Free Things to do on The Isle of Wight
Coming to the Island with your family doesn’t need to be expensive. If you know where to go you will discover that there’s more than enough to keep you and your family occupied without having to spend a penny , read on to discover some of the many free things to do on the Isle of Wight.
First of all, the Island has some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK, with fantastic rockpooling opportunities, particularly in Bembridge, Seaview, Ventnor and Compton. Many of the beaches here are tree lined, providing welcome shade on blisteringly hot summer days. No two beaches feel the same, each one has it’s own unique charm and topographical features. You could easily spend a whole week going from cove to cove discovering different seaside days out along the way.
The Red Squirrel Trail
However, if you’re not a fan of the beach there are plenty of walks across country or along the coast that you can do. One of the best walks, largely undisturbed by traffic, is the Red Squirrel Trail. This trail really is worth researching and reading up about before you visit as it passes several other free attractions along the way (more on this later).
The trail runs from East Cowes along the old railway line to Newport, in the centre of the Island, where you then follow the river Medina before joining up with another old railway line which takes you all the way to Sandown where you can have a well earned ice cream on the beach.
There is a short on-road section you can take from Shanklin which links up again to another railway path section leading to Wroxall, from where you can cycle to Appuldurcombe House, finishing up in Merstone, home of The Garlic Farm.
Appuldurcombe House is free to visit and was once the grandest house on the Isle of Wight, standing as a great example of English Baroque architecture. The house is now largely in ruins but this doesn’t make it any less interesting to visit. Many wonderful architectural details remain and the ruins provide the perfect place for children (or adults) to play hide and seek. There’s also extensive grounds to wander around and explore. If you go to Appuldurcombe House by car you can park for free in a designated car park about 150 metres from the house
The Garlic Farm
The Garlic Farm is a wonderful place nestled in the Arreton valley where you can enjoy a number of free activities. Parking is free for visitors and, once there, you can explore the farm’s grounds and learn about the history of Garlic. A free walk and talk around the farm is planned during the IOW Biosphere Festival, held over 9 days at the end of June/beginning of July. Read our blog on the IOW Biosphere here.
All year round you can sample free tasters of the farm’s delicious produce, all of which are available in the farm shop on site. There’s a dedicated play area for children and red squirrels, peacocks and Highland cows all roam the farm, which can be exciting and educational for children to see and interact with.
Ticket to Ryde
If you’ve travelled over on the catamaran or hovercraft into Ryde there are a couple of great free attractions right on the doorstep. Ticket To Ryde, which is happens over the late May Bank Holiday weekend, is a free mini-festival situated along Ryde seafront boasting loads of live music acts and it is totally free to attend.
The festival is now in its 11th year and organised by Jack Up Events with the support of Ryde Town Council. The festival was set up in order for the community to support Island charities and traders. Tea, coffee, crepes, ale, candy floss and a range of market stalls appear at the event, making it an appealing event for all age groups.
The Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum
The Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum is located on Park Road in Ryde and is also completely free to visit, being run by a group of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. The museum was established in 1997 and has around twenty historic vehicles on display alongside transport artefacts, photographs a cafe and a shop.
As the collection of vehicles grew, the museum moved from its original site at Newport Quay over to the former Southern Vectis depot in Ryde. Built in 1937-38 it is one of only two former bus garages which have survived on the Island. The Ryde Depot was in use up until as recently as 2011 and is interesting to see in it’s own right, demonstrating the design aesthetic of architect H.J.Starkey.
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
In an article about free things to do on the Isle of Wight it would be a major omission not to mention the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, which is located in Wroxall, very close to Appuldurcombe House.
Situated within a 55 acre site, the Sanctuary is home to over 100 donkeys and Shetland ponies. Open all year round you can make the most of free parking and entry, the shop and cafe and beautiful walks and trails through the land. Over the years the Sanctuary has won many awards and visitors can spend a couple of happy hours behind the scenes taking part in the Donkey Experience, helping to care for the donkeys and understand a little bit more about how the Sanctuary works.
The Island is a haven for nature, so there is always something to do and enjoy simply by being out and about. However, there are many structured activities and places to visit which don’t cost a thing, which is a great bonus when on holiday with children who always want something different to do. Having free places to go certainly takes the pressure off and hopefully this article is a great starting point for planning a week or two away.
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