Ambling about the Solent with kids

[Nick2]

As we are soon to start a two week holiday on boat around the South Coast and would like to moor in marinas that are close to places of interest/facilities to suit two sort of grown ups and our two girls (3 & 6).

Near a beach would be nice and preferably not too much rafting up ( I still live in fear of wet dogs and dripping ice creams).

BTW if we wanted to see Osbourne House which is the most suitable place to park the boat to enable us to walk or bus it there?

Any ideas and suggestions appreciated

Nick



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[Skyva_2]

Don't know too much about beaches and ice creams any more, but come to think of it Bembridge is nice for both. The walk along to the LifeBoat station is good, and so is the beach past the Baywatch cafe. I once saw four children there, sitting in a boat constructed out of sand, with the tide coming in and the senior adult saying 'Now children, you must be very brave as the boat sinks'. They were entranced.

And for Osborne House, East Cowes is a goodish walk (but not too far for a 3 year old). They will like the childrens garden, where Albert paid the kids for their produce, and each wheelbarrow, spade and hoe is labelled for the appropriate HRH Prince / Princess...


Have a good time.

Keith

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[nicho]

Nick, I think East Cowes is the best for a visit to Osborne House, though you'll need some form of transport I guess. Weymouth is a great place to visit (great shops Joanne!), and a superb beach for the kids - best to arrive sooner rather than later to get into the marina (I don't think they take bookings as such, but it helps to phone them to get your name down}. Very cheap diesel there too. Poole has great beaches around Sandbanks, though again, you'll need to find a way to get there (not too far from Salterns marina, but that is VERY expensive). Perhaps someone with local knowledge might help you with advice. Wherever you end up, have a good one.

Mike.

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[lanason]

Poole is great - use Dolphin haven for the stops or even anchor at Swanage or Studland overnight if the weather is good enuf.

We just spent a week down there and when the boat was running it was great .....

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[Moose]

Froggies back/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Are you going forwards and backwards now?

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El Alce

 

[andrewbarker]

Golden Rules: Not too far, not too fast. I've found it's better to go at 10 kts rather than 20 with kids of that age. Then, with adult supervision, lifejackets etc etc they can go on deck & see what's around & really enjoy the passages as well as the destinations.

Mine like the Folly, Island Harbour, Newport Town, Ryde (great for a short stay) & Haslar & Mercury on the other side. Don't like Bembridge, Yarmouth, Hamble Point or Cowes Yacht Haven. No idea why.
Oh, & they also like a bus ride from Newport to Alum Bay for the ghastly funfair place & anchoring off Victoria Park for walks, steam train & ice creams from the van.

Two weeks eh? Good luck!

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[jhr]

Couple of suggestions

Moor in Yarmouth (if you can) and then get the bus to Carisbrooke Castle - can't remember the bus number, I'm afraid, but anyone in Yarmouth will tell you. Interesting for the two of you, and the kids will love running around and going up on the battlements (whilst you have hysteria, especially if you're prone to vertigo). The donkey-driven well is also fascinating. We took our 2 kids there when they were about your girls' ages and they loved it. No doubt your older girl will do a project on castles at school some time and Carisbrook is a great example. For a beach, Alum bay is near Yarmouth and has reasonable anchorages, though there's an underwater obstruction up one end on which anchors regularly get caught.

For something completely different, go to Gosport and moor at Haslar, then get the ferry across to Gunwharf Quay for retail therapy. Then head round the recently built walkway to Southsea, where you will find every manner of tacky fairground ride, botulo-burger emporium etc. on the seafront. You will probably hate it (though it has a certain kitsch appeal) but the kids will love it. There's also a sealife centre and swimming pool further along the front and hovercraft still arrive and depart from the shore, which is a good diversion for 5 minutes.



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[Xenopus]

For close in beach visiting Totland and Studland are both excellent, our littleuns both love to swim in from the boat at these two (tho' I'm starting to find it a bit cold - must be age) and you don't have to worry about drying out. Other favourite short stop for kids is fish and chips at Ryde Marina - but only High tide +/- 2h. Otherwise agree with all the other suggestions - have a great time.

cheers,

Matt

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[jon_bailey]

Nick

Went for a quick trip to Priory Bay on Saturday and it was very pleasant - kids also enjoyed it.

Knowing that you like your food, the Oyster Bar near the beach also looked good. I took my wife to the Priory Bay Hotel a couple of years ago and seem to remember that food was quite reasonable there.

Enjoy the holiday.

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[jhr]

Further thought on Poole

Possibly anchor South of Brownsea Island, from whence you can get to Sandbanks (landing by the Chain Ferry, though unfortunately you can't get onto the beach without walking half way back along the peninsular), Shell Bay and Brownsea itself, which is a lovely place - get the kids to look out for red squirrels, broken pots and peacocks.

All will be a bit of a schlep and will require a dinghy - but I believe you have one of those? ;o)

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[Solitaire]

I'll tell you more on Sunday, but if you go to Alum Bay, anchor and take the dingy ashore, you can take the chairlift up to a little amusement park at the top. The kids can make full use of the coloured sand for which the IOW is famous and make patterns in all sorts of glass/plastic containers - sounds naff but the kids will love itl

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[longjohnsilver]

So you're not venturing down our way then? Have a good few weeks, let's hope the weather stays hot and sunny.

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[lanason]

Didn't you know that Frogs are quite slow in the water !!! at least frogs can swim ....

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[Nick2]

We would have liked to have headed west but as Im a bit "Billy no mates" at present we dont want to go all that way alone.....

Thanks all for your kind sentiments and advice

Nick

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[Deleted User YDKXO]

Been through this with my brat
Thoroughly reccomend Bembridge, even if you have to raft up, as there is a pleasant walk over to the Baywatch caff where you can sit for hours quaffing wine whist kids play on beach just below. If the weather's not good take a taxi to the steam railway to kill a few hours. East Head (inside Chi Harbour) is another good one where you can anchor up and dinghy to a sandy beach and have a bbq - just watch the tide as it runs hard here. Dont let the kids go more than a few yards into the water
Yarmouth is another good place. Get the water taxi to the beach. There are bbq areas and a small sandy beach. Alternatively walk down to Victoria Fort where there various amusements including a superb model railway (take no notice of the miserable fat git who seems to own the place). From Victoria Fort you can hike over the downs to Totland but probably too much for young kids. Also from Yarmouth, you can take an open top bus to the Needles amusement park (hideous but kids love it) and walk along the cliffs for fantastic views
If the weather's really shite, go into Port Solent. There's a cinema and loads of shops and restaurants. Alternatively, moor at Gunwharf or Gosport and go see the Victory and the other old ship (whose name I've forgotten) in Portsmouth
Outside the Solent, there's always Studland Bay where the beach and swimming is very safe for kids
As already mentioned, Weymouth is a fantastic place for kids with a large and safe sandy beach and loads of amusements. Plenty of pubs and restaurants for adults too. Worth a few days stopover but you will probably have to raft up if in harbour but harbour much nicer than marina. Coast from Poole to Weymouth is good geology lesson. Nice to anchor in Lulworth or Worbarrow Bay for lunchtime stop over

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