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A streaming media
and poetry site
When
you do want to venture out of the house there is plenty to do and
see.
Different in character from other seaside resorts, Ventnor started life
as a Victorian spa town. Our holiday cottage on the cliffs is 101 years
old, but was brought thoroughly up-to-date around five years ago.
Ventnor is a very friendly and beautiful little town on the south coast
of the Isle of Wight. There are Churches of many denominations in the
town, or not too far away. The whole town is built on ledges in the
side of the cliffs and our cottage is on one of the highest ledges,
almost as high as you can get. In fact, the highest point on the Isle
of Wight is just a short distance away on Boniface Down at Bonchurch.
Ventnor is well supplied with everything a holidaymaker could desire,
with plenty of shops, pubs,
restaurants, etc. In fact,
arguably the best chippy on
the island is right at the end
of our road, a mere two
minutes walk away from the
cottage.
Also handy is a little general store. In the middle
of town, Ventnor has a Somerfields (Co-op)
and there is a good
selection of other shops, including interesting antique,
special
interest and bric-a-brac.
There is also a good selection of friendly
pubs, cafes, and restaurants,
many of which
specialise in locally caught
seafood, including fresh lobster and
crab. Nearby, Steephill Cove is
famous for one of these
restaurants, but it's important to book early here. And. incidentally,
"Steephill" is a bit of an understatement.
There's excellent sunbathing and swimming at the Western
Esplanade
with it's half sand half very fine shingle beach.
Alongside the
beach is a paddling pool.
In the evening there is excellent
family entertainment at the Winter
Gardens. In addition to Ventnor
golf club, (situated behind the house), there is Angling from the shore,
and badminton, bowling,
cricket, rugby and football clubs.
At the western end of the
promanade, paths lead up to Ventnor
Park where there is a putting
green and acres of lawns and
flowers, with sweeping views over the
bay.
Further round the bay is the Botanical
Gardens, a subtropical
paradise with a Meditteranean terrace, 100-year-old palm trees, a
medicinal herb garden, and the Temperate house which contains many
exotic plants. Next to the gardens is the Museum
of smuggling
history.
There is also mini-indoor bowling, a paddling pool, petanque, and
several tennis courts. On the seafront, there is an arcade as well as
shops and cafes. And at the end of the beach there is, amongst others,
the renowned Spy Glass Inn,
where the food is good and
plentiful.
There are band concerts in Ventnor Park, which you can look down on
from the house. Each year in April the town hosts a very successful
international Jazz Festival, as well as the famous Isle of Wight "Pop"
Festival in June
Other annual events include a Handycraft
exhibition in May; the Crab
Fayre on May Bank Holiday
Monday; cricket week
in May/June; Niton Mackerel
Fayre in June; the Carnival
in August; the Chale Show
in August; open-air Shakespeare
at the Botanic Garden in August; and Isle
of Wight Fell Running
in September. Also in September there is the Cycling
Festival, and we mustn't forget
Blackgang Chine Fantasy Theme
Park which is open daily from
Easter to October.
The Round the Island Yacht
Race passes the house at the
beginning of June.
Here
are some photographs I took of the event.
both
taken from our terrace.
