Isle of Wight weekend

0Ross • 1st Sep 2009 • Living • biking, food, Friends, holidays, isle of wight, motorbikes, summer, travel, vacation

Helen and I spent the long weekend motorbiking around the Isle of Wight with some good friends who are also bikers. We all had a great time, and the weather held wonderfully. I can wholeheartedly recommend:

• The Lake Hotel, Bonchurch – although this wasn’t our first choice of accommodation, the Lake has some great lounges, a lovely garden and the perfect location
• The New Inn, Main Road, Shalfleet – a charming country pub in a lovely spot, with local food, good beer and raised decked area to the rear
• Cachalot Charters – fishing trips from Bembridge marina, £26 for four hours mackerelling and sea angling
• The Tea Shop in Freshwater Bay – proper clotted cream and a nice garden, although the tea was a little disappointing
• The Military Road – running along the south-west coast of the island, this road is a blast on bikes – with stunning views towards the Needles if you’re heading West

I was less keen on The Spyglass, a pub on the front at Ventnor, which had Ringwood beer and huge portions of hearty pub food, but was a bit crowded and dark; the Pond Café in Bonchurch, which had top-class food (and prices) but disinterested service, despite having only five tables; and Red Funnel ferries, which, despite good onboard accommodation and a good outward crossing, made a total hash of loading the ferry out of Cowes on the return leg. I would also advise strongly against riding pillion on the back of a Suzuki GSXR, especially after a wine-tasting. Some photos will appear on Flickr soon.