BE A FRESHWATER, YARMOUTH & Experience sustainable transport 6 ITINERARIES It’s easy to explore the using sustainable transport. Here are a few ideas for fun local days out – no car required!

SCENIC ROUTE Get into the holiday mood and take a trip on a bus - any singing of ‘Summer Holiday’ is entirely optional. If you catch the route 12 bus from Freshwater to Newport, you’ll enjoy some of the best views of Island as you potter through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This really is a jaw-droppingly 1spectacular part of the Island and you can see it all from the comfort of your seat, without having to worry about mirror, signal, manoeuvre etc.

During the summer, you can take your pick from several open top buses that will take you on a journey to remember. Breezer, run by , gives you incredible views over the world-famous Needles and takes you right up the side of a cliff. Alternatively get a ticket to (on an Island Coaster) and stop off at glorious for cake-o-clock at the fancy Royal Hotel.

At Yarmouth, you can enjoy a meal served on sizzling Volcanic stones at On the Rocks. Plates will never seem the same again.

TRAIL TIME You can’t put a foot wrong on the Isle of Wight. Wherever you go, there are fantastic walks, and around Freshwater is a great place to start. Within minutes, you’ll be enjoying breathtaking views over the English Channel, across to the mainland (we call it ‘the Big Island’). You could 2explore the magnifi cent Downs on the Towering , follow in the steps of Warrior the War Horse on the Warrior Trail, go on the Discovering Dinosaurs walk, or visit landmarks that were important to Sir Winston Churchill on the Churchill Trail – there’s an amazing range of trails to follow, and you can pick up leafl ets at the Visitor Information Centre in Newport or at Tourist Information Points around the Island.

If walking up a steep hill isn’t challenging enough, try running up. The Isle of Wight’s Festival of Running in early June incorporates a number of races around this scenic part of the Island – see visitisleofwight.co.uk

ANCHORS AWAY It’s an understatement to say that we like boats on the Isle of Wight. Many of us are obsessed with them and the Island is famous for events including the Round the Island Race, a one-day yacht race which regularly attracts over 1,700 boats and around 16,000 sailors, making it one of the 3largest yacht races in the world. Find out what the fuss is all about by taking a boat around the Needles. Head for The Needles Landmark Attraction, then walk down the path to (or go the fun way – by chair lift). Admire the multicoloured sands as you make your descent, and then catch a little boat out to the Needles. If this seems too tame, then head for Adventure Activities – under their supervision, you can try coasteering, where you basically jump off a cliff!

Go on a fi shing trip with Black Rock Charters and discover the best ways to catch and cook mackerel. That’s dinner sorted!

theneedles.co.uk | isleofwightadventureactivities.co.uk Portsmouth To Southampton

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last train leftP here in the early 50s, and it’s now a rather lovely café called ROCKEN END BINNEL ENGLISH BAY REETH 4Off the Rails. They’ve gotBAY a special menu for dogs, in case you’re bringing your ST CATHERINE’S POINT CHANNELfour legged pal. Right nextHERITAGE to COAST the café is Wight Cycle Hire – choose a cycle and take a leisurely ride along the disused railway line alongside the beautiful Estuary. Watch out for red squirrels playing in the trees, migrating birds taking a little rest, and the impressive old Yarmouth Mill.

Follow the path from Yarmouth to Freshwater, and you’ll end up at the End of the Line Café – this is also in a former railway station, next to the Honnor and Jeffrey Garden Centre on Afton Road, Freshwater.

Check out the ‘signal box’ at Yarmouth station – it’s actually a bird hide.

WALKIES After your dog has fi lled up on treats at Off the Rails, take Rover for his walkies into Yarmouth. Head for the pier, which is reputedly the longest timber pier in the country still open to the public. It was recently restored and the names of all donors who contributed to the 5maintenance of the pier are engraved along its 552 planks.

Alternatively, make a new four-legged friend at West Wight Alpacas – just a short ride on the Southern Vectis route 7 bus towards Newport. You can meet a gorgeous collection of animals including the Suri Alpacas and lovely Llamas. Go on a walk with them, say hello to the Indian Runner Ducks, and pick up lunch from the Llama Tree café bistro.

Visit Newtown National Nature Reserve and admire the Hebridean sheep – their job is to gobble up the tough weeds that prevent wildfl owers from growing.

. BICYCLE ISLAND This is Bicycle Island – and there are exhilarating trails for all abilities ranging from fl at, safe and car-free routes to challenging routes that take you right around the Island, through ancient woodlands, along the coast, and across challenging chalk ridges. You can hire electric bikes from the 6Visitor Information Centre in Newport and we’ll deliver them to your door – see nutsnotto.co.uk.

From Yarmouth, head for Golden Hill Fort. This was built in the 1860s to withstand an attack from the mighty French navy (that never actually happened). Google it, and you’ll fi nd it – it’s now exclusive housing. There’s a steep incline up to the fort, so inexperienced cyclists might prefer to walk that bit.

There are electric bike charging points at Kings Manor Farm shop in Freshwater, Wight Cycle Hire in Yarmouth and pubs in Hulverstone, Ningwood and Shalfl eet.