Kurt spends his time trotting the world seeking the finest. He’s a respected reviewer with over 20 years experience, so knows a thing or two about it and isn’t shy to give his opinion – Ed.
Sunday morning, and I’ve just put brother John on the ferry at West Cowes after his two-day beginner’s crash course in Learning to Love the Isle of Wight.
I can report that he passed with first class honours and is now as big a fan of your Island as his big brother.
John has travelled as much as I have, so we know – at 64 and 60 years of age — not to make the Typical Tourist Error of trying to do too much. So two six to seven hour days of Doing Things, made up of all those favourite things of mine, was the menu.
Day One
Quarr Abbey — non-stop via Merstone, but quite a long stop at the decidedly chaos-making roadworks after Wootton.
Return by same route for car-tour of Ventnor, terminating at Steephill Cove and, of course, lunch at the Boathouse.
John being hardy, he also took a dip in the bay. As well as being hardy, he is a poet by profession, and thus Places of Poetic Interest were on my list.
Along the Military Road to my preferred Dimbola, followed by a walk to Farringford to look at Tennyson’s House, then back via Brook (Priestley) to Chale Green Stores, to purchase Gallybagger, fresh bread and mineral water for a quiet evening picnic on the Downs. Which, of course, was just the moment for me to introduce him to Mr Hoy.
Day Two
The Pepperpot before breakfast. Then wheels to Chale Green, Brightstone for Wilberforce’s church, postcards (see below) and, of course, the tiny and wonderful museum; Calbourne for the Moulton-Barrett mansion (and a side glance at Barrington Lane which isn’t in chocolate box form at the moment); a stroll up Mottistone Moor; then on to Newtown – full of people! – for a wander round the Estuary Walk and a glimpse of the outside only (why closed on weekends?!) of the Old Town Hall. And the New Inn for a lateish lunch.
A skirmish down to Yarmouth for a quick glimpse (I kept the motor running, parking was four quid), then back via Wellow to Calbourne, Chale Green (home-taking gifts at the Store) and St Catherine’s Downs, and an evening of football and champagne festivities with a dozen of my favourite Island people “¦
Verdict
Not a bad first taste of the Island? I know, we didn’t visit any of the towns and in spite of Swinburne we skipped unapproachable Bonchurch, but John is more into things natural than things built.
This morning, as we motored to Cowes, I asked him what had been his favourite bits among my Highwights had been. 1 The Pepperpot 2 Mottistone Downs 3 The swim at Steephill 4 Tennyson’s House and 5 Gallybagger cheese.
My Verdict on the verdict
John and I are very close. We’ve had different lives – me, theatrical and easy; he academic and not easy – but mostly we still like the same things.
Mostly. I’d agree on the Pepperpot and the cheese, and I love Steephill Cove … but Quarr Abbey is still my number one.
I stood there in the Lady Chapel on this visit, and “¦ yes, I wept at the beauty of it. I’ve never done that in my life.
And to me Dimbola is much more interesting that what’s left of Tennyson’s uglified home. But, well, I’m not a poet. Just an historian.
Any complaints?
John had just one. He (unlike me) is an inveterate post-card sender, and also a purchaser of Poetical Objects. Finding an attractive pictorial postcard (and, Lord, we tried!) proved impossible and “¦ Tennyson memorabilia? None. Not even at Dimbola. Is there an enterprising local wanting to go into ‘merchandise’?
Chuckle: I won’t buy it, but John will and since he’s younger and healthier than I, I will never have to inherit it!
