I have been researching the web for a 3 night visit to the IOW. I have the Rail/air train connection from LHR via Woking to Portsmouth Harbour then the ferry to Ryde Pier Head. This would be on a Sat. in early May. We would be returning by train to London to the Bloomsbury area on a Tuesday around noon.

Question: What would be the price of this rail/ferry/bus trip? I can't seem to find the fares listed on their website. We will not want to buy the tickets ahead of time due to the logistics of getting out of LHR, Terminal 4.

Question: Has anyone stayed at Yelf's in Ryde? Is it noisy being on the main street?
Is there another recommendation in the Rdye area? We would like a fairly modern place within walking distance of eating places.

Question: We have a rental car (automatic) reserved for GBP66 for two days. Reasonable?

Our two days will be spent, besides recovering from jetlag, visiting Osbourne House, and a day trip around the island.

Question: What should be included on the daytrip as far as scenery, historic places, short walks? Also how far in miles is it around the coastal road from Ryde?

Thanks so much--Margo

I can perhaps make a few suggestions on what you should make an effort to see but suggest strongly that when you get to Ryde go directly to a tourist bureau and pick up some maps and sight-seeing ideas.

Going back in memory ( I have only been to the Island twice very long ago when we stayed at Chale Abbey)
I remember going to Blackgang Chine. This was a gorge with lush growth and little waterfalls - at least I think it was!

Also went to the 'coloured earths' down a cableway onto the beach at Alum Bay.
This is close to a wonderful sight called 'The Needles' which are white rocks jutting up from the sea bottom.

There is also Tennysons Down where he wrote or thought about his poetry.

You must go to the little village of Godshill and it's church. I remember this to be particularly pretty and covered in flowers.

Maybe if you have time left you could make it to Carisbrooke Castle built in the 11th century. It's most famous prisoner was Charles 1 in 1647 and was found trying to escape when he got stuck between the prison bars!

I wish you a really happy visit - the Island should be so pretty in May.

www.nationalrail.co.uk quotes £25.90 for a standard single through ticket from Woking to Ryde. Since the railair service to Woking is run by National Express coaches, I suspect buying a through fare from them might add something on for the rail/ferry element, but you could ask them at the airport.

From my memories of childhood holidays there in the [cough] 1950s, I'd second tod's suggestions. You also have Yarmouth Castle, but Carisbrooke is much the more striking (it also features in Moonfleet, a 19th century adventure story still available today).

>>>>>>
quotes £25.90 for a standard single through ticket from Woking to Ryde.
>>>>>>

....and figure £10 additional for the railair coach from LHR to woking. it used to be £8 but it's now 9 or 10. this coach leaves now from the central bus station at LHR...not very convenient. they raised the price at about the same time that they stopped the kerbside pick-ups/drop-offs at each terminal. less service...higher price...welcome to 'great' britain!

The National Rail web site shows journeys from Heathrow via Woking. The one-way fare for Heathrow-Ryde seems to start at £33.30 (it's a bit more at peak times). It might be better to buy a return (round trip) ticket from Woking to Ryde. When returning from Portsmouth to London, you'd need to buy a ticket from Woking to London which you could do at Portsmouth station so that you you would not need to get off the train at Woking (all Portsmouth-London trains stop there). You could also save money by getting a railcard.

Thanks for the train fare information--I am still confused but I think that I would need a round trip ticket Woking to Ryde (includes passenger ferry ride) and a one way bus trip LHR to Woking and a one way train Woking to London Waterloo. Can someone come up with a cost? Also the Southwest Train website says that the bus still picks up at LHR, Terminal 4, outside arrivals at Bus stop 14 (as well as Terminals 1,2,and 3) at least until May 19, 2007.

So any answers to my other questions?

Skip Blackgang Chine - it's been made into a theme park. Shanklin Chine is OK but much smaller than it looks in the advertising - kind of underwhelming. I agree Godshill is pretty, but it tends to get overwhelmed with tourists.

I second Carisbrooke Castle.

I'd also recommend visiting Newtown, where there's a nice walk around a nature reserve on the remains of an abandoned medieval village.

sorry margo...i believe the coach does still stop at terminal 4 (as it is quite removed from the rest of the airport) but not the other terminals. since you are only using terminal 4, that's all that matters to you. sorry for bad info. unless they started stopping again at 1-3, the website is wrong. but as someone else said, national express runs the line, not the train system so they may be behind.

i would budget about £70 for the journey that you describe (£32 ryde to waterloo, 25 woking to ryde, 10 LHR to woking). generally, there is little or no advantage in price with a return ticket ('round trip') unless it is within the same day...there are exceptions to this but i would doubt if you would find that as the case on this route.

Hi Margo,

All the fare info is on National Rail website.
Standard day single between Heathrow and Woking on Railair is £9.00
Saver return between Woking and Ryde Esplanade is £40.50 (including Wightlink FastCat)
Standard day single from Woking to Waterloo is £8.00

Yelfs is situated on the main street, Union Street where there are plenty of pubs, shops and restaurants. Saturday night will be busy on Union Street. Yelfs is attached to a popular bar (Bar 53), in the summer this can be noisy as they have an outside patio. It depends how sensitive to noise you are and if you want to be tucked up in bed early (and if your room is on the street)! Ryde's pubs and bars tend to close around midnight at the weekend (Sunday and Monday nights will be much quieter - assuming it is not bank holiday weekend May 5/6) Did you consider Ryde Castle? This is in a quieter area on the seafront, but easy walking distance (a few mins) to Ryde's restaurants and shops.

I have no idea if that is reasonable for car hire - seems ok!

For your daytrip around the island I would recommend going towards the southwest of the island - driving the coast road from Shanklin/Ventnor around to West Wight (The Needles/Alum Bay/Totland).

A suggested drive: first drive through Shanklin, old village here is pretty with thatched pubs etc. (Shanklin Chine here is pretty but in my opinion there's better to see later on). Then continue to Ventnor - lovely victorian "resort" (my favourite) with shingle beach. Nice stroll here along coast south from Ventnor to Steephill Cove (approx 1 mile - follow coast path signs) and Botantic Gardens (up a steep hill from Steephill Cove!). Little cafes at the cove and in the gardens.

Then continue along coast road - the scenery along the road between Blackgang and Freshwater Bay is lovely. (Though agree Blackgang Chine is a theme park and not worth visiting) Freshwater Bay is a nice little cove maybe worth a stop for a drink at the pub by the water - lovely views. You can take a walk from Freshwater Bay up to Tennyson Down, look back towards Freshwater for fantastic views (again, follow coast path signs). If you can make it further, there are great views the other way too.

Next you could visit the Needles, Alum Bay with its coloured sands but beware its a bit of a tourist trap, despite pretty scenery. Or Yarmouth is a nice little harbour town/village with interesting shops.

Then you could drive back to Ryde the quicker way, via Newport, stopping off at Carisbrooke Castle if you have time. (This route also goes past Newtown as suggested by another poster).

You could do this drive in around 2 and a bit hours without stopping, so could fill it out to a whole day with a few stops nicely.

Not specific to your questions but I found this website especially helpful when I was doing some research for friends on the Isle of Wight:
http://www.islandbreaks.co.uk/

You Fodorites are so good. Within 24 hours my questions were answered and I can now proceed with my plans for visiting IOW. One little item--how far is the walk from Ryde Pier Head to the Ryde Castle Hotel? We will have a large rolling suitcase to lug (or roll!). We would not need to get the rental car until the next morning if we can get to the hotel by walking.

I've got a ticket to Ryde,
And I don't care.

If you take the train down the pier (from Ryde Pier Head to Ryde Esplanade - include it in your through ticket - its only 1/4 mile ride, but worth it if you have luggage), then walking from the Esplanade station is a flat 2-3 minute walk along the seafront (eastwards). It is easy to do with a rolling suitcase. It is easier to walk to Ryde Castle than Yelfs actually, asUnion Street is quite a steep hill.

Thanks optimystic. That means that we get off the ferry and get on a train at Ryde Pier Head? They are close together?

I think we will stay at Ryde Castle even though the reports on Tripadvisor are mixed.

Yes very close together. After walking off the ferry you should see signs to "Trains", just follow these - the ferry terminal and train station are basically the same place. The trains are timed with the ferry schedule so a train should leave a few minutes after you disembark the ferry. The trains used on the island are old London tube trains some of which have dinosaurs painted all over them which most people find very amusing!

Wherever you stay in Ryde you should do this as otherwise you will have to walk down the pier to get to Ryde.

When you come off the train at Ryde Esplanade and into the bus station, walk to your left (east) along the seafront and you should see Ryde Castle - its very distinctive.

I haven't seen the rooms at either Yelfs or Ryde Castle, but both have a good reputation on the island.

Thank you all for the advise given. I feel much more confident about getting from LHR to IOW inspite of my jetlagged state. I have booked a seaview room at the Ryde Castle Hotel (though I was told that there is a road between the hotel and the sea!). Also rented a car for two days. My friend and I will then try to see as much of Optimystic's road trip as possible. Any other suggestions will be appreciated as well.

Margo

PS. Maybe I should start another thread but when we get to London, what is that favorite theater production these days?

Hi Margo,

glad we have helped! I'm sure you will find the journey from LHR to the island easier than anticipated.

Re Ryde Castle it is on Ryde seafront (or "esplanade&quot but the road is between the seafront area and the hotel. There aren't many hotels on the island that are directly on the seafront because this is the case in most of the island towns. But you should still have a nice view.

I would start a new thread about theatre in London, as then you will get lots more input (for what its worth, the last production I saw was the Sound of Music in December. Its my favourite musical and it has been done really well (it just opened in November and it's on at the London Palladium)

Not sure if this is your thing but I think its possible to sail in the solent from Cowes daily might make a good day out if sunny and May it should be warm enough

£66 is good price. Note fuel is just short of £2/litre so a full tank sets you back £45 to 60 depending on size. Might make you chose a smaller engine/diesel (feels like gas but starts slightly differently and could get you 45mpg (note gallons and litres..)

Actually fuel is currently priced at around 90p/litre - nothing like £2!!

Distances on the island are not great - I imagine you won't spend more than £20 on fuel for your couple of day trips.

Sorry what a typo to make yes 90p to £1.

IOW very small so fuel on it hard to spend.

UK large island so very easy to rack up the bills