Go off grid in plush safari tents & stargaze for days on this island gem
STARGAZE for days at this island gem, says Associate Editor Sarah Barns.
The Pad
With a slipper bath, outdoor shower and a cloud-like king-size bed, Glamping The Wight Way’s four plush safari tents are ideal for giving off-grid life a go.
Set in lush meadows between Yarmouth and Freshwater, expect solar-panel lighting and USB charging points, plus three spacious bedrooms, a sofa bed, a well-equipped kitchen and a wood burner.
We loved toasting marshmallows on the fire bowl overlooking the River Yar – one of the best paddleboarding spots in the UK – and gazing at the starry night skies.
There are also countryside walks, cycling trails and horse-riding opportunities, as well as binoculars in the dresser for spotting red squirrels and an Isle of Wight edition of Monopoly.
Nab the swing chair and watch the kids run around with the rounders set as the fairy lights twinkle.
Explore
The golden beaches at Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay and Colwell Bay are nearby, and you’re only five minutes’ drive from Tapnell Farm Park with its go-karts, jumping pillows, sledge slides, soft play and an array of animals.
The Wallaby Walkabout, where you get to feed the marsupials, is a particular hit.
Entry costs from £8 per adult, £10 per child (Tapnellfarm.com).
Robin Hill is a 30-minute drive away, offering 88 acres of adventure, with 35 rides, treetop walks, climbing walls, mini diggers and electric boats.
The exhilarating quarter-mile downhill toboggan ride will have even the big kids screaming.
Entry costs from £16.49 per person over 1m (Robin-hill.com).
No trip to the island is complete without a visit to The Needles, just 10 minutes’ drive from your tent.
Take a breathtaking chairlift down to Alum Bay beach to see the famous cliffs up close, from £6 one way, then putt your way around the 11-hole Jurassic Adventure Golf course or hop on the traditional horse carousel (Theneedles.co.uk).
Refuel
Follow in Kate Winslet and Benedict Cumberbatch’s footsteps and dine at The Hut in Colwell Bay, a beachfront restaurant dubbed the Chiltern Firehouse of the Solent.
The restaurant’s branded Jeep will pick you up in Yarmouth harbour, so you can enjoy a glass (or three) of Mirabello rosé, £37 a bottle.
The seafood is all sourced from the south coast – we devoured lemon sole, £36, with fries and tomato salad, £6 each, followed by banoffee pie, £10 (Thehutcolwell.co.uk).
Harbourside restaurant The Terrace in Yarmouth is another popular spot.
Order the divine Cornish cod with pea fritter and potato rosti, £27, and the rich dark chocolate mousse with salted chocolate crumble, £11 (Theterraceiow.co.uk).
For quick bites, Off The Rails, set on the old railway line in Yarmouth, does a cracking bacon sandwich, £8 (Offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk).
And PO41 Coffee House serves up island-brewed teas, home-made cake and delicious picnic essentials – we loved the orange and almond loaf, £8.75 (Po41coffeehouse.com).
Book It
Two-night stays for up to eight people at Glamping The Wight Way cost from £650 (Glampingthewightway.co.uk).