Wight side for a Skylark

Thought it was about time we had a travels with my van post otherwise we end up with a forum that every post is a I have a problem.... So here goes...
If the topic title made no sense then you dont know that our van is Skylark  (see Renovation if Skylark thread) and our wise old sage Woodie lives on the Isle of Wight so now you are fully knowledgable it may make more sense to say that Skylark is on her travels once again and this time to the Isle of Wight. Traveled from South Yorkshire down M1 and A34 to Southampton (235 miles at average 60mph gave 37mpg when qe topped up). Stopped a couple of times to let the dog out, but went fine, no issues at all. Ferry across to Cowes and a 30min trip through beautiful country side we arrived in Ventnor at out appartemnt (although Skylark is a fully fledged camper conversion we use it more like a day van really, one day we may camp). If you want somewhere to take your van, come to the IOW. I'll try and update this durng the week.

Southampton docks waiting of the ferry arrival

Anchors away skipper!

View of Ventnor beach

And one very tired dog after tve first day!

Well done! Time to brush up on your typing skills now?
Glad you got there, and say hi to Sir SW from me but why would you skilfully create a camper and then book an apartment???

Typing mistakes down to Big thumbs syndrome on a small phone keyboard
Anyway, camping out in March? Brrrrrr!
Going to meet up with Sir Woodie this week.

nice post dude

Definitely going to be leading Mr and Mrs Coan astray this week. Two or three eating and watering Hostelries sound like a good idea to me.

There aren't too many places of interest open until Easter but I am sure we can find some. One of my favorite places is Fort Victoria, one of Gladstone's many Folly's. There is a model railway museum there which boasts the largest trainset in the UK. The Tank Museum is small but nevertheless worth a visit.
The Margaret Cameron Photographic Museum in Freshwater is very interesting. She was a Victorian Photographer who took pictures of loads of famous people of her time including Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens at Winterbourne House where I used to live. All old relics like me - before Logi adds that.

A day for using the legs as transport instead of the van today. Walked along the costal path to Bonchurch and back, lunch and a snooze then walked in the opposite direction to Steep Hill Cove (guess where that is at the base off!). Both walks of course included the necessary coffee and cake stops.


View From the coastal path towards Ventnor

The natives were out in force and restless

Steep Hill Cove, Sir Woodie put the roof on the white building in the background

Now hows about this for the Riviera, curving bends down to the seafront. We had squealing tyres comming down yesterday!

When I was a member of the Isle of Wight Car club in the 70's we used to get a Road Closure Permission for 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon and hold a standing start sprint up the Cascade bends.
It was fantastic fun and drew colossal crouds. The start line was at the Millbay Pub and finished on the brow of the hill outside the Winter Gardens Theatre. You then drove out of the town back to the other end of the beach road and come back down to await your next run. We generally got 3 or 4 runs up the Cascade. A great afternoon's entertainment.

Yes, saw in a local paper thats there is an active motorsport scene on the island.

Looks like a great trip, have fun

Well day two started with breakfast or rather a colestarol and caffine boost for me and a sensible choice for Woodie and my wife! Never can resist a full breakfast, english, welsh or scottish! Good to meet up with the wise sage once again, the stories he can tell.
Any way after Stuart had departed we decided to go in search of places open this time of year, first on offer was the Pearl centre (OK if you like pearls, but from my point of view the tea and biscuits in the cafe were OK), then on to Saltwater through rain and high wind on the Military Road which is a tad exposed! Makes life and driving interesting to say the least! Hope to see a photographic museum...but it was shut so we had to make do with a visit to the vets fir out dog who has overdone his althletics on the beach doing an impression of King Canute trying to stop the waves comming in. Anyway, we left with my wallet a whole lot lighter and back along the Military Road again. Just to prove you can get all the seasons in one day on the IOW it ended with blue sky and sunshine (although the waves were still crashing in)

Jimi Hendrix appeared for a short while but it wasnt a Purple Haze more like a grey mist!
Tune in tomorrow for another exciting update!

I suppose today can be classed as a bit of bad and good. Good in that the good weather from the end of yesterday continued to start the day with blue skys but with the cool wind still. We decided to head off in Skylark northwards to Shanklin and Sandown. Botu delightful places in their own way, Shanklin, quaint shops and thatched cottages whilst Sandown is a little more typical holiday seaside. At this time of year both relatively quiet.
Now you were paying attention when I said it was good and bad? Well the bad was tge day started alonrg with blue sky a nice throaty roar crom the van. No I hadnt installed a more.powerful engine (garage wars short on elestic bands and AA batteries) but the exhaust burbling away where it shouldnt. Anyway, Woodie to the rescue and a visit to his friend at Bonchurch garage was arranged for the afternoon. Fortunately it seems that tge hanging bracket seems solid so at worse I'll just have to pretend its a big powerful engine with the noise till I get home. They are going to price up a full system so I'll let you know how that goes.
Getting regular this visit to the garage, we came down to the IOW last year in our Astra that we had at the time and the alternator quit on us...not good and expensive but Sir Woodie came to our rescue with contacts again thankfully. I said todays report would be an exciting one! Cant wait for tomorrow!

The offending exhaust

On the esplanade at Sandown

The pier at Sandown

Lift up from the beach to the cliff top at Shanklin,handy by careful as you come out of the top elevator doors....its a big step at the minute!

Shanklin beach

Time for Tea, just the job in the camper and room to lie down for a nap after lunch.

If you have been following this saga so far well done for persevering!
Todays adventure was delayed a while due to wild weather so yet again by lunch the sky was blue. It did give me chance to sort out a new exhaust to replace the one hat is more holy than a bunch of Sundays. Regis exhaust to the rescue and all lined up for delivery next week, so thats a job for the following weekend. With advice and instructions from Woodie it looks an easy enough job even for me.
So back to the travelog...we walked (we have a dog so walking comes high on our list) to the Ventnor Botanical Gardens, also high on the list is coffee and cake which is recomended at the cafe followed by a beautiful walk in the sunshine back to Steep Hill Cove and Ventnor for an end of day play in the sea.

Morning time, rain, wind and plenty of sea foam and waves

Lunch time, blue sky and warm sunshine

Ventnor Botanic Garden (a small part of it!)

Sorry, that should have shown, tea, coffee, jam scone and chocolate toffee cake but ate it first so you will just have to imagine how it looked and tasted!

Trip out in Skylark to the other side of IOW to Cowes but went via the Garlic Farm. If you want something with garlic then this is the place to go! Everything possible that can be done and with which ever variety you'll find it here. As we found out it can also stink the van out if you buy some!..so be warned
On to Cowes and funnily enough for a sailing port everything was themed or related to sailing...funny that. Comming back across the island proved that the roads are beautiful to drive on, narrow at times (no problem for a hijet or any mini van) and the scenary is stunning, rolling hills, wooded valleys and that thatched chocolate box cottages.
We were heading towards Niton, the home of Sir Woodie of IOW to drop in for a cuppa and natter but diverted to Blackgang Chane (you'll find lots of strange names here) to look at St Catherines Oratory or whats left of it, a trip up a hill to see a stone tower...but the view is worth it.
Last full day tomorrow and one important job to do in the morning, seal the holes in the exhaust for the trip back up north. With 250 miles and a ferry trip I couls do without it falling totally apart and off the van so a bit of bodging to do hence a slight detour to Halfords in Newport this morning.

The IOW attempt at entering the space race

A little ar5istic shot on the beach this morning

Guess what job I will be doing in the morning!

And on the last day....I repaired the exhaust! Think it will last another 6 months now (but will be changing it anyway when new system arrives next week). So after lying on my back for a while we met up with Sir Woodie for the last time this holiday for lunch this time and a natter. What started as a bit overcast turned out into another blue sky and sunshine day, finished off with another walk to Bonchurch and a drink at the Rex bar balcony overlooking Ventnor for stunning views.
Well not quite the end of the day, couldnt resist taking Skylark up and down the steep roads into and out of the bay and record it for posterity. Been a crackng holiday, if you havnt been, come across, you will not be dissapointed.

As someone suggested, no I have not been run over!

Sir Woodie and his trust steed

Sir Woodie and his crew

Followed this thread with interest,loverly photos and video nice to be able to put faces to names,have a safe journey home/

Looks like you've been having fun, good the weather held for you, that wee van has done a load of miles since you finished it. Keep up the good work

Excellent. Looking forward to visiting when I can. My ancient eddy can't travel far now so restricted to staying at home for the time being.

All good things must come to an end and so do my ramblings of this adventure. Just a few odd photos I didnt post before. The exhaust managed to hold itself together on the trip home and apart from the buffeting wind for about half the journey we ended up with a grand total of 580 miles for the trip. Hope this has s maybe encouraged a few more to venture further afield.

Heading back to Blighty

The good ship Red Falcon

Exhaust bodge job! Made it back home which was all that mattered.

Cant remember is that was sunrise or sunset, nice shot anyway.

Just look at the grin on that. Was so much fun going up and down that hill.

One last time on the sea front

Speed, get the right gear and up she goes!

That looks familiar.

[quote="elfin girl"]Excellent. Looking forward to visiting when I can. Myhome ancient eddy can't travel far now so restricted to staying at home for the time being. [/quote]

Time you divorced Ancient Eddie and got a younger model. Oh of course you are talking about your Quadraped friend - or is that your present old and knackered male partner after all??

Definitely the prettiest Hi-Jet on the Forum at the moment.

Brilliant, Raggy - great travelogue. I've been over the water a few times but never in a Hijet. Had a great afternoon/evening on the last occasion a good few years ago in the Spyglass, watching the sea, wind and rain. One of the first times was as a kid with my granny who regularly visited the HF place in Freshwater. Only disappointed that you didn't get Woodie to do his engine-carrying party trick for you but I expect the quacks have told him to stop doing it!

Ha, yes the Spyglass is still there. Think Woodie realises his limits these days...well most of the time