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Has anyone stayed in Tom's Eco Lodge, Tapnell Farm on the NW corner of Isle of Wight? We have a glamping weekend there with our two (young) kids. The holiday is mainly around the family and stuff to do on the island but I'm taking the CycloCross bike over with me too.
If anyone has any knowledge of the ecolodge or indeed local stuff in around that area, thoughts greatly accepted. I'm also looking to do a 2-3 hour road loop around that corner though ideally with some detours off-road to tracks that the CX can handle. I ride my crosser around the Surrey Hills and am quite adventurous on the terrain that I take it down so keen to do some adventuring on the bike with the road element being to extend the area and make for a bigger overall loop.
Cheers in advance.
Great location!
For CX bike stuff, head up into Brighstone Forest - loads of stuff in there. If you want roadie stuff, then the road along the south coast is stunning but busy, similar with the road between Newport and Yarmouth. Other stuff not so much so if you can avoid those then do!
Stuff to do in the area... Colwell Bay beach (park on the village green where its free), the model railway and aquarium at Fort Victoria are great, wander around Yarmouth, the beaches on the south coast are fantastic. The Botanic Gardens at Ventnor are worth a trip and theres a kids playground. You can walk from there too down to Steephill Cove for awesome cream teas.
Beach at St Helens (park on the Duver) is my favourite place in the world. Love it there. The steam railway is another favourite, as is the 'normal' railway from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head, walk back down the pier, mooch around Ryde and get the train back.
Theres also an epic cream tea place between Freshwater and Alum Bay at a farm.
Enjoy - we go there every year. Got 4 nights in the van near Colwell Bay this summer followed by a week in a house in Godshill and toying with the idea of taking my CX bike too...
DaveBoyWonder - thanks for all of that information, will take a look.
Cheers.
If you're there over the next bank holiday, jump on the Isle of Wight Randonee. Lovely way to tour the island (60 miles, mostly quiet lanes). It just uses the very-well-sgned round the island route which you can follow any time.
Or take a right out of teh farm, 2k down the road, left on the gravel drive, through the gate, up the side of the field, and up onto Compton Down past the golf course. Then just keep heading East for spectacular views, hard chalky tracks and a tailwind. Turn round, appreciate the views the other way, headwind 😀 Everything between Freshwater/Chillerton/Carisbrooke/Brighstone is good on a crosser.
And clambering round the needles battery with kids 🙂
Thanks 40mpg.
Many years ago I took part in one of those Wight Diamond two day events, long gone now I believe?