Fossils Reach Holiday Chalets
Yaverland, Isle of Wight
Walks and Views
You are part of one of the Islands great views! Just 100m to the front of Fossils Reach is the cliff top footpath and fantastic views across Sandown Bay. Our FB page has a number of photo albums that we've taken through the year, particularly the spectacular Sunrises. The Bay faces East and the Winter Sun rises from the sea straight out into the Channel. In the Summer the Sun rises over the cliffs and downs of Culver, but we wouldn't expect any guest to be up at Dawn in June and July!
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The footpath at the cliff top is part of the Coastal Footpath that forms the perimeter of the Island - we're told its a 65 mile walk in total! We're usually content with a walk up the Downs to the Culver Battery, or in the other direction, a walk along the revetment to Shanklin. Our dog, Boo, loves the beach. Below our site, the beach is dog friendly, and on a low tide Boo can run for over a mile (then sleep all day!).
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We would recommend buying the Ordnance Survey "Explorer" map, it has great detail and defines all walks and cycle rides as well as more usual attractions.
If you like a good shipwreck, there is one such up under Culver Cliffs. Its only visible at particularly low tides but is the remains of the steam tug "Harry Sharman". It wrecked in 1971 during the rescue operation of the supertanker "Pacific Glory" which had been grounded in Sandown Bay. The vertical hull spars can still be seen, surrounding the bulky boiler.
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If you do venture up onto Culver Down, the views are panoramic. You can see right across the North of the Island and over the Solent to Portsmouth in one direction and down the coast of the Northern Island as far as Selsey Bill in the other (on a good clear day). At night you can see the coastlines lit locally and the lights of the container vessels moored in the Bay - absolutely stunning.
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Lastly, if your thing is history and you like a fort or gun emplacement, then there's just the thing for you in the middle of our chalet site. There's a 3 position gun emplacement hidden amomgst the chalets, with all manner of underground and half exposed military remains. They all date from the 1860's and the then threat of invasion from France. This and other local fortifications are collectively known as the "Palmerston Forts" and were manned in both World Wars as well as in Victorian times.
Shops
There are shops for pretty much everything you could want, and there are even Superstores on the Island now!
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Local provisions:
Sandown has most everyday shops, but if you've arrived late and need some basics, we'd point you to the Co-op that's part of the fuel station on Avenue Road / The Broadway by the railway bridge towards Brading. Its open until 10 pm most nights.
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Superstores:
There is also a large Morissons in Lake, and an ALDI opposite - take the road towards Newport from the centre of Lake, and it’s less than a mile out of town. We believe they both shut at 8 pm tho'.
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Specialists:
Harvey Browns is an Island co-operative which sells local produce, and can be found at the heart of the Arreton Valley.​
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Coffee shop:
You must visit Cook + Baker, the coffee and cake shop in Godshill. It’s the best coffee shop in the World. It’s run by Roger and Lisa, and Roger’s cakes are the very best. Baked on the premises, fresh from the ovens, and all made with local ingredients. Ian says try a Portuguese tart, then try not to have another one...
Cafes and Bars
We recommend these from personal experience!
Brilliant location on the revetment at Small Hope Beach, Shanklin, great food, and is licensed. Mari & Mark run a lovely cafe, it's dog friendly, and has a loo adapted for access for the disabled. Cant recommend the Salix high enough - suggest you ask what Mark has baked today, and go for that...
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On the Sandown end of the revetment with great food and an alcohol licence. Sit out on the revetment and watch the tide come in – excellent. Try their mixed lunch box offers and you won’t need an evening meal!
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Another superb location, this time on Culver Downs towards the Eastern tip. Amazing views out across the Channel and the Solent. Landlord Tim keeps his beer particularly well, and the pub serves really good pub food, not to mention an incredible Sunday lunch. Well worth the walk up the cliff path from the front of our site, or the slightly convoluted drive inland.
Call 01983 406107 to book a table and mention us!
A really good restaurant with a growing reputation for food, and open for morning coffee too. It’s fully glazed giving all diners views across the Bay.
Call 01983 406875.
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Located on Bembridge airfield, and gaining a reputation for good food and well-kept ales. Do book ahead if you’d like to try it.
01983 873611.
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This pub is in Godshill - where we live - and has won a pub of the year award (2017) and is thought to be one of the best on the Island. It has a good selection of beers, and a varied menu. The pub is very popular, so you may well need to book to eat here. Godshill is worth a visit on its own, the Taverners makes that a must.
Call 01983 840707 to book here.
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Cook + Baker
The finest coffee and cake shop on the Island. Fantastic cakes, brilliant breakfasts and brunches, all made on the premises by Roger and Lisa. All natural ingredients, too. Cook + Baker are on the High Street in Godshill, opposite the village (free) car park. The cafe is an absolute must, don't leave the Island without visiting it at least once.
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On Shanklin's Appley Beach at the foot of Shanklin Chine, this is a 19th Century cottage that has become a bar / restaurant. Fish and chips here is a must. Local beers too.
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The Steamer
Situated on Shanklin Esplanade and with views out across the beaches and Bay, the Steamer's crew have a large selection of meals and beers, and are lovely people too. It's a lovely spot to lose yourself in Shanklin's seaside atmosphere. We recommend the egg mayonnaise sandwiches with a side of fries..
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Besty and Spinkys cafe
This lovely cafe is on Ventnor's rather special sea front at the foot of the Cascades and just back from the Marina. It's next to the iconic Isle of Wight shaped paddling pool. There is a good FullEnglish served here, and our suggestion is to have your breakfast here, then stroll over the road to buy fresh fish or crab from the catch landed this morning.
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from further afield, we recommend:
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Chessell Pottery Cafe
Its on the Island's "Middle Road" between Carisbrooke and Freshwater and has the best selection of home made cakes that we have seen. Coffee and cake, wonderful!
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Dimbola Lodge cafe & museum
If you are driving through Freshwater, stop at the Jimi Hendrix statue and you will be at Dimbola Lodge. It's genuinely "old world" with a decent selection of teas, coffees, and cake. Hidden away upstairs is a museum of photography including a section concentrating on the history of the Isle of Wight Pop Festivals. Dimbola Lodge is well worth finding.
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Artisan Cafe
It's in East Cowes and on the drive away from the Red Funnel ferry terminal. Super coffee and home made pastries are the specialities there, and it now has a growing reputation.
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The Big Kahuna
A beach cafe on Ryde's Esplanade beside the boating lake. Sit here and watch the tide go out (a very long way) and see the Solent in full action. All shipping life is here. There's plenty of parking, loads of seating on the Esplanade, and a motorcycle night every Monday during the Summer. Owner Wayne is always good for a chat.
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Restaurants
We recommend these from personal experience too!
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Another Italian family run restaurant this is one the Esplanade at Ryde. The food is excellent - ask for the pizza Calzone only if you are really hungry!
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A lovely restaurant in Ryde, on the Esplanade, by the boating lake. It's a lovely spot and with wonderful and sometimes unusual food too. It's not widely publicised but there is an upstairs section dedicated to selling local gifts and curios. There's a cool stained glass vendor there that is well worth a visit.
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Cinnamon
A new Indian Restaurant on Shanklin's Regent Street. We have visited and loved the food.
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An excellent Indian restaurant on the High Street in Ventnor. It serves flavour before heat in Ian's opinion.
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A sister restaurant to the Masala Bay, and well worth a visit. It’s here in Sandown too.
01983 400800.
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The Hut (waterfront restaurant)
A little upmarket (you can arrive by yacht!) and over the West Wight at Colwell Bay, is this exceptional seafood restaurant. It lies on the sea wall / revetment and couldn’t be closer to the sea. Truly special, and with top food and top service, you must book in advance.
01983 898637.
Local Activities
The beaches here are fantastic, and if you could, we'd say just go to the beach and sit. Watch the World go by. Perhaps have a coffee, but take a stroll along the strand as the tide goes out, and watch rocks emerge from the water. Maybe sit in a sea front cafe, eat fresh food, have a beer. What more could you want? Well, a paddle, a swim even. Go surfing or sailboarding. Hire a kayak. Enjoy everything the beach offers (then, as we did, move here!) Well, a dream maybe, but try the water-sports, and here's a couple of suggestions..
In Shanklin there is Earth, Wind, and Water (it's next to the Railway station) which sells surf gear, and other outdoor sports goods (I got my wetsuit there).
On the revetment at Shanklin / Lake is Wightwater Sports that offer training in surfing and sail-boarding, including hire of wetsuits etc, and kayaking too.
There are sailing clubs at Yaverland (a short walk from the chalet site) and at Shanklin, and a rowing club at Shanklin.
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The Island has a fantastic number of paths and bridle paths for walkers and for cyclists, and a network of routes that can take you all over the Island. We'd recommend the Sunshine Trail that leaves Shanklin on the old Railway line and takes you to Wroxall and points North and West. These are all reasonably well surfaced and most are relatively flat (not all mind, and you may need to check your map).
Part of staying here is very much becoming part of the beach or countryside, so please take full advantage.
Dinosaur Isle is the local museum for fossil hunters. It’s brilliant. There are superb dinosaur reproductions in a diorama, and masses of local fossils. The story of the geology of the Isle of Wight is really interesting, and there is something for everybody who has any interest in rocks and fossils. It’s a top museum. And it’s on our doorstep, on Sandown seafront.
We would also recommend visiting Jurassic Jim and his Fossil Shop on Shanklin High Street!
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On Sandown sea front lies Sandham Gardens with its kiddies play park (children up to 11 and needing Mum and Dad’s supervision). Next to that is a Dinosaur Crazy Golf course with its animatronic dinosaur, and a live volcano. A SkyNet aerial play park has recently been completed, and that is for the more adventurous youngsters. Mum and Dad can buy an ice cream and watch! Finally, there is a junior go kart track for the under 11s. Ian came 2nd in the under 6 Grand Prix last year... (with our Grandson!).
Future Visits
If you have enjoyed your stay and would consider coming again, and have booked through an agency, please feel able to book with us directly. Booking through agencies is inevitably more expensive than our standard prices, so we should be able to offer our accommodation at a lower price than an agency would quote.
We can offer 4 person accommodation at Fossils Reach (number 106), and 4 person accommodation at Fossils Retreat (number 105). Our chalets are available from March to December.
If you would like to visit as part of a larger group, and would like to reserve our neighbouring 2 chalets, we would be happy to help you.