etc as traveling anywhere is to much for me now. If you plan it well you should be ok.

Great timing Serendipity as people will be heading home from the festival as you arrive so busy ferries but in the other direction so you will have the added attraction of some interesting costumes at the terminals! While on the boat look out for a holiday guide (in summer there is usually a stack near cafe areas on the ferries) as these give information and a calendar of local events such as shows and carnivals and sometimes have money off vouchers.

Please contact me direct if you want any specific information before your holiday, I'd be very pleased to help and I really enjoy sharing my knowledge of this little island. Enjoy!

From memory its 23rd we go !!! But thats not definite...... i seriously cant thank you all enough for your replies and they have all made me so excited.

We all look forward to holidays and breaks away but when we get such positive feedback of the place we are thinking going ( now booked ) it makes the whole experience even more looked forward to.

I DO believe that Osborne House is 1 of the excursions, i usually do my homework and research on the trips/holidays but i think all that has been put to 1 side for the very simple reason of such positive feedback.

I DID look into visiting The Chines but that looks an impossibility for me BUT hubby can go .... i will find a nice place to sit and people watch ..... looks so interesting.

Thank you again 😃

I'd love to go back there.
I thought when I went that it would be a lovely place to live.

Great to see all the positive comments. I have lived on the Isle of Wight for 40 years having come here on holiday the year before and loving it and have never regretted moving here. It is beautiful and has a slower pace of life yet much to do.
If Serendipity is coming over as part of a coach trip it is likely that there will be optional excursions and often these include Osborne House (fine for wheelchairs, staff will arrange a lift to upper floor). Yes, some places, such as Ventnor, are hilly but there are flat walks and most attractions, for example the model village and the craft village, are very accessible. We have a good bus service which includes some summer scenic routes such as over the Downs and the West Wight.
Good point above about June as the festival makes for a different experience especially around Newport and on the ferries with an extra 60,000 people added to our population of around 140,000.
Lovely cream teas and good food but referring to a previous post you are unlikely to find local strawberries these days. as sadly the commercial or self pick farms have closed. However, you may pick up the smell of garlic - we even have a festival for that!

For Serendipity - sure IOW is great, BUT I see you're thinking 'June'. Doubtless the firm you're going with will know, but I see the Festival is running 20th to 23rd, so you'd be wanting to avoid something like 15th to 25th, as the ferries will all be heaving?!

It's so long since we went there and now I have a yen to go again 🙂

Have a lovely time Serendipity!

Ooooooo THANK YOU ......

Roll on June (( ooooops..... shouldn't wish time away.))

Have a great time Serendipity. The model village at Godshill has disabled access and the botanic gardens at Ventnor are lovely places to visit. Feeling quite envious.

If you are there in June, you will in be time for the strawberries. My son-in-law is from the IoW and can't stand them - he couldn't get away from them, the whole place smelt of strawberries.

I just love the IOW, we have been 3 years running on a dancing holiday with a group. We visited Shanklin in June each time and walked for miles and miles each day as well as danced for a couple of hours twice a day. So much to see and do. I would love to go back. I love the ferry too, great fun. I do hope you go, have a wonderful time.

BOOKED

yipeeeeeeeeeee with allll the positive replies, I can hand on heart say I CAN'T WAIT

I promise to return here and tell everyone how we got on.....

THANK YOU SO MUCH 😃

We enjoyed IOW. The Dairyman's Daughter is worth a visit, with artisan shops and fabulous restaurant, also the Garlic Farm, again great restaurant Both accessible. Gardens at Ventnor is accessible, but has a few slopes to negotiate as it is on a hillside.
Have a great time.

We had lovely holidays here when the children were young. I'm sure Osborne House would be accessible. Sandown and Shanklin beaches are beautiful sandy beaches.

I love their cream teas!
I used to have the savoury ones.
Cheese scones with cream cheese and red onion chutney.

I absolutely love the IoW.
Went as a baby, a teenager, then older and about 15 years ago I suggested a short break there with my husband as he'd never been.
I waxed lyrical about the place.
He hated every bit of it!

Love it. There is a certain amount of commercialism of course, but not everywhere, mostly it’s just lovely. 😊

My autistic son loves the Isle of Wight and we will be taking him again in June. We stay in Sandown and it is a very good place for exploring other parts of the island. It would suit you well, I think, as it is fairly flat and has a beautiful sandy beach. I think the old fashioned atmosphere is part of its charm. Four or five years ago, l was in a café in Ryde. I was chatting with a local lady who told me that a “fashion” shop had recently closed. Among the stock was underwear dating back to the fifties!

…and like another pister …the walk from top of Shanklin cline down to Fisherman’s Cottage …is wonderful…. then a drink on the shoreline and a slow climb back . Such happy memories.

I love it and always took kids there for holidays ( or Devon) …they lived it too! It is ‘stuck in past ‘ a little ….but I would live there given the chance .

I used to live there too. and loved it. I have recently visited and would recommend Norton Grange Warners for a visit as it is geared up for older people.

I love it so much I'm moving there in 3 weeks time! I was born there and loved it in my first five years. I've been going back to try and put myself off the idea of settling there again, but it didn't work. There are plenty of level paths, such as between Ryde and Seaview, or Cowes to Gurnard. My favourite spot is Shanklin, from the top going down to the chine and Fisherman's Cottage, which might be a bit steep but doable I think.

This sounds lovely. Any recommendations as to where or how to go about booking just a mini break there ? I’m not clever at this 🤦🏼‍♀️!!

If you are taking a car, they do discounted rates for DLA/PIP/Blue Badge holders but you need to apply well in advance of booking the tickets.

I have cycled the island several times.. from that perspective it is very hilly