← All articles · United Kingdom · 9 June 2012

Isle of Wight

A June 2012 day on the Isle of Wight: across the Solent with Wightlink, the brick arches of Quarr Abbey, wallabies, a kookaburra and clifftop paths.

In June 2012 we rolled onto a Wightlink ferry at Portsmouth and gave the Isle of Wight a proper day out: an abbey, a wallaby, a kookaburra and a clifftop path or two.

Wightlink sign reading Welcome to The Isle of Wight above a blue sign for Tesco Extra Ryde on the A3055 Brading Road — Welcome to the Isle of Wight, and, with equal ceremony, to Tesco Extra Ryde. The island covers all bases.

The cupola-topped tower of Portsmouth Cathedral rising over rooftops under heavy grey clouds — Leaving the mainland: Old Portsmouth and its cathedral tower under a suitably dramatic sky.

Inga and Dileep on the ferry deck with a white Wightlink fast catamaran crossing the Solent behind them — On deck mid-Solent while a Wightlink catamaran does the same crossing in half the time. No regrets; the slow boat has the views.

The brick nave of Quarr Abbey church with layered pointed arches and rows of wooden chairs, a robed monk standing near the entrance — Quarr Abbey, a church built almost entirely of brick arches. A monk kept a quiet eye on proceedings.

White stone statue of a robed monk drinking, set against a tall green hedge beside a fenced path — In the abbey grounds, a statue committed to the longest drink in Christendom.

Terracotta relief panels on a brick wall showing monks building a church, with organ pipes and a congregation in the side panels — The abbey story told in terracotta: builders in the middle panel, organ pipes on the right.

Visitors bending down to stroke a wallaby on a gravel path between wooden rails at a small wildlife park — The island also stocks wallabies. This one worked the queue like a professional.

Inga in a blue jacket crouching to stroke a young wallaby beside a paddock fence — Inga making a small marsupial friend.

A kookaburra perched on a bare branch inside an aviary — A kookaburra, several hemispheres from home, refusing to laugh for us.

Inga on a clifftop path with hedgerows, a hazy sea and a distant white sail behind her — Up on the cliffs, where the path forks and both options look correct.

Silver light breaking through a blanket of cloud over the sea and a long curve of coastline — The sea putting on its evening show as the coast curls away below.

Back on the ferry we agreed the island had over-delivered. For more of the English coast, try Brighton or head west to Torquay.