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Isle of Wight Guru

What's The Best Isle of Wight Away Resorts Holiday Resort?

30/11/2024

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**Away Resorts Discount Code: Save up to 10% via this link with discount code AWRAF7 + cheap ferry travel**
Away Resorts now owns four different holiday parks and lodge resorts with hot tubs on the Isle of Wight. They're a popular choice, partly because they'll get you a hefty discount on the Isle of Wight ferry if you stay with them.

Away Resorts has run Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in the East Wight for donkeys' years, but in 2022 they merged with Aria Resorts and took on three other lodge parks including:
  • The Bay Colwell in the West Wight
  • The Lakes Rookley in Central Wight (no-one normal actually uses the phrase 'Central Wight', but it's a short way of saying that it isn't by the sea) 
  • St Helens Coastal Resort in the East Wight (this one has also been known as St Helens Holiday Resort)

They're all dog friendly and offer hot tubs and a range of different types of accommodation, but which is best?

The short answer (for those who don't want to read all my waffle) is that St Helens Coastal Resort gets the best reviews but it's small and simple, whilst Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the best for a beach holiday and has the best facilities. The Lakes Rookley is cheapest in our price comparison.

Here's our guide to which is best Away Resorts for you, along with a price comparison:

Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park - Best Beach Location, Biggest, Best For Busy Families, Some Sea Views

Whitecliff Bay Isle of Wight sandy beach
Whitecliff Bay is one of my favourite beaches...and it's right next to some of the holiday park accommodation
Tribeca lodge at whitecliff bay isle of wight
The more expensive accommodation at Whitecliff Bay is called 'Exclusive' whilst the caravans are cheaper
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is a big, busy, family-friendly holiday park on the outskirts of Bembridge in the East Wight. 

Over the last few years they've spent a lot of money adding flash new accommodation with cool names like TriBeCa and Rockstar. They even featured on a Channel 5 TV programme where Shane Ritchie larked around on the Isle of Wight and said things like "Corrrrrrr, look at that, me old mucker!". If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will. 

Whitecliff Bay no longer offers touring, but they do have simple camping pitches during July and August.

There's a much bigger choice of accommodation types at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park than there are at the other Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight.

If you want plenty to do onsite then Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is your best bet out of the four Away Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight.

It's got indoor and outdoor swimming pools, as well as minigolf, a playground and an arcade.

During term time they have things like Tots Breaks, which are aimed at pre-schoolers, whilst during the summer holidays they put on outdoor cinema where you can sit outside and hope it doesn't rain. In peak season, there are free daily activities for kids such as a toddlers' disco as well as things you pay for, such as arts and crafts, archery, disc golf and baby ballet (more details on the entertainment programme here). There's also evening entertainment for grown ups.

The onsite restaurant is a good size and there's also a beach café during peak season.

However, the very best thing about Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is the location. When the sun shines, the beach at Whitecliff Bay is truly gorgeous and even muscles its way into my top 5 Isle of Wight beaches. It's hard to access unless you are staying at an adjacent holiday park, so it doesn't get unpleasantly busy. 

One downside is that the slope down to it is ferociously steep and has claimed the good-natured attitude of many a beach-goer. My wife's language changed from Stepford-Wives-Esque to Tarantino-Esque in the time it took to get from the bottom of the slope to the top.

It's also worth looking at the map to figure out where your accommodation is. The site is split into two with a road going through the middle. That's not a big problem but if you're in the furthest away point then it's getting on for 15 minutes to walk to the beach.

Customers give Whitecliff Bay an average review score of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.2/5 on Google Reviews (82% overall). That puts it in the middle compared to the other Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight.
Search latest deals at 
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​(use code AWRAF7)

St Helens Coastal Resort - Best Accommodation, Best Reviews, Quietest

St Helens Holiday Resort family
There's no kids' club at St Helens...so this sort of parental enthusiasm is required
Lodge at St Helens Holiday resort isle of Wight
The lodges at St Helens Coastal Resort are modern and more spacious than a caravan
St Helens Coastal Resort has changed its name a few times. For a while it was called a 'retreat' but it doesn't have the range of facilities you might expect at a 'retreat'. It's also not as coastal as you might imagine - the beach is about a mile away.

However, it's got a lot going for it once you get past the name. For starters, it is the highest rated Away Resorts site on the Isle of Wight, according to customer reviews (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.5/5 on Google Reviews or 90% overall).

A lot of the lodges and caravans have been added in the last few years so you've got a good chance of a very modern property that isn't looking like it's been lived in by a parade of holidaymakers with hairy dogs.

We made use of the outdoor swimming pool, which is small but good fun (and it was heated). There's also a small playground that was completed shortly after we left.

The location is at the end of a wiggly road past some houses. It's within a pretty coastal village called St Helens in the East Wight, which has a large village green. Walking down to St Helens beach will take you about 15 minutes. If you're a bit more determined, you can walk to the sandy paradise of Priory Bay.

St Helens Coastal Resort is a much smaller resort than nearby Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, so it's a good choice if you want a quiet base for exploring the Isle of Wight.

There isn't a restaurant onsite, but Bembridge has a good choice and there are plenty of other good places to eat depending on whether you prioritise a sea view or occupying the children whilst you enjoy a glass of Merlot.
Save up to 10% via this link
at St Helen's with code
AWRAF7

The Lakes Rookley - Best for Island Wide exploring, Cheapest In Our Price Comparison, 76% review score

Swimming pool at The Lakes Rookley
The Lakes Rookley is equipped with indoor and outdoor swimming pools...
Lakeside view at The Lakes Rookley
...and the Lakehouses have good views
The Lakes Rookley is something of a rarity on the Isle of Wight - a holiday resort that isn't by the beach.

There are plus sides to that, assuming that you've bought a car with you. 

You can explore a lot of the Isle of Wight with a short drive. The seaside resorts of Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor are all about 15 minutes away in the car, whilst Compton Bay in the West Wight and Cowes in the North Wight are both 20 minutes drive.

The absolute longest drive from The Lakes Rookley is the 35 minutes to Alum Bay and The Needles lighthouse. Most Islanders wouldn't drive this far unless it was a very special occasion (e.g. a family wedding or perhaps a funeral of a relative, at a push). If you're a hardened mainlander then you'll be used to drives of more than half an hour so it will be fine.

Anyway, back to The Lakes Rookley. In terms of scale, it is bigger than The Bay Colwell and St Helens Coastal Resort but it's smaller than Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park. 

There are two swimming pools, including one indoors and one outdoors. The Lakes are also used for watersports such as kayaking and paddleboarding. Of course, you could do these on the seafront at Shanklin or St Helens but there's less risk of being dragged out to France from a lake in Rookley.

You can eat onsite at The Lakeside Bar and Eatery. Rookley itself doesn't have a huge amount to it (there's a car dealership, but I doubt that would entertain the kids). However, Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor have lots of places to eat with a sea view. If you are after chain restaurants and fast food then Newport is your best bet (Beefeater, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC, Burger King).

The poshest and most expensive accommodation at The Lakes Rookley are the Lakehouses, which have a pleasant view. At the other end of the accommodation range, we found that The Lakes Rookley was the cheapest of all four Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight (see further down for our price comparison).

Reviews of The Lakes Rookley are a little bit behind the other three Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight. Customers on TripAdvisor give it 3.5/5. On Google Reviews it scores higher with a score of 4.1/5 (76% overall). A lot of the older reviews will be from several years ago when it was Rookley Country Park. I would read through the more recent reviews for a more accurate summary.
Search latest deals at 
The Lakes Rookley + up to 10% off
​(use code AWRAF7)

The Bay Colwell - More Accessible Beach, Quiet, closest to a ferry port

The Bay colwell indoor swimming pool
The bay colwell lodge with sea view
Finally, The Bay Colwell which is a bit of an all rounder.

It is certainly smaller and less well equipped than Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park and The Lakes Rookley. 

However, it does have an indoor swimming pool (unlike St Helens Coastal Resort, which has an outdoor pool). It's also much close to the beach than The Lakes Rookley and St Helens Coastal Resort. You can get to Colwell Bay in about five minutes on foot. 

There's bike hire, soft play and a coffee shop onsite. 

The accommodation is mostly rows of two bedroom chalets which have been much improved in recent years. They're described as 'Cottages' on the website and some of them have hot tubs. The more expensive accommodation are 'Lodges', some of which have an extra bedroom.
 
It's also the only Away Resorts site in the West Wight. Generally speaking, the West Wight is prettier and less developed than the East Wight (complaints from East Wighters to the usual address, please). 

Colwell itself is developed, but the nearby West Wight coastline which runs from Freshwater Bay to Chale in the South Wight is populated by more cows than people.

If you are coming from the Westcountry, then The Bay Colwell is convenient to reach via Wightlink's Yarmouth to Lymington crossing. The ferry takes 40 minutes and then it's a seven minute drive to the resort.

The Bay Colwell scores 82% from reviewers, including 4/5 on TripAdvisor and 4.2/5 on Google Reviews.
Search latest deals at 
The Bay Colwell + up to 10% off
​(use code AWRAF7)

Away Resorts ISle of Wight Price Comparison

We started by looking for a week for the cheapest accommodation available in August 2025. We searched for a seven night holiday. Prices don't include ferry travel, although you can get it for around half price if you book through Away Resorts. Expect to pay about £50 - £150 for the ferry depending on when you travel and how long you stay. From cheapest to most expensive:
  • The Lakes Rookley - £721 (Comfort Caravan)
  • St Helens Coastal Resort - £979 (Luxury Caravan)
  • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park - £1120 (Value Chalet)
  • The Bay Colwell - £1165 (Luxury Cottage)
​
We then looked for the same holiday but a lodge with a hot tub. So, it's a holiday in August 2025 for four people, staying for a week, excluding the ferry:

  • The Lakes Rookley - £1655 (Luxury Caravan with a hot tub)
  • St Helens Coastal Resort - £1697 (Superior Caravan with a hot tub)
  • The Bay Colwell - £1882 (Luxury Cottage with a hot tub)
  • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park - £2218 (Superior Chalet with a hot tub)

​So, based on our mini price comparison, The Lakes Rookley is the cheapest of the four Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight and The Bay Colwell and Whitecliff Bay tend to be the most expensive. I would caution that prices vary a lot depending on when you visit and what accommodation you choose.

Review comparison of Away Resorts ISle of Wight Holiday REsorts

As of November 2024, the review scores for the Away Resorts on the Isle of Wight look like this:
​
  1. Away Resorts St Helens Coastal Resort - 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews - total of 90%
  2. Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.2/5 on Google Reviews - total of 82%
  3. Away Resorts The Bay Colwell - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.2/5 on Google Reviews - total of 82%
  4. ​Away Resorts The Lakes Rookley - 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.1/5 on Google Reviews - total of 76%

There's a notable caveat with the review scores for three of the four Away Resorts holiday parks and lodge resorts on the Isle of Wight.

All three of the parks have seen big changes in the last few years, so the older review scores are not particularly relevant.

St Helens Coastal Resort, The Lakes Rookley and The Bay Colwell have all changed hands twice in the last few years. They were previously known as St Helens Holiday Park, Rookley Country Park and Colwell Bay Holiday Park until they were bought by Aria Resorts in 2017. Aria Resorts invested a lot of money in the sites and then the company merged with Away Resorts in 2022 (Ed: will there be a test on this at the end?).

My advice is to look at some recent reviews, rather than going on the overall score.

Distance from the ferry ports

Wightlink ferry on the Solent
You can save money on the ferry if you stay with Away Resorts
The Isle of Wight is not vast, so travel times from the ferries are not a major factor if you are bringing a car. However, if it's a weekend visit or if you have children who don't travel well (i.e. all children) then it's something to consider.
  • The Bay Colwell is in the West Wight so it is seven minute drive to Wightlink's car ferry which links Lymington and Yarmouth. That crossing is quieter and less regular than the other two but it's more convenient if you are coming from the Westcountry. It's a longer drive to the other car ferries. It takes about 35-40 minutes to get to Red Funnel's ferry which connects Southampton to East Cowes or Wightlink's car ferry which connects Portsmouth to Fishbourne.

  • The Lakes Rookley is about 20 minutes drive from the busier car ferries (Red Funnel's Southampton to East Cowes route and Wightlink's Portsmouth to Fishbourne route). It is 30 minutes drive to Wightlink's Lymington to Yarmouth Route.

  • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is 25-30 minutes from the two busiest ferry ports (Southampton to East Cowes with Red Funnel or Portsmouth to Fishbourne with Wightlink). Wightlink's quieter crossing from Yarmouth to Lymington is a colossal 45 minutes drive from Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park. Please, please, please don't attempt a drive of that distance without packing a snow shovel and enough food to last you for three days - even if it's a baking hot day (Ed: I think you're getting carried away again. I'll call your mother). 
    ​
  • St Helens Coastal Resort is close to Whitecliff Bay, so it's a similar distance from the ferries. It is 20 minutes from Wightlink's Fishbourne - Portsmouth Route or 30 minutes to Red Funnel's East Cowes - Southampton crossing. Much like Whitecliff Bay, it is 45 minutes to Wightlink's Yarmouth - Lymington crossing. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Also, make sure that you use the Away Resorts ferry discount. It'll save you as much as 50% compared to going direct.

See our full guide to the Isle of Wight ferries for beginners.
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Cheap And Free Parking On The Isle Of Wight

29/11/2024

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Parking meter in Cowes on the Isle of Wight
Does the sight one of these make you feel ill? Fear not...help is at hand
Here's my guide to some cheap and free places to park on the Isle of Wight including free parking in Ryde, Newport, Sandown, The Needles, Ventnor and Shanklin. It is ideal for anyone - like my mother - who is willing to walk some distance to avoid paying to park. I really don't like paying to park, but I usually cough up now that we have children and 14 bags on every beach outing.

It is also worth trying Your Parking Space and Just Park for events such as Cowes Week or for parking near a ferry port. You can rent out someone's driveway for a few hours or days via the website.

Quite a lot of Isle of Wight seafront parking is free in the depths of winter but I won't bother listing all of those, as most people visit the Island in spring, summer and autumn. I've focused on the places where you might have a day out.

There's also the controversial topic of whether it's acceptable to park in a permit-free residential area as long as you aren't blocking someone's drive. Personally, I have no problem with this (and don't mind people parking near my house) but I do whoosh off pretty quickly when I return to the car in case an angry resident has been waiting for me with a rolling pin... 

This guide will probably go out of date before I hit publish, so please comment at the bottom if a) somewhere is no longer free or b) you've found somewhere else free or cheap to park on the Isle of Wight. Also, please check signs for yourself when you park somewhere as I may have got things wrong. And for any grandmas reading, the best way to suck an egg is at the pointy end.

Free and cheap parking for Alum Bay and The Needles

Let's start with one of the trickiest places to visit without paying for parking.

The road leading to Alum Bay and The Needles has double yellow lines that seem to go on for miles. Last time we visited, the only car park was £6. That's not exorbitant for all day parking but it's a bit pricey if you only stay for 10 minutes before one of the children has a meltdown.
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  • Islanders may be aware that if you pay to park at The Needles once then you can use the car park again for free for the rest of the year. You need to show proof of address.
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  • National Trust members get £2 off at the official car park. This is not advertised very widely but it mentions a discount on the National Trust website and I phoned The Needles to confirm it. You just show the attendant in the booth your National Trust card. Give them a wink and a thumbs up just to make sure.

  • Some people park in the layby on a right turn as you approach The Needles. It's then about five minutes' walk to the foot of the steps near to Alum Bay. I am not 100% sure that this is a) still an option and b) a legitimate place to park. Please leave a comment below if you try this option or give us a call from the police station if it doesn't work out. 

  • Alternatively, you could combine a trip to The Needles with one of the best walks on the Isle of Wight. There's a free National Trust car park near to the Tennyson Monument. Climb up to the monument and then walk for about 1.5 miles along the footpaths to the Needles. It's a great walk, but it would be a hard sell to my children even with the promise of the Hook a Duck at the Needles.
Alum Bay and The Needles with chairlift
The footpath mentioned above comes out quite near to this much-photographed spot

Free and cheap parking in Bembridge and St Helens

  • There's free parking at the council car park at Steyne Park (PO35 5SL). The playground is good too! It's 15 minute walk to the beach from here.
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  • There's sometimes a little bit of parking on Lane End Road as you approach the beach, but it's pot luck. It has a 'stick or twist' feeling to it as you have to decide whether to drive past a space in the hope of getting one nearer to the beach. If you reach the pay and display car park at the end of the road then there's a high risk that your less-frugal spouse will say "oh, let's just pay to park now that we're here". 

  • You can test out your suspension at a free car park near to the Pilot Boat Inn and the Harbour View Café at Bembridge Harbour. There are half a dozen spaces visible from the road. I believe it is provided for free by the RNLI, as there's a place for donations. You can find it here. Previously, we parked in a larger car park behind this section, but it has been blocked off. 

  • If you visit St Helens beach, use the National Trust car park by driving past the road that leads to the Council Car Park. It is free for members. Last time I visited it was better value than the council car park for non-members as well. There's a cut-through to the beach.

  • The Isle of Wight Council car park on St Helens Green is free. It's about 15 minutes walk to the beach.

Free parking in Brighstone

  • Brighstone has a free car park on Warnes Lane. It's not exactly a heaving metropolis so free parking isn't difficult in Brighstone. It's a good base for a West Wight walk.

Free parking at Colwell Bay

  • There are some free on-street parking spaces on Colwell Chine Road that lead to Colwell Bay. You're a lucky fella if you manage to find a spot on a sunny day.
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  • A better bet is the parking around Colwell Common. It's about 5 minutes walk down to the beach.

  • There's an entrepreneurial home-owner on Colwell Chine Road who offers all day parking for £3. At the time of writing, that makes it cheaper than the council car park if you stay for more than one hour. They have seven spaces and ask for money to be put through a letterbox. If this was my house, I would be thrilled to come home and find a mountain of pound coins on the doormat each day.
Cheap parking near Colwell Bay
Look out for this entrepreneur near Colwell Bay

Free and cheap parking at Compton Bay

  • There's a free car park at the very top of Compton Down (i.e. the road which connects Freshwater Bay to Compton Bay). You can then walk along a footpath and down some steep steps to get to the far end of Compton Bay. I wouldn't attempt this with young children as the steps are precarious.
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  • Compton Bay, Hanover Point and Brook Chine car parks are all free for National Trust members.

  • Visitors to Hanover Point regularly park on the verge just outside the car park. I'm not sure what the rules are on this but you may want to roll the dice.

Free parking in Cowes and Gurnard

Cowes gets pretty ruthless when it comes to summertime parking, particularly in Cowes Week.​
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  • You can park for a couple of hours for free on Park Road, alongside the big pay and display car park for Northwood House. Nearby, Ward Avenue has some free on-street parking but I've never had much luck finding a space in summer.

  • There is also free parking on the esplanade at the Gurnard end, at the time of typing. You may end up walking for a mile, but it's a beautiful walk so stop complaining. There has been talk of this free parking ending, so don't take my word for it! Head for the Woodvale Pub and start driving towards Cowes and there might be an on-street space.

  • The car park next to the M&S Food Hall is free for the first hour or £1 for two hours. You can access it via Denmark Road, rather than round the front of the store.
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  • Northwood House has a fairly hidden car park called the Rotunda Short Stay car park, which is a little cheaper than council car parks in Cowes. It was £2 for 3 hours or £3 for 4 hours when I checked in 2023. Don't confuse it with the massive car park next to Northwood House. The Rotunda Short Stay car park one is accessed by driving down the road that leads to the main entrance.
Cars parked in Gurnard
Gurnard has some free on-street parking (at the time of typing)

Free and cheap parking at Freshwater Bay

  • There's a little bit of free on street parking as you approach Freshwater Bay on Afton Road. Outside of summer, you can park on the single yellow lines on Gate Lane (near the car park for The Albion).
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  • The National Trust has a free cliff top car park, which is part way up the hill towards Compton Bay. It is free regardless of whether you are a National Trust member but it has colossal bumps in it. The walk down to the beach has terrific views. Just don't tell the children that they'll need to walk back up the hill afterwards

Free parking in Godshill

  • If you've paid to park in Godshill then something has gone wrong. ​There's a colossal free car park in Godshill near to the Griffin pub. It provides proof that offering a free car park and coach park leads to people turning up and happily spending money. Who knew?!

Free and cheap parking in Newport and Carisbrooke (including Isle of Wight Festival parking)

There are some residential roads on the edges of the town centre which are free, but a lot are now resident permit areas.
  • The lower car park at Cineworld cinema offered three hours free parking last time I visited (PO30 2TA). Heidi got in touch to say that it is only for people using the shops, restaurants and cinema and that you'll get a ticket if you leave the site.
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  • Morrisons supermarket in Newport town centre gives two hours free parking.

  • Asda supermarket on the outskirts of Newport gives four hours free parking for customers.

  • The Royal Exchange car park on the edge of Pan Estate is free. It's not huge but it's only 8 minutes walk to Newport's Guildhall and it's also close to County Hall.

  • There's a free car park opposite Carisbrooke Priory on Whitcombe Road. It's a good place to park if you want to walk round the outside of Carisbrooke Castle without using the English Heritage pay and display car park.

  • During the Isle of Wight Festival, the local housing estate is blocked off so there's not a lot of free parking for those who are doing day trips to the site. We tend to park at the Coppins Bridge Long Stay Car Park. It's a pay and display car park but last time I visited it was free after 6pm, so it might work if you are just turning up for the evening acts. It's about 15 minutes walk to the festival entrance from here.

  • The council car park in Seaclose Park is rather pricey. The prices suggest it's a bustling seaside resort rather than somewhere to walk the dog. The car park for Beefeater in Seaclose Park is better value. It's free for customers or £2 for 3 hours if you faff around with an app. 

  • There is quite a bit of parking around Field Place and Caesars Road that is free for two hours. These are residential areas, so there's an elevated risk of a ranting resident as you drive off. 

  • If you are visiting in an evening, look out for the loading bays in Newport High Street. I found one that was free after 6pm, whereas the on street parking spaces wanted me to pay an evening charge. Pah!

Free Parking in Ryde

  • You can park for free for an hour in Union Street, which is the main shopping street. However, nearby George Street has some on street parking which is either two hours or four hours for free (depending on which part of the street you parked in). From George Street, it's about a 20 minute walk to the nicer part of Appley Beach.

  • The town centre Co-op in Ryde offers one hour of free parking. Thanks to Lindsay and Liz who both suggested this one. I believe you have to get a ticket, but it's free.

  • For a beach day out...there are 5 or 6 spaces on Puckpool Hill at the entrance to Puckpool Battery. From there, it's a very pleasant six minute walk through Puckpool Park and through to Appley Beach by the Dell Cafe. Or walk down Puckpool Hill and turn left along the coastal path. It takes a couple of minutes longer but has nicer views.

  • There's some free parking on Springvale Road, which is about six minutes walk through to Appley Beach along the coastal path.

  • Ryde St Johns Road railway station has dirt cheap parking. At the time of writing, it is £1.20 - £1.80 per day or £7 per week. That's right, £7 for a week of parking. If you're going to the mainland, you could park here and pay about £1.50 - £3 to get the train up the pier to the ferry. Walking to the beach from the railway station takes about 15 minutes - but it's very hilly. 

  • There's a private car park on Buckingham Road, which is cheaper than the council car parks. When I checked in November 2024 it was £1 for two hours, £2 for four hours or £3 for 6 hours. They also did a seven day permit for £15. The dry end of Ryde Pier is about five minutes walk from here.

  • You can park for free on some parts of Spencer Road in Ryde. I would caution that this is very much a residential area so the risk of a fist-shaking or a twitching-net-curtain is significantly elevated. Do I need to remind you to park courteously or is that just patronising waffle? It'll take you about 10 minutes to walk to the bus station at the end of Ryde Pier from here.

Free and cheap parking in Sandown

  • Parking at Sandown Railway Station is £1.20 - £1.80 and I think it's valid all day. The seafront is about 12 minutes walk, so it may be a case of a parent dropping off everyone else and then parking (I secretly enjoy doing this as it gives me 15 minutes of peace).

Free and cheap parking in Shanklin

Parking on Shanklin Seafront is a competitive and expensive experience. We once stayed in a flat on the seafront which didn't have parking and I spent the whole week moving the car or driving round looking for a space whilst crying (and I spent £50 on parking). Some options:
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  • There are some spaces on the clifftop above the seafront esplanade, which are free for a couple of hours. Aim for somewhere around Osborne Road and then walk down the path. It's a good workout on the way back up the hill.

  • You can park for free at Big Mead, which is a playground and playing field with a duck pond in Shanklin near to St Blasius church. It's a walk of about 10 minutes to Shanklin old village or 20 minutes down to Shanklin esplanade. Last time we visited, there were ducklings to admire. You wouldn't get that in your average pay-and-display money trap.
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  • Shanklin Railway Station is only £1.20 - £1.80 for all day parking, at the time of writing. It's a 12 minute walk to the seafront or a similar distance to the old village.
Shanklin seafront parking
Seafront Pay and Display parking spaces in Shanklin are quickly gobbled up during the summer
Big Mead car park in Shanklin
Big Mead park has a free car park, plus the added bonus of occasional ducklings

Free Parking at Totland Bay

There are a couple of good options for those who don't want to pay for seafront parking at Totland Bay. Seafront parking was free a few years ago, which makes paying for it all the more painful.
  • Cliff Road has free on-street parking. Take the steps down leading to The Waterfront. 
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  • Alternatively, park on Granville Road and take the footpath that comes out by Totland Pier.

Free parking in Ventnor

  • There's a free car park called Eastcliff Car Park, which is up on the cliffs. It's a real hidden gem but it's very small and only has space for about 12 cars so it's often full in summer. It's a five minute walk to Ventnor seafront.

  • The Leeson Road car park in Ventnor is also free but it's about 25 minutes walk to the seafront and it's very hilly. 

  • The Wheelers Bay car park in Ventnor is free. Well, my mother assures me it is and she hasn't been given a ticket yet. It takes ten minutes to walk to the seafront from here, but it's a scenic route.
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  • If we are visiting Steephill Cove then we tend to park on Steephill Road as you approach the turning for the beach from Ventnor. It's a bit of walk along a road without a pavement. In such circumstances I spend the whole time shouting "carrrrrrrr" every 30 seconds.

Free parking in Yarmouth

  • One of my mother's favourite tricks is to park at the Bouldner Viewpoint Car Park and then walk along the sea wall past Yarmouth Green and into the town. It's a fairly long walk of about a mile but it's very pretty. Last time I checked, the car park had a five hour limit. Let's be honest though, Yarmouth is not a huge place so five hours should be sufficient!
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  • The Fort Victoria car park is also free, but it's further outside of Yarmouth and not as easy to walk into town. There is also a height limit so some larger vehicles can't use this one.

Free parking in Yaverland

  • There is some free parking on the residential roads opposite Yaverland's main car park (Yaverland Close, Meadow Way). Any miserable residents who complain can be politely reminded that they live within five minutes walk of a sandy beach, so they really should lighten up and learn to enjoy life. All the same, please don't block their driveway.

Free parking near Isle of Wight ferry ports

If you're looking for free or cheap parking in Southampton, Portsmouth, Lymington or Southsea for a trip to the Isle of Wight then that is covered in our ferries guide. (Spoiler alert: there isn't much).

If you're hoping to find somewhere free or cheap to park near to the ferries from Fishbourne, Cowes, East Cowes, Yarmouth or Ryde then you face a bit of a challenge. Some suggestions:
  • Your Parking Space and Just Park sometimes undercut official car parks by some margin. You park on someone's drive and pay in advance via the website.

  • Cowes - there's a park and ride from Somerton that connects with the Southern Vectis Number 1 bus.

  • Ryde - as mentioned, there's not much that I know of near to Ryde Pier. There are some free spaces around Puckpool and Springvale (see above) but the free parking within Ryde town centre is on a time limit. I have managed to park on a residential road fairly near to the Pier before but a) I can't remember the name of it and b) I'm not sure if it's still free and c) I don't want angry emails from residents. An alternative plan (mentioned earlier) is to exploit the cheap parking at Ryde St Johns Road railway station (about £1-2 per day) and then get the train up the pier (about £1.50 - £3).

  • Fishbourne - there are a handful of on street spaces by Fishbourne Beach if you drive past the entrance to the Wightlink terminal and past the Fishbourne pub. However, I'm not sure what the restrictions are on these. I'll check next time I'm passing!

  • Yarmouth - this is a tricky one. As mentioned above, there's the Bouldnor Car Park, which is about a mile from the ferry. However, it's got a five hour limit. There's also the Fort Victoria Car Park, which is free but limited to 24 hours (and has a height barrier). It is just over one mile from the ferry. Any other ideas? Please comment below.
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  • East Cowes - the esplanade near the playground has some free parking. It's about 12 minutes walk from the ferry. The Isle of Wight Council website says there is a 24 hour limit on these spaces.
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Yes, Isle of Wight residents can get cheaper ferry fares (with a bit of effort)

28/11/2024

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**Red Funnel latest offers: 20% off via this exclusive link (book by 30 June, travel by 31 December) + £13 weekend day returns**
Woman waving at Wightlink ferry
Before we get into the meat of this Solent-sandwich let's make it clear that there isn't currently a simple fixed price discount which every Isle of Wight resident receives on every vehicle crossing on the Isle of Wight ferries. You can’t just turn up at the ferry, shout a secret phrase ("alright nipper!") and help yourself to a £50 return journey without any effort or commitment.

However, with a bit of investment, faffing or forward planning then most people can make some good savings on the ferry if they're an Isle of Wight resident. 

This blog post will focus on car ferry travel but there are deals for Isle of Wight foot passengers such as My Link and the HoverBlue Card.

Anyway, let’s start with Wightlink car ferry travel.

Wightlink's Multilink Deal for residents

If you’re an Isle of Wight resident or a second homeowner then you are entitled to buy a Wightlink Multilink pass.

The idea is that you buy a book of ten crossings for a car and passengers. At the time of writing, it costs £355, so a return journey is £71 regardless of when you travel or how many passengers you have. During the peak of summer that will probably save you more than £100 per crossing. 

Each ferry crossing has a number of spaces reserved for Multilink passes so you need to book early if you’re planning to use the ferry on a Saturday lunchtime in August. The Wightlink website says it is at least 15% of the available space on a ferry. That is only about 10 cars on the ferries on the Lymington crossing, but is more on the bigger ferries from Portsmouth.

There are some key bits of smallprint – some of which make it more appealing and some of which make it less appealing.

The main downside is that you need to use the journeys within one year of topping up. You may conclude that since you only manage two or three return journeys with a car each year, that it’s not worth it.

But wait, dear reader!

There are a couple of bits of juicy smallprint which will make your heart race.

Firstly, you can share a Wightlink Multilink pass with two other people who live at the same address and you don’t have to be the driver. They aren’t tied to one vehicle, so a parent could share a pass with a son and daughter who are away at university.

Secondly, if you don’t use all your journeys within one year you can carry over spare credit by topping up another five journeys. This works well if you have a year of minimal travelling followed by a year of more regular journeys.

Thirdly, if you decide you don’t need your pass anymore and it has credit left, you can apply to get 75% of the cost back. There are some bits of smallprint to abide by but it’s not too complicated and it means that you’ll still get a good price if you only use three or four crossings and then cancel the pass.
Wightlink's Victoria of Wight ferry
Wightlink reserves at least 15% of space for Multilink users - or 27 cars on this ferry

Red Funnel's offers for residents

Let’s move on to Red Funnel, which takes a completely different approach.

Their travel deals for regular car ferry travellers are available to Islanders and Mainlanders (20% off if you prepay £1000). However, they do send out something called the Red Funnel Big Book of Savings to Isle of Wight residents (71,000 homes apparently).

These books are sent out five times a year and offer special deals and discounts for residents. You can use the discount codes a limited number of times (usually three times), which is why we don’t share them on this website. 

The deals either offer a fixed price or a percentage discount. As you’ll see from this marketing website the deals can be pretty good – during 2024 they offered 25% off vehicle ferry crossings or Red Funnel car ferry day returns for about £50 - £60. Read our full guide to the Big Book of Savings.

The upside with these deals is that they will sometimes trump the Wightlink Multilink price and there’s no commitment or upfront payment.

The downside is that they are usually designed to steer customers towards lower demand sailings, whereas the Wightlink deal potentially lets you travel any time. You can’t rely on these discounts if you’re planning a trip to the mainland long in advance.
Red Funnel Big Book of Savings
It's not big and it's not a book, but the Big Book of Savings gives good discounts

Cheap ferry travel for residents on low incomes

Besides those deals from Wightlink and Red Funnel, there are also generous discounts for Isle of Wight residents who have low incomes.

​To qualify, you need to either be receiving ‘Local Council Tax support’ or housing benefit. The press release announcing the scheme back in 2018 said there are about 14,000 eligible people.

Once you’ve applied for the scheme, you can get Red Funnel return car ferry travel for a maximum price of £59. They call it the Assisted Fares Scheme. Wightlink also offer a discount under the name of the Discounted Fares Scheme although I couldn’t see prices.

There are also foot passenger discounts for people on low incomes from Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel which is somewhere around half price. Hovertravel call it the IOW Council Affordable Fares Scheme.

Discounts for residents travelling to hospital

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that there are schemes in place for Isle of Wight residents who are visiting hospitals on the mainland.

At the time of typing, you get a 50% discount with Wightlink if you're going for an NHS appointment and they also have a maximum fare of £70 in place. Red Funnel do a fixed price hospital trip deal whilst Hovertravel offer discounts to foot passengers under their Hovercare scheme.

If anyone knows of other discounts and deals that are exclusively for Isle of Wight residents, please add a comment below. We cover all the deals and offers that we know of in our ferry discounts guide.
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Red Funnel's Black Friday 2024 Discount - Is now the time to book?

22/11/2024

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Red Funnel ferries in Cowes
Red Funnel's Black Friday discount is their biggest of 2024
Get 1/3 off
Red Funnel
for Black Friday!
Red Funnel has just launched its Black Friday offer for holidays in 2025. You can get 1/3rd off if you book by December 6th 2024, and can travel right through until November 3rd 2025.

You can also get:
  • a 40% discount on the ferry if you book your accommodation via Red Funnel as well. They usually offer a 25% discount if you book accommodation, so they've bumped it for Black Friday.
  • a foot passenger period return on the Red Jet throughout 2025 for £25 (or £22.14 for a day return)
  • a foot passenger period return on the car ferry to East Cowes throughout 2025 for £16.74 (or £15.46 for a day return)

But is it the cheapest deal for an Isle of Wight holiday?


Is Red Funnel's Black Friday offer a genuine discount?

The short answer is yes.

We've all become wise to the fake Black Friday discounts, with prices that are inflated the week before just so they can be lowered a few days later. However, Red Funnel's Black Friday deal is a genuinely good one.

Throughout the year, Red Funnel offers discounts of 10% to 25% via discount codes (including the booking form on our ferries guide).

They haven't offered a 1/3 off at all during 2024, so this is about as good as it gets. They did the same offer for Black Friday 2023.

Of course, we can have long arguments about the standard cost of ferry travel to the Isle of Wight, but within this context it is a decent deal.

Is this offer the cheapest way to get to the Isle of Wight in 2025?

Well, that depends.

There are (at least) four alternative options that may be a cheaper way to get to the Isle of Wight in 2025 than using the Red Funnel's Black Friday deal. 

1. Accommodation + Ferry bundles

Getting an accommodation + ferry bundle will often beat the Red Funnel Black Friday price. You can find many of the best bundles on this page.

For example, you will often get discounts of 50% or more if you stay at a holiday park owned by Away Resorts (The Lakes Rookley, St Helens Coastal Resort, Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, The Bay Colwell Bay) and Parkdean Resorts (holiday parks called Landguard, Lower Hyde, Nodes Point and Thorness Bay).

There is also a stonking deal for tourers and campers where you book a ferry + pitch via Red Funnel. We found a five night holiday for four people during the school holidays in August for £220 - including the pitch and the ferry. You can choose from four decent campsites and touring parks.

Big name hotel chain Warner also offer a big ferry discount. The maximum price is £90 return, which will often beat the Red Funnel discounted price.

If you are going for an independent hotel, give them a call or check their own websites as they often get a good discount.
The Lakes Rookley Isle of Wight
Guests at The Lakes Rookley get a whopping great discount on the ferry

2. Book a Day Return

If you just plan to visit the Isle of Wight with your car for a day (or visit the mainland for a day) then you may find that the 1/3 off deal isn't the best price.

That's because Red Funnel often do a more generous discount via its Big Book of Savings.

These are sent out five times a year to every Isle of Wight residence and regularly include a day return deal for about £50 - £60. At the moment, you can only book until 17 March with these vouchers but there is a good chance that they will do something similar later in the year.

We checked prices for a peak time day return with a car in August 2025 and found that it was about £66 - £70 with the 1/3 off.
 
Of course, mainlanders need to find an aunt on the Island who is willing to hand over her discount booklet. The Big Book uses unique codes so we don't share them on this site.

3. Travel as a foot passenger

As mentioned earlier, this Black Friday promotion also works on foot passenger travel. You'll only pay £16 - £25 for a period return if you book it before December 6th.

It would work particularly well for a couple bringing their own bikes to the Isle of Wight for a week's cycling holiday. They would pay just £16.74 each, as bicycles are free on the Isle of Wight's ferries (note: this only applies when you travel as a foot passenger, it's more complicated if you attach the bikes to your car as it can make your car longer and push you into the next price band).

The Isle of Wight's buses are pretty decent in my experience and are included in the capped bus fares that you get in the rest of England (with the exception of the open top buses). See our public transport guide.

It gets more complicated if you are doing a day return as a foot passenger. The Black Friday price might be the cheapest, but Red Funnel did several offers during 2024 where you could get a day return for £12.50 to coincide with big events.

Bikes at Freshwater Bay
Bringing your bike? You can take it on the ferry for free

4. Get a Wightlink Multilink Deal

Of course, Red Funnel isn't the only option for getting to the Isle of Wight.

Honestly, I would be surprised to find any standard Wightlink fares that were cheaper once you factor in the 1/3 off deal for Red Funnel. I haven't yet seen any details of a Wightlink Black Friday deal, although we know they are doing an offer from 29 November 2024 as there's a big countdown clock on their site. You'll be able to find it on this page.

However, there are ongoing Wightlink deals that will work out cheaper than Red Funnel's Black Friday offer for some people.

The first is the Wightlink Multilink deal for cars, which will get you a return journey with a car for about £70 (ish). This offer is only available to those with an Isle of Wight residence and it requires you to travel five times a year. You can read our full guide here or read Wightlink's guide.

The second is the Wightlink Multilink deal for foot passengers. This offer is available anyone, but you buy a book of five return journeys that need to be used within a year. See or guide or Wightlink's guide to how it works.
Wightlink ferry near Yarmouth
Some of Wightlink's deals will beat the Red Funnel Black Friday deal
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​Robin Hill Country Park is back for 2025! Here's what we know so far

7/11/2024

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This blog post is old and crusty - read this one instead, which tells you about the new attractions at Robin Hill
View from Robin Hill observation tower
I care more about Robin Hill than a middle-aged man should
Things were looking pretty bleak for Robin Hill a few months ago. The owners of Blackgang Chine put it up for sale for a couple of million pounds and we all feared it might never return as a public attraction.

Ill-informed sorts speculated that it would turned into a housing estate. Others speculated that Center Parcs would swoop in - despite Robin Hill being a quarter of the size of an average Center Parcs in England.


Thankfully, the pessimists were wrong. A local chap called Lee Priddle saved the day by buying Robin Hill Country Park. His other business interest includes renting out toilets, but we will avoid making lazy puns about him feeling flushed (Ed: *rolls eyes*).

The park is now due to re-open at Easter 2025. We don't have exact date yet.

​Here's what we know so far:

Which attractions have been removed from Robin Hill?

A few attractions won't be at Robin Hill when the park re-opens. No flowers please.
  • Colossus - the swinging pirate ship - is moving to Blackgang Chine for its new life as the Jolly Robin. It was due to open for the 2024 season but that didn't quite happen. It's now due to arrive for 2025. Colossus first arrived at Robin Hill in 2000, so it served for 23 years.
 
  • The Ripple has left Robin Hill and is now Blackgang Beach. It only arrived in 2023 according to my excessively detailed timeline. The good news is that a very similar red water pillow has been put in its place.
 
  • The 4D Cinema has gone. We aren't sure if it was sold or scrapped. I worked at Robin Hill for a few years when this was known as The Time Machine. It had been in the park since 1999.
 
  • The Cows Express has apparently gone, although I've not seen this for myself. It had been in the park since 2009.
 
  • There was also a big shelter near the African Adventure playground, which we believe has moved to Tapnell Farm. 
Jolly Robin at Blackgang Chine
The Colossus is gradually moving to Blackgang Chine, where it will be the Jolly Robin
Picture
The Ripple is proving entertainment as Blackgang Beach

What new attractions are coming to Robin Hill in 2025?

​We already know that lots of new things are planned for Robin Hill. This is exceedingly exciting, although I would caution that they may not all be instantly available on the first day of opening (based on my experience of how these things usually go, rather than any inside information).

It seems to me that the new owners are moving away from the theme park vibe, and moving more towards an adventure park and country park vibe.

This is from the official website, with my comments:

  • Mini Diggers – operate real mini diggers in the woodland - there were some mini diggers near to the toboggan run at one stage, but these might be something new. There are also some wooden diggers in the woods, so perhaps they are going to appear there.

  • Climbing Boulders for kids - no idea what these are but I am a big fan of anything that doesn't require staff and which just allows my children to play without queueing. 

  • Indoor Ice Rink - the new owners have confirmed that this will be a 100m2 rink in the 4D cinema building and will be the sort with plastic sheeting rather than real ice. They've said that 'It happens to also be one of the best synthetic ice rinks on the market and even EuroDisney has one!' If I was being a pedant, I would point out that EuroDisney changed its name to Disneyland Paris in 1994, but let's not get bogged down.

  • Boat Safari – drive your own mini boat. They have since confirmed that they will be '6 Miniport safari river boats that will be available to drive on the lake in Africa World!'. Back in the day, I believe the original boating lake was the main lake that became Carp Quay and was split in two when they added The Parting in 2016. Read our history of Robin Hill if this sort of thing interests you.

  • Tubing Slides - no idea what this is, but I've enjoyed saying 'tubing slides' as it has a nice ring to it. If I was speculating, I might suggest that they were using the black tubes that have recently been removed from Blackgang Chine's play area but I am almost certainly wrong.

  • Slide Adventure Area - are these the same as the tubing slides? Who knows, but I'm sure it will fill a few minutes with my children.

  • Underground Adventure Tunnels - I assume this is the old rabbit run that is near to the lookout tower, and was added in 1997 by the Dabells. From what I recall, this had been closed off when we last visited so it will be good to see it revived.

  • New play structures - we shall have to wait and see what this looks like!

  • Mini Net Adventure - presumably this is an addition to the bouncy nets in the woodland, which I personally think are one of the best things at Robin Hill. 

  • More water jump pillows - they have already added a red pillow at the site of the Ripple but it sounds like another one is coming

  • Crazy golf - this sounds exciting and is something that I've often felt would work well at Robin Hill. We don't yet know if this will be a small course constructed from drainpipes and plyboard or whether they have grand plans to compete with the dinosaur and pirate courses on Shanklin and Sandown seafront. We also don't know where this will be in the park. 

The website also says that they plan to add 'a new high adrenaline adventure space in 2025 which will be ticketed separately and is not included in the membership pass'.

My best guess is that this will be a high ropes attraction, along the lines of Go Ape or the aerial adventures that you get at Center Parcs. Could there perhaps be a great big zip wire over the top of the trees? Am I just making this stuff up without any facts or details to go on? Definitely.

The only similar thing that I know about on the Isle of Wight is at PGL Little Canada, which is mostly a residential place for school parties. There are also plans for a high ropes course at Parkdean Resorts' Thorness Bay Holiday Park, but this hasn't happened yet. Fun fact - the bouncy nets at Sandham Gardens were originally going to be a high ropes course, but the plans were changed.


One of our favourite games at home is to discuss what we would add to Robin Hill. Little Miss Guru and myself both agree that the key is to add things that don't require lots of staff. One of my suggestions was minigolf, which looks to be happening.

I also thought that a series of slacklines in the woodland would work well. These cost next-to-nothing and don't really require any staff and only minimal maintenance. 

We also thought that that it would be rather cool to have a free-play arcade in one of the woodland buildings. 

​How much is entry to Robin Hill going to cost?

The entry price for 2025 is going to range from £14.99 to £21.99, depending on what time of year you visit. There is also going to be a concession price of £9.99. The season ticket is about £47 including booking fees and children under one metre will get in free.

That entry price is lower than it was under the previous owners in the last few years. At one stage, the entry price reached £35 - although there were many ways to save money and you got free returns. We don't yet know if the seven day free returns offer will stay.

I haven't quite figured out if they are still going to charge for the toboggan run. The advert for the annual passes says 'Free toboggan rides' but it's not clear if that's unlimited or perhaps just the first ride each day - and whether it will apply to day visitors.

Events have been a big part of Robin Hill for many years. Back in the 1980s, it had midsummer fairs whilst more recently it hosted Bestival, the Spring Garden Festival, the Isle of Wight Hot Air Balloon Festival and so on.

We know that the new owners are keen on hosting events - many of which will be run by external companies rather than by themselves.

Events so far have included the Warrior Festival and a Halloween event. 
 
Upcoming events include a Sausage and Cider Festival and a Summer in Nashville event, both of which are planned for July 2025.

​Anyway, best of luck to the new owners of Robin Hill!
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    Isle of Wight Guru's Blog

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