Lavender Cottage

Another of the picturesque cottages in Godshill

The Garden

While out cycling around the Island I passed this beautiful garden. Obviously a lot of hard work has gone into it and you can even see the owner cutting his grass when I took the shot.

Visiting Cowes 2

A little further along the same road and your right alongside the sea. Further to the right is the beginning of Southampton water.

Visiting Cowes

This is part of probably the most famous place on the Island, Cowes. Famous for the Cowes week and starting point in many worldwide yacht races, this is just one of the small roads that follow the coastline around that part of the Island. In the distance you can see the see.

View Satellite Image of this location @ Google Maps.

The Cottage

Not a thatched cottage this time, but an old cottage nonetheless. This cottage is near Brighstone also, just down some small lane that not much traffic passes. I wonder what the story of it is, who lived there and how old it is?

Also, does anybody know what the small white 'pegs' are on the roadside? In Scandinavia they have them to show where the edge of the road is when its snowing, but theres not much snow on the Island?

More Thatch

Continuing with thatched roofs, this lovely little house can be found on the far south-west of the Island in a place called 'Brighstone'. Tucked away from the main towns, Brighstone is famous for the thatched cottages - in fact, they're the only reason to visit the place. I`m not sure if this house isn't lived in or they just cant be bothered to cut the grass!

View Satellite Image of Brighstone @ Google Maps.
You can see a few thatched cottages dotted around the village.

A mirror image?

This almost fooled me when I first looked at it - it looked like a mirror ball of the Union Street in Ryde but when you look at it carefully its actually a picture of the street from days gone by - the 1950's I would guess. Quite an interesting trick for the eye!

View Satellite Image of Union Street @ Google Maps.

Godshill Cottage

Thatched cottages in Godshill. So named after the church which is on the hill behind this cottage. Godshill is one of the major tourist attractions on the island due to the thatched cottages and model village. The place is full of tourists in the summer yet completely empty in winter, even though it doesn't lose its charm.

View Satellite Image of Godshill @ Google Maps.

Old Railways

Many years ago the Isle of Wight had a large rail network, running from Ryde to Ventnor (in the South) and all the way to Yarmouth and Freshwater in the West. These were the days of steam trains - popular and used by many people in their hayday but then all of a sudden the popularity disappeared. The picture shows one former rail line near Yarmouth.

The Isle of Wight railway c.1948.

Now, all the tracks have been removed apart from the Ryde to Shanklin route, which has a former London Underground train running it! There is one line still using steam, from Smallbrook to Wooton, running during the summer (The Havenstreet Railway).

The Isle of Wight railway c.2006

Personally I think its quite sad that all the railways were lost over the years. It would have been a very pleasant experience, taking the train all over the Island instead of having to ride in noisy buses on the bumpy Isle of Wight roads.

View Satellite Image of location @ Google Maps
You can clearly follow the old track.

View Satellite Image of Havenstreet Railway @ Google Maps
With one of the steam trains in the station!

Trees and Hills

Some more of the beautiful scenery the Isle of Wight is famous for.

Treelined roads

This is a typical 'treelined road' you can find on the Isle of Wight - very picturesque and colourful ;)

Tea and a flower

A tea room right in the center of Ventnor town. Picturesque but perhaps a little noisy?

View Satellite image of this location @ Google Maps.

The Old Curiosity Shop

An intriguing shop window in Ryde. Kind of 'a shop window within a shop window'.

Ryde Castle

Continuing the theme of authentic english pubs - well, this isn't quite so authentic, but I thought I`d feature it anyway!

View Ryde Castle @ Google Maps.

The Battery Inn

Another traditional local pub in Ryde. Located at the far Eastern end of the seafront, you`ll find 'The Battery Inn' which is in a perfect position, next to the seafront with fantastic sea views and the chance to sit outside and enjoy the sea air. Located on a quiet road the runs to Seaview, it has plenty of character and charm.

View Satellite image of 'The Battery Inn' @ Google Maps.

Fast Cat Ryde

This is Fast Cat Ryde, one of the high speed catamarans that run from Portsmouth to Ryde and v.v. This was taken when it was leaving Ryde Pier Head, leaving a cloud of diesel smoke behind it. This is one of the new
'Cats' that run the route, with coffee bar (which seems to open when it feels like) and you can even walk around on it (you weren't allowed to walk around on the old 'cats').

View Satellite image of location @ Google Maps.
This image shows one of the old cats arriving at the pier head.

The Road Sign

A road name sign, found at the beginning of one of the streets in Ryde. The sign is so full of 'Victorian' character and charm and the spiders web just adds to that.