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Isle Spy game for an Isle of Wight car journey
Isle of Wight roads are pretty bumpy, very swervy and a bit slow. As a result you may have to endure children (or spouses) sat in the back whinging that they feel sick even though you are only travelling four miles down the road.
To help pass the time, here's our Isle Spy game for Isle of Wight car journeys. It's not exactly complicated:
1. Print off this page or the printer friendly PDF version which fits on two pages.
2. Tick them off as you see them on the roads around the Isle of Wight
3. If you spot 10 you get a bronze medal, 12 for silver or all 15 for gold. Don’t come to us asking for an actual medal, it’s just to distract the children…although feel free to leave a comment on our Facebook page declaring your brilliance.
To help pass the time, here's our Isle Spy game for Isle of Wight car journeys. It's not exactly complicated:
1. Print off this page or the printer friendly PDF version which fits on two pages.
2. Tick them off as you see them on the roads around the Isle of Wight
3. If you spot 10 you get a bronze medal, 12 for silver or all 15 for gold. Don’t come to us asking for an actual medal, it’s just to distract the children…although feel free to leave a comment on our Facebook page declaring your brilliance.
1. Get a wave from a passing ferry
As you cross the Solent head onto the top deck and wave frantically at other Wightlink and Red Funnel ferries as they pass. Unless the other passengers are miserable because they are going home, they will wave back.
Award yourself a bonus point if you hear a car alarm going off on the ferry, as that is another regular occurrence.
Award yourself a bonus point if you hear a car alarm going off on the ferry, as that is another regular occurrence.
Get a wave from a passing ferry for 1 point
2. ‘Woah! Red squirrels’ sign
Around the Island you’ll occasionally see signs warning you to watch out for red squirrels. I’m not quite sure what you are supposed to do with that information, but give yourself a point if you see a sign.
Woah! Red Squirrels!
3. Isle of Wight personalised number plate
Normal Isle of Wight number plates start HW or end DL, but hardcore Islanders with more money than sense get personalised number plates including either IW or IOW. Award yourself a point if you see a personalised IOW or IW plate.
Can you see an IW or IOW number plate?
4. An orange VW campervan
In the summer, the Isle of Wight is full of motorhomes. Award yourself a point if you see an orange VW campervan of any vintage.
There are plenty around, but can you see an orange one?
5. The only dual carriageway
Just off Coppins Bridge in Newport is the Isle of Wight’s only dual carriageway. It doesn’t last for long, and it isn’t particularly attractive but give yourself a point anyway.
The boring dual carriageway
6. An open top bus
In the summer months there are open top buses, leading to men losing their wigs and women complaining that they are too cold. Award yourself a point if you spot one (an open top bus I mean, not a bald man).
Bonus point if you see a man losing his wig
7. The Freshwater dinosaur sign
In the 1990s a big arch rock fell over in Freshwater Bay during a storm. Soon after, some wag altered the welcome sign to incorporate a dinosaur – it’s been there ever since. Things don’t change too quickly around these parts…
Visit Freshwater Bay whilst you are in the area, it's a lovely spot.
Visit Freshwater Bay whilst you are in the area, it's a lovely spot.
The Freshwater dinosaur sign
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There was once an arch shaped rock between these two
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8. The UK’s oldest phonebox
Outside the fishmongers in Bembridge High Street is the UK’s oldest working phonebox. Award yourself a point if you can spot it.
Read about our attempt to call from the UK's oldest phonebox.
Read about our attempt to call from the UK's oldest phonebox.
Ring ring! One point for the Bembridge phonebox
9. Kitesurfers falling over
If you’re travelling along the Military Road (near Brook) or around Gurnard, peer out towards the sea and you might just see a kitesurfer attempting to catch some gnarly waves, dude.
Give yourself a point if they fall over.
Give yourself a point if they fall over.
One point for a kitesurfer falling over
10. Ridiculously steep roads that require first gear
Around the South Wight (Ventnor, St Lawrence etc.) are a series of roads that are so steep that you’ll have no choice but to stick the car in first gear and rev like there’s no tomorrow.
If you've got an automatic I guess you can have a point for a sign which says 'low gear now'.
If you've got an automatic I guess you can have a point for a sign which says 'low gear now'.
Woah nelly! Switch to 1st gear for a point
11. The rear end of a tractor
Being stuck behind a tractor is an Isle of Wight tradition, usually when you are rushing to catch the ferry on the way home. Compensate for your road rage with an Isle Spy point.
A familiar Isle of Wight view
12. The rear end of a lycra-clad cyclist
Once you've overtaken the tractor (see #11) you can be fairly confident there will be a cyclist up ahead, wiggling their bottom frantically as they climb a hill. In September you will see flocks of cyclists taking part in the Island's annual cycling festival. Please give them a wide berth, they really are lovely people and they aren't destroying the planet like you and me.
If you would like to wiggle your own bottom, see our guide to cycling on the Isle of Wight.
If you would like to wiggle your own bottom, see our guide to cycling on the Isle of Wight.
A cyclist peddling along Forest Road
13. Click it or ticket signs
This road safety campaign can usually be found in the USA, but for some reason it also runs on the Isle of Wight. Try not to concentrate so hard on looking for it that you crash the car.
One of the Isle of Wight's road safety schemes
14. Ramblers looking at a map
Walkers seem to spend most of the day looking at maps (often in the rain), even if they are walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path, which generally doesn't require much navigation, besides walking as close to the cliff as possible without falling off.
Give yourself a point if you see ramblers looking at a map.
If you want to join in, see our guides to the 10 best walks (3-9 miles) and the 10 best short walks of about one mile.
Give yourself a point if you see ramblers looking at a map.
If you want to join in, see our guides to the 10 best walks (3-9 miles) and the 10 best short walks of about one mile.
A sign explaining the blindingly obvious
15. The great big multicoloured cone/koan
Is it a wonderful piece of contemporary art that brightens the lives of hospital patients and visitors, or is it a great big piece of junk which cost tens of thousands of pounds of public money and stopped spinning soon after it was first installed?
Make your own mind up, but award yourself a point if you see Liliane Lijn's 'Land Sea Light Koan' outside St Mary's Hospital in Newport. I quite like it.
Make your own mind up, but award yourself a point if you see Liliane Lijn's 'Land Sea Light Koan' outside St Mary's Hospital in Newport. I quite like it.
The Koan which sits outside St. Mary's Hospital
