EAST WIGHT – Restaurants & Activities

RYDE is an old Victorian town that has seen better days really ! You can arrive on the Island here by Fastcat or Hovercraft. It’s best feature is the huge shallow sandy beach all along the front, with cafes and kids playparks behind. Great for kitesurfing too ! There are some quirky shops on the lower High Street leading down to the sea – worthy of a visit for contemporary unusual lovely things – like Crocus, and Beachcomber .

RT’s new contemporary restaurant in a beautiful Georgian house sits right on the seafront, has a lovely outdoor terrace and stylish indoor dining from renowned Island chef Robert Thompson. Catch restaurant down on the beach above Appley cafe does great seafood, get a table on the balcony for fabulous sunset views. Michaelangelos is an excellent traditional family Italian. There are a couple of bars here including The Black Sheep , Artisan Cocktail, and right on the harbour – Harbour House.

The restaurant Fumo33 is a good contemporary family restaurant at the top of the High Street with a nice mediterannean atmosphere. Almost opposite is a lovely deli and café Pickle and Dill.

Just behind the beach, in a huge old oaktree, you can sometimes climb ropes to the top with Goodleaf treeclimbing.

Further along the beach, there is a big old fashioned play park, or you can walk/drive on to Puckpool, with another interesting play park with cool new swings etc for younger kids, tennis courts and crazy golf. Some interesting old war batteries to explore too – and walk through to the end of Ryde beach and have lunch at the bohemian Dell Café. Or round the corner by road is the lovely Boathouse gastropub on the seafront

The new GoKarting track in Ryde is great – particularly for older kids and adults. There is also a big golf driving range and course there too, near the big Tesco’s.

You could get the hovercraft from Ryde back to the mainland ( in 8 mins!) and visit the slightly tacky rollercoaster and amusement park in Southsea, or Seaworld.

Or catch the Wightlink Fast Cat (15 mins) from along the Pier to Portsmouth and visit the historial dockyards with lots of naval interest and the old Victory, the Warrior and the Mary Rose ships to see. Have a little shop right there at the excellent outlet centre at Gunwharf Quays, with a big selection of shops including Ralph Lauren, Gap, Monsoon, Jack Wills, L K Bennett, Superdry, White Company – plus lots of great restaurants.

But if it’s pouring with rain, why not go to a good old fashioned and very cheap cinema – The Commodore in Ryde only £4 per ticket !

NUNWELL Farm has a wonderful farmshop with homegrown meat and various breweries worth visiting, plus a fantastic big open barn with a wood fired BBQ restaurant called Braai, very atmospheric and excellent food featuring local produce.

Visit SEAVIEW  a quintessential english seaside village with some little beachy shops, a gallery and cafes. Have a crab ramekin at the Seaview Hotel, or drinks and good food on the seafront from The Old Fort.

ST HELEN”S Duver is a maze of sand dunes and a good sandy beach at the entrance to Bembridge Harbour. There is the Baywatch cafe on the beach for ice creams and lunches. On the green at St Helens are some good little restaurants, including 33 St Helens and the lovely Sage tearoom.

Tacktisle watersports is also based here in St Helens harbour – with great canoeing, paddleboarding , sailing and segway activities for all. Hire and lessons.

BEMBRIDGE has some good walks along the beaches, a pretty harbour, and interesting lifeboat station and some good restaurants including the Beach Hut, and the Best Dressed Crab on a boat and the fab No 8 deli & cafe in the village centre .

Right beside Bembridge sailing club, on the beach is the cool new Slomo sauna with ice tub, open year round. Plus its own great beach café in the summer.

There are tennis and padel courts at Ryde Lawn Tennis, more tennis courts and pickleball courts at Ryde Mead Tennis Club in the centre of town.

EAST WIGHT ACTIVITIES

TREE CLIMBING – GO-KARTING – PLAYPARKS – PADEL – TENNIS – SAILING – KAYAKING – PADDLEBOARDING – SAUNA – GOLF – WALKING – BEACHES

RESTAURANTS

RT’s – THE DELL CAFE – THE BOATHOUSE – CATCH – BRAAI – MICHAELANGELOS – SEAVIEW HOTEL – OLD FORT – BEST DRESSED CRAB

www.isleofwighttreehouse.com