3 June 2014 (cloudy cool morning, mild, sunny afternoon)

Woke at six this morning, but dozed until 7.30am. Another enjoyable breakfast, must admit our breakfasts always were the best meal of the day when we toured years ago.  Sat around talking for a while before taking ourselves over to the bar/restaurant where we plug into their internet access. This time we would spend a couple of hours trying to skype  the  kids (without success ) and check on ferry prices to the continent.

Decided that today we’d take a trip into Newport, the largest town on the island. By the time we got there it was 1.30pm and we were ready for something to eat.  Found a J D Weatherspoons pub doing a steak meal and drink (such as a wine in Ju’s case, or a pint of guiness in mine.) for just £7.  Very filling and good value.  After wandering around town for a while, checking out some of the shops Ju and I decided that we were going to cycle up to the port of Cowes (perhaps one of the most famous names in sailing), then after a very quick ferry ride, to East Cowes on the other side of the river, head back to Bembridge.

Nice cycling to begin with alongside a river on a cycle track with no traffic and completely flat.  Once we’d crossed the river on the ferry however, we got stuck on the A road for about two kms and just decided to go up a quiet looking road and were very pleased with ourselves when we discovered it lead onto one of the island’s cycling routes.  

Whippingham Church

Cycled through the village of Whippingham which had quite a spectacular church for a small village and through some lovely country lanes eventually coming back out onto the A road.  We crossed right over it and found the cycle route again – the signposting was terrible.  It was up hill and down dale all the way back to Bembridge but no more A roads, although some of the sections of road were quite busy nonetheless. The roads all over England are narrow at the best of times, but when you get idiots trying to overtake a cyclist on blind bends, with nowhere to go it gets very dicey, so a few passing motorists got the odd mouthful from me.  Generally British drivers are excellent and extremely courteous, but as in all countries it only takes one to cause serious harm. 

Rode past Osbourne House, the summer home of Queen Victoria and the place she exiled herself to when Prince Albert died. She mourned him for three years and never left the house, still if you saw how big it was, it probably took her that long to find her way out.

37km later we arrived back at the site and a delicious stir fry, cooked by our chef…..Dools…!

Settled in for the rest of the night with some chatter and some tele, its World Cup year, so everything is centred around England, they do this every world cup and every world cup……….they’re rubbish…!

And so to sleep……..per chance to dream…….!