Shanklin IOW lodging

[M&T]

Precruise from Southhampton, we plan to spend 2 nights in Shanklin. We have booked the Grange, but we are still exploring. Any recommendations for a good bed and close to old town and on the cliff with a water view? I guess I'm going for it all. Also, are there white cliffs to view from Shanklin? Or, are the Needles the best? Thanks. Marlyne

[John Bull]

Precruise from Southhampton, we plan to spend 2 nights in Shanklin. We have booked the Grange, but we are still exploring. Any recommendations for a good bed and close to old town and on the cliff with a water view? I guess I'm going for it all. Also, are there white cliffs to view from Shanklin? Or, are the Needles the best? Thanks. Marlyne

 

I suspect The Grange may disappoint you re views. I don't know the place, but I suspect its location doesn't have sea views. you may do better for views with http://www.luccombemanor.co.uk/index.php/24

or other accommodation along Luccombe Road, or on the town side of the chine (small, narrow steep wooded valley running to the sea) in the Queen's Road area. There's a wide range of IoW accommodation on http://www.isleofwight.com/tourist-information.html

 

Shanklin is probably a much better choice than the Needles, for choice of accommodation, facilities to hand, and travel to other parts of the island, esp public transport.

Consider fitting in some time at the Needles, Godshill village, Arreton Barn (and on a clear day the downs behind it), Osborne House, Havenstreet railway, Carisbrooke Castle. For a view across the Solent to Portsmouth on the mainland, the esplanade at Ryde. And if the island bores you, from Ryde the hovercraft ferry to Southsea (effectively Portsmouth's seafront, with Henry V111 castle & D-Day museum) or the hydrofoil ferry to Old Portsmouth (with Naval museum, Nelson's HMS Victory, etc). Google these places & see what you think.

 

The island's roads are slower than on the mainland - locals say they're potholes connected by the occasional patch of tarmac. In truth nowhere near that bad, but its rare to be able to top 40mph.

 

Visitors to the island are nearly all Brits on short breaks but none-the-worse for that.

 

John Bull

[lord of the seas]

Visitors to the island are nearly all Brits on short breaks but none-the-worse for that.

 

John Bull

 

Don't forget the ones on longer breaks in the prison.

[M&T]

We don't have to have a view. We thought it would be good to be near old town so we could walk around there in the evening. We would travel out to the Needles, Godshill and Osborne House during the day. Does it take 2 hours by bus to get from Shanklin to the Needles? Thanks for your ideas. Marlyne

[lord of the seas]

We don't have to have a view. We thought it would be good to be near old town so we could walk around there in the evening. We would travel out to the Needles, Godshill and Osborne House during the day. Does it take 2 hours by bus to get from Shanklin to the Needles? Thanks for your ideas. Marlyne

 

It is about twenty four miles.it should take forty minutes or so.

[handfordr]

Does it take 2 hours by bus to get from Shanklin to the Needles?

 

The direct summer only bus between Shanklin and the Needles I think does take about two hours. Its a very scenic ride all along the coast and the old miltary road along the south ccoast.

It will probably be quicker subject to timetables to go via Newport.

 

I must say I've always though the Needles (or at least Alumn Bay) is totally at odds with what most people go to IOW for. They've turned Alumn Bay into a tacky theme park.

 

Just along from Shanklin there is a wonderfall walk from Sandown to Bembridge along the coastal path including white cliffs, very much what the IOW is all about.

If you do go to the Needles a similar spectactular walk, is to follow the coastal path back to Freshwater bay.

[John Bull]

The direct summer only bus between Shanklin and the Needles I think does take about two hours. Its a very scenic ride all along the coast and the old miltary road along the south coast.

It will probably be quicker subject to timetables to go via Newport.

 

Handfordr is right, Newport is the hub for buses, total journey time about 90 minutes to the Needles.

http://www.islandbuses.info/networkmap01.shtml

 

But their summertime "Island Coaster" open-top bus is the way to go for the best scenery, don't know journey time - roughly same distance, but more leisurely. Don't bother to stop off at Isle of Wight Pearl (no more than a shop, but busy with coaches - they earn good commission!!) or the dinosaur farm museum (waste of time). If dinosaurs are your thing, http://www.dinosaurisle.com/ at Sandown is way way better.

 

I'd suggest a circular route - open-top bus to the Needles, regular bus to Newport (island's capital), mebbe check out Carisbrooke Castle or the quay, or the busy market on tuesdays, then the bus back to Shanklin, stopping off at Godshill for lunch or tea. All on one daily rover bus ticket.

The opposite way round would take a little longer - there's an un-written convention that coaches go clockwise in the SW corner of the Island to avoid meeting each other in narrow twisty parts, so the tour bus going from the Needles back to Shanklin will be constantly meeting coaches.

 

 

Unfortunately, handfordr is also right about Alum Bay - it's tacky, not popular with islanders & a disappointment for visitors. Which is a shame, it's a pretty little bay with multi-coloured sands

 

Shanklin old village (very definately a village rather than a town) is quaint & pretty, but very small, a few shops & cottages, and a couple of nice pubs & restaurants. All the accommodation discussed is very close by. The chine from the old village down to the sea is a very pleasant short walk

 

John Bull

[lord of the seas]

Would hiring a car or driver be better time wise, as the poster only has limited time on the island.

[gosport11]

Yes hire a car,the cost of bus journeys are something else also the time factor is another thing,to go to needles would be all day from Shanklin the drive via Ventnor and the undercliff is far better and more senic,if this time of the year its worth checking if everything is open ie osbourne house etc allow 2 hours for Osbourne,as its now out of season :):):) as of where to stay i cant help also hire car on the island as the ferries can be expensive if a weekend :eek:

[M&T]

Do you consider seeing the Needles a must see on IOW? Marlyne

[John Bull]

Do you consider seeing the Needles a must see on IOW? Marlyne

 

Hi, Marlyn,

 

Cruise ships entering/leaving Southampton have a choice which way to go round the Isle of Wight, if they use the western approach you can see them from the sea, & its daylight til late evening mid-summer (plenty to see on the eastern approach too - Portsmouth, Napoleonic forts mid-channel, etc.)

 

The Needles are an icon of the island, witness the pictures on boxes of souvenir fudge, etc. In themselves they're not amazing, but the scenic south-west coastal road ends up so close that it'd be a shame not to include them.

 

John Bull

[M&T]

Thanks. Just what I needed to know. Marlyne

[Ray66]

Hi, Marlyn,

 

Cruise ships entering/leaving Southampton have a choice which way to go round the Isle of Wight, if they use the western approach you can see them from the sea, & its daylight til late evening mid-summer (plenty to see on the eastern approach too - Portsmouth, Napoleonic forts mid-channel, etc.)

 

John Bull

 

Are you sure? The gap between Hurst Spit and the Isle of Wight is less than a mile. I've never seen cruise ships go that way round. When watching AIS live, always to the east of the island.

[John Bull]

Are you sure? The gap between Hurst Spit and the Isle of Wight is less than a mile. I've never seen cruise ships go that way round. When watching AIS live, always to the east of the island.

 

Yes, for sure. Same applies to other large vessels - navy, freighters etc. QE2 has used this route http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EzEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=southampton+liner+Needles+photo&source=bl&ots=egcc7WMy6Z&sig=8Ov7tjwqGP4tMNFxE764ngckCCc&hl=en&ei=rGcDS72_BYSsjAea7cS2AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBQQ6AEwBDge#v=onepage&q=southampton%20liner%20Needles%20photo&f=false as well as smaller cruise ships.

 

One summer evening this year, on the Southampton-Cowes ferry, we passed four ships leaving Southampton Water in line astern. IOTS, QV & (forgotten) headed for the Nab, one of the smaller P&O (Oceana?) headed for the Needles

 

John Bull

[M&T]

It would be great to find out if our ship will go that way. We are round trip out of Southampton. Is there a boat tour from Southampton that goies by the Needles? Thanks again. Marlyne

[Ray66]

Yes, for sure. Same applies to other large vessels - navy, freighters etc. QE2 has used this route http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EzEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=southampton+liner+Needles+photo&source=bl&ots=egcc7WMy6Z&sig=8Ov7tjwqGP4tMNFxE764ngckCCc&hl=en&ei=rGcDS72_BYSsjAea7cS2AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBQQ6AEwBDge#v=onepage&q=southampton%20liner%20Needles%20photo&f=false as well as smaller cruise ships.

 

One summer evening this year, on the Southampton-Cowes ferry, we passed four ships leaving Southampton Water in line astern. IOTS, QV & (forgotten) headed for the Nab, one of the smaller P&O (Oceana?) headed for the Needles

 

John Bull

Thanks for the info. So it's only the small cruise ships that go that way.

 

That article was published in 1989 but whenever I watched the QE2 on the AIS live last year, she always went the east side.

 

 

(In August it was IOTS, QM2, Oceana, Grand Princess and Black Watch. The next day it was Oriana, Ventura, QV and Aurora)

[John Bull]

It would be great to find out if our ship will go that way. We are round trip out of Southampton. Is there a boat tour from Southampton that goies by the Needles? Thanks again. Marlyne

 

Which ship are you cruising on? - and I dont mean which Red Funnel ferry:D

 

I don't know of any boat trips ex-Southampton that go out to the Needles, other than the once or twice a year restored paddle-ship Waverley or restored steamship Shieldhall. Small boats from the mainland go from Milford-on-sea, which is opposite the Needles, a very pleasant but pretty inconvenient 15+ miles from Southampton http://www.milfordonsea.org/#/fun-at-sea-water-sports/4533641879

On the island small boats go out for a quick peek from Alum Bay:

www.needlespleasurecruises.co.uk/,

 

Ray - now I'm well-confused as to which ships I saw. You seem to know your schedules, it was ex-Southampton on Sun 17 May or Weds 27 May.It matters not a jot - except of course, now its bugging me :confused:

 

John Bull

[M&T]

We will be on the Celebrity Eclipse in July. Marlyne

[Ray66]

Ray - now I'm well-confused as to which ships I saw. You seem to know your schedules, it was ex-Southampton on Sun 17 May or Weds 27 May.It matters not a jot - except of course, now its bugging me :confused:

 

John Bull

When you mentioned a summer evening in your other post, I thought you meant in August when there were 5 cruise ships in Southampton one day and 4 on the next day.

[Ray66]

We will be on the Celebrity Eclipse in July. Marlyne

That's far too big to go round the west side and see the Needles. You will be going round the east side of the island.

[John Bull]

That's far too big to go round the west side and see the Needles. You will be going round the east side of the island.

 

 

I think Ray's probably right. Not too big to do it, but perhaps too big to want to do it. In which case, no Needles but plenty more sights, esp Portsmouth/Southsea seafront, its ring of forts (Palmerston's follies), Portchester & Southsea castles, & much more of the Island

 

John Bull

[Saturated]

Hi all,

 

The IOW is a charming little island and certainly merits consideration for any cruisers from Southampton arriving a few days early, or looking for a post cruise experience.

 

I've not stayed on the island so can't comment on accommodation, but Shanklin has a fabulous beach. It's a very small island and basically the east coast is where it's more lively. Shanklin is on the east coast. Sandown, about 5 miles north of Shanklin also has a great beach, but is a bit tacky in a 70's b&b seaside resort kind of way. Ventnor, about 3 miles south of Shanklin, also has a terrific beach and the famous Spyglass Inn, an old pirate haunt, for refuelling purposes. Well worth a visit. You don't need to visit in high season to see the island entirely in a couple of days as you can always take public transport from Cowes to Newport ( the capital) in about 20 mins and from there you can go anywhere. But personally speaking I would not say The Needles ( on the west coast) is a must-see. It's a bit of a journey to get there, relatively speaking, and I'd rather recommend Ventnor or Shanklin for their blue flag beaches. For such a small island it's steeped in history and has a huge maritime tradition, as a stroll around Cowes will reveal. You've hit on a bit of an unknown gem in asking about the IOW :) Recommended!

[M&T]

Do you like Cowes and West Cowes for history. Thanks for more insight. Marlyne

[John Bull]

Do you like Cowes and West Cowes for history. Thanks for more insight. Marlyne

 

East Cowes, which is served by the Red Funnel ferries from Southampton, is quite a bit smaller than West Cowes. I think you'd find it a bit of a disappointment, but a short cab or bus ride up the hill & just outside East Cowes is Osborne House, a rather rambling Italianate building and Queen Victoria's favourite home. Designed for the most part, I tbink, by her hubby, Prince Albert. Google knows more about it than I.

 

East Cowes is connected to West Cowes by a chain-ferry across the Medina River (I think it might be free to pedestrians). West Cowes is the yachting capital of the UK. Narrow twisting little streets, a jumble of older buildings, more pubs than you can shake a stick at. Can't think of a single outstanding historical fact or significant sight, possibly the Royal Yacht Club on the tip of the Esplanade if that's your scene, otherwise just a very interesting place to wander for an hour or two.

 

John Bull

[M&T]

There is so much to see on this island. We will need to come back and give it a little more time. Thanks. Marlyne