Page 196 - WDT Magazine Egypt

Enjoying the view of the manicured gardens at
Osborne House and across the Solent to the distant
Portsmouth coastline from Queen Victoria’s bed-
room, I felt like I was transported back in time. Down
below on the beach, holidaymakers relaxed in sun
loungers or strolled down the Rhododendron Walk to
the delightful Swiss Cottage, the royal heirs’ summer
house.
Princess Beatrice was the child who spent the most
time on the Isle of Wight, accompanying her mother
in her old age before retreating to Carisbrooke Castle
for a good part of her own life later. The historic
motte-and-bailey castle comes with sturdy stone
walls, earthworks, a medieval gate, a chapel and a
well house, complete with two donkeys. “In earlier
times, the animals used to work up to 16 hours a day
to get water up for the household, but our resident
donkeys Jack and Jill work no more than 3.5 minutes
daily, and sometimes they don’t feel like working
at all”, a staff member explained during the donkey
wheel demonstration.
Another stop on the new Victoria’s Island Trail is the
UK’s oldest amusement park, Blackgang Chine, which
celebrates its 175th birthday this year. It received
the royal seal of approval during the queen’s visit in
August 1853 when she came to see the skeleton of
a whale that had washed up near the Needles and is
still on view today. Located on the southern coast of
the island, Blackgang Chine is a colourful wonderland
with life-sized dinosaurs, rollercoasters and twisted
houses. My nearly middle-aged husband loved it and
not only because a cheeky extinct bird sang “happy
birthday dodo” to us (or so we thought we heard).

Carisbrooke Castle garden in all its glory.
196 WDT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018 Left: A dinosaur stands tall at Blackgang Chine.