Up at 074 as needed to be down for breakfast at 0830 as wanted to make the most of the day.
Breakfast was a full cooked english with cereal and toast - very yummy and very filling.
In the car by just after 0900 on the way to Osborne House - the summer home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and all their children. Beautiful huge grounds that led down to the sea. Saw a bathing machine - Victorian woman would go inside and dress in their neck to toes swimsuit and be rolled into the water and would step straight into the sea so no man could see them - bit over the top if you ask me. the grand house was lovely - a bit overdone but not as much as some. A lovely walk down the hill to the Swiss cottage and then back up to the Walled Garden. Spent a very lovely 3-4 hours here and as you can see lots of photos were taken.
Then we drove back towards Totland Bay stopping to take photos across the Solent as many boats and yachts out as a lovely morning although very windy. Then onto Warren Farm a working farm which did cream teas and had been recommended to us by the B&B owners. It was quite delicious - small shop there as well.
Onto the coast to go to The Needles - lots of fun park type stuff there if it wasnt so windy. Unfortunately the cable car wasnt going as it was too windy - shame cos thats what I wanted to do. went to the viewing platform but didnt walk out to The Needles themselves due to the wind.
Drove through some lovely countryside and into freshwater and stopped for a walk along the promenande and then onto the beach. Tried to get MR to stand for a photo also hoping the waves would get him wet but he refused so I had to show him how it was done before he then did it.
Back in the car and we drove around the coast and came across St Catherine's Oratory in Chale Bay. I could see it was up a big hill but after a quarter of the way realsied how big the hill actually was - MR taking great delight in my heavy breathing and insisting on looking after the camera whilst I climbed over the fence and then taking photos of me in the hope that i would fall over it - hah he doesnt realise what an intrepid adventurer I am and that climbing over a fence is nothing to me - more the jeans were a bit tight and dont move that well. He has just informed me having looked up the name of Chale Bay that it is described as a 'breath taking walk' and laughing at me all over again. One day..... The oratory is a medieval octagonal tower which was probably a lighthouse built in 1328 which was a penance for the landowner for stealing from a shipwreck.
Then we continued to drive to Ventnor - took a long walk along the promenade which went for ever - tired by now and still windy but watched the sun go down.
Drove back to Totland Bay thru the middle of the Isle - dark by now and hoping to find somewhere to eat but we didnt and then decided we werent really hungry anyway so had no dinner. Back at B&B we watched Robin Hood Prince of Thieves - very long and 'the song' wasnt on til the credits and then didnt play long enough - reminded me of Diane and Neville's wedding day - nearly 17 or 18 years they have been married.