Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight - Aug 2024
Changed; 07-09-2024, 06-09-2024
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HF Holidays 24-31 August - I had previously visited in the early 1990s and probably another house such as the one run by CHA, Shanklin in 1969 on a school holiday. Each time for a week.
I think I visited in about 1961 by paddle steamer as a small boy. I went with Dad to see the giant steam engine, con-rods operating vertically with the giant crankshaft below. I wanted Mum to come as well, which shows how particularly young I was. Many Paddle Steamers or were being or had already been taken out of service when I was born. The Embassy and the Consul paddle steamers were still running between Portsmouth and Ryde until 1967.
The engine's horizontal layout does not fit with my memory from when I was three. Memory changes over time seem tuned to collecting and correcting information rather than keeping together details of reminisces.
The Embassy Side Wheel Paddle Steamer (not my picture)
The boats that connect with trains are run by Wight Link.
Zodiac rubber dingy reminds me of The Clipso, from TV World About Us, underwater sea life documentaries.
Limington Pier rail transfer to the Ferry.
Narrow marked route leaving Limington.
Isle of Wight in the distance.
Freshwater Bay - I have put my bag in my room then went out, had a vegan ice cream in the café behind me.
Dimbola museum and café is just behind me.
I have under exposed the picture on the right. Bay House is out the right window, where I am staying.
The museum features portraits of the famous and set classical scenes. But not the very skilful art of Victorian printing, processing, chemistry of photography.
Can sit and look out to sea all day every day, it changes and is beautiful.
Saturday - train ferry and bus ran fine. I visited the Dimbola photographer's museum at Freshwater bay. The museum is about art photography, lots of portraits of many people of classical themes but not the process or technicalities of taking pictures which are excellent.
£3 bus ticket on the Needles Breezer is about the cheapest way without a senior bus pass.
It was very windy, and the trees have grown bent by the wind. But it is much more windy near the tip of the needles.
I was the slowest walker most days. The option 1 walks are timed to accommodate that.
Sunday walked to the needles and visited Tennyson monument, discussed his famous ironic poem The Charge of the Light Brigade, about war and pointless death. The fort was ever so windy at the needles, the long closed down British rocket programme operated from here, I believe that British rockets were more economically made than others.
Freshwater bay before we leave on the coach for today's walk is just fine.
Cows in the distance (not Cowes) and the lighthouse, which part of its history was that its height was reduced so it could be seen.
A very old post box used as a letter box.
Fellow walkers boot first aid with a bandage and glue.
Some of the group, I did not know what I would get holding the camera above my head, but I called out then took the picture quickly. This picture did not work out well, though I did get everyone looking my way unselfconsciously as I wanted.
The pub allowed us to eat our packed lunches and we drank their beer and coffee. HF don't attract younger people have been the concern for decades and the cyclist are not part of our group.
Ventnor gardens briefly on the way to the café and the coach pick us up.
Monday - walked Blackgang Chine to Ventnor. This part of the coast erodes at the fastest rate of any part of our coast.
Swiss Chalet, in the grounds of Osbourne house.
Café at Newport bus terminus had a vegan cake. This was one of the of few occasions an opportunity came to have a cake or a scone.
Tuesday - visited Osborne House by myself. Handing in your bus ticket you get a 20% discount for not using the parking, but my proof of age, which is over 65, did not provide any more discount. £20 plus four buses, it is very well worth a visit.
Life must be so uninteresting without having anything to look forward to, because you have it already. Evidently humans adapt, they have a safe "bolthole" then go out on dangerous adventures, but extremely rarely give up their bolthole, wealth and go truly native in some place with just nature and so-called "primitive" self-sufficiency.
The tall building in the middle distance was originally a work house. It has been an asylum and is now flats, I think?
HF dinner offers a vegan option for most menu items.
Wednesday - Shorwell to Carisbrooke castle. The priory's tearoom is very nice, cool and tranquil.
When I first came to Bourton on the Water, HF holidays in 1988 there was a room reserved as a Chappel, a vegetarian option on the menu but no bars, some dormitories and locks were being introduced on bedroom doors in the houses. Both CHA and HF holidays had similar Christian based ethic. By 1995 HF had modernised all its houses years earlier, but CHA had not done that and was declining with a few good and many poor houses and poor standards. HF also got the best reviews but standard particularly for vegetarians become poor in some houses, I gossip among members changed to feedback stopped being read and acted on. I believe the new menu system and feedback has resulted in things now running properly again. I became worried about the food served as I do have food sensitivities and just not liking it any more and stopped going with HF in 1997 or 98. I returned to HF in 2022, it is now the best company of its type again.
That is when I visited Freshwater Bay HF before lumpy custard at every meal time was something to laugh about because it would be corrected promptly, which it was.
Smartphone ech? Stopped it at the end of the walk, but this time my coach ride was appended. The walk took place at the right-hand side of the picture.
Thursday - East IOW Brading - Bembridge - Sandown saw an IOW train, it sounded like an underground train, which they are. Lovely sandy beaches.
Friday - Stayed around Freshwater Bay. Had a beer at the Lifeboat station café, it is not connected with the national lifeguard organisation but is locally sponsored. The Gate café has long opening hours, a choice of two vegan ice creams. I also swam in the lovely pool which HF holidays have at their house.
I walk the slowest and the shortest walk this day moved a lot quicker without me consequently. Many from the longer walks also switch to the short walk in the last two days.
Vintage Scooter weekend when I arrived
Some were still on the island on Friday
Saturday - Return home options, to share taxi's back to the port's this was a cheaper option, walk then use one service bus, use two service buses or buy a Rover ticket and use the Needles Breezer which I did. The Breezers have a commentary; A 17th century inventor named Hook invented the watch balance wheel, among other things. Tennyson lived in the region and his monument is placed there and lots of famous people visited. There is still one British made rocket launched satellite from the Needles in 1971 in space. Rocket making ceased, until another Rocket was launched last year from Cornwall. UK Satellite design and manufacture probably never stopped since 1952.
Bus - ferry and train trip home. I put a complaint in about the toilets on one of the SWR trains.
I swam in the pool on Friday, then took this photograph from HF Bay house.
My Camera's;
Cannon IXUS 6.0 takes lovely correct colour pictures, I run it semi-automatic which does not provide the flexibility I would like though but the camera is small, and it has a very good lens.
The Doro 8030 smartphone camera is also quite good but applies a green tone, and a UV filter which reduces haze which can spoil a picture if it is the haze you want to capture, but it does not correct for indoor or outside photography.
Toney the manager has been at this house for 50 years this year as the manager I think?
Both CHA and HF used to host school holiday trips, such as the one I went on when I was 10, in 1969. Both companies accommodation included dormitories then, which was a popular option at that time.
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