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Culver Pier, Sandown (Isle of Wight)
by Yvonne Lockwood-Goose
We personally love Sandown. It is unspoiled and untouched by all the commercial rip-offs that usually go hand in hand with seaside resorts. We are travelling over from the mainland to get married there on 22nd May 2012 at the lovely quaint Parkbury Hotel, with photos on the beach (weather permitting) followed by an evening meal at ... Caulkheads. The whole wedding party is staying at the Sandown Chalets in Avenue Road. All three of these venues are relaxing, comfortable places with good service and value for money - What else could you ask for.
Ok so the whole town could do with a coat of paint but too much modernisation would just spoil the atmosphere of the town. There are gift shops and small eating places (Barnabys is good), fish and chips and ice cream - is there anything else needed for a relaxing getaway?
The whole of the Isle of Wight is a beautiful peaceful place, relaxing and refreshing and the perfect place to get away from the stress and bustle of normal life on the mainland.
Soon to be - Mr & Mrs Lockwood-Goose
Lingfield, Surrey
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Billing Aquadrome (Northampton)
by thedevilinme
As far as unglamorous locations go for holiday resorts Billing Aquadrome would have to be near the top, as near as you can get to an American style trailer park, squeezed between an industrial estate, a shopping park and the town of Northampton's sewage plant! You don't want to be here when the wind blows the wrong way guys! If there is ... a tornado in the Midlands it would surely hit here. And if the pong and traffic and industrial hum doesn't deter you then the maze of flood overflow gravel pits that the River Nene snaking through surely should, two foot of water in the holiday camp near the rivers edge not unusual, as proved this week an avacuation, why the mobile homes and cabins are on stilts, one presumes. There wa sso much rain in the county they actually cancelled anewarbye boatig festival, which was under threat the previous month by drought! I just can't think of a more unromantic place to have a holiday than here. Ok, I forgot Ryhl.
But it is popular, somewhat bizarrely, people coming from other grim Midlands towns to holiday in another grim Midlands town, residents actually living at the 250 acre Aquadrome all year around. Older fishing fans love it as a small town of rows and rows of mobile, static and portable homes and caravans and lodges are placed near the small lakes that fill the site like flooded bomb craters, some residents fishing off their own balconies, whilst the misses potters around in their garden shed on wheels glued to the portable TV. Most of the mobile homes are effectively second homes for retired working-class people and cared for like their loved ones graves, lots of pot plants and manicured lawns on show to make them feel snug and house proud, neatly tucked in behind their little picket fence to mark their territory. In a way they are quite romantic places and offer a certain escape and intimacy you don't get from hotels and B&Bs, especially if you are using them to cheat on your partner.
The park closes from New Years to early February for council tax reasons and so a really depressing place in the under grey skies as the skeletal gothic tress claw at those who are left in the wind, dog walkers, joggers and workers heading down to the equally grim factory units, all shuffling by as if it doesn't exist. In the spring it comes alive though as the park holds various events to shake of the dewy cobwebs, everything from VW Beatle jams to Elvis weekends on offer, pulling in the niche punter. When you get that eclectic crowd in it feels more cosmopolitan and less blue collar. In fact its rather fun as you can pitch your tent, get drunk, and chat with people of like mind for your hearts content. The Comic Book weekend was a sight to see a few years back when I worked one summer there and the mix of people always amazed me. Last weekend it was the American Auto Club with the big old American gas guzzlers and next week it's a caravan and boat show, this an aquadrome after all, marina facilities also on site, of course. The day ticket for the park is quite steep at around £15 for adults and half that for Children but that's if you go through the main gate, where as public rights of way mean you can walk in free elsewhere on site.
To buy a static home there they can set you back 40 grand or more and then you pay monthly rent on top, whilst the more traditional caravans top end at 15 grand, the park an upmarket gypsy site for some. The hire charges for caravans, boats and mobile homes and rather nice wooden chalets (more suited to Switzerland) are high and you could easily have cheaper holiday in Benidorm. The fully equipped wooden chalets sell for up to 100 grand here! You don't get the sun, sea and sand of Spain for the prices and that same clientele are here in numbers in high summer. At least you don't get pickpockets, bag snatchers and condoms on the beach. The beach at the Aquadrome is the sandy area for the sewage outlet pipe.
It's not that easy to get to so just follow the smell off the A45, the main gate opposite the sewage treatment works. As I say its income comes from accommodation and punters in vehicles and so you can always get a bus down there and spend the day for nothing. They have a small fairground and an after a five million pound renovation they have built 'The Venue', an indoor pool with adjoining bar & restaurant (with entertainment), a kids arcade and soft play area and a cyber café with sun and BBQ decks, lots of other stuff like a small kid's train that goes around the site and a pedal and full go-kart tracks to keep the kids occupied so mum and dad can have some personal time in the caravan. There is mini golf, of course, housed on Shark Island. It's like Butlins without the sea and most of the things to do in Butlins as you seem to have to pay for all the extras.
As far as hiring a boat goes there isn't really anywhere to go in it, other than chug around the big lake bumping into each other. The kids can have a pedalo out and there are water based activities going on in the summer season. There are good canal and river connections but you expect people prefer to stay on site. The actual maritime traffic coming to the park to stay appears rather limited. Most of the boats look like they haven't been anywhere for years with that familiar green mildew covering the Plimsoll Line, their satellite dishes proof of anchor. You can also camp, park caravans and motor homes near the boats or on the park for between ten and twenty pounds a night.
A four bed spacious caravan costs around £ 450 per week or along weekend for half that, more for the static homes and lodges, very steep. If you were going to the British Grand Prix, for example, some ten miles away, it is a good deal for accommodation in context so an option there. They have wireless internet (extra cost), microwaves and all mod cons in most of the accommodation. Like hotel rooms, the fewer beds you want the more expensive it gets, the highest price quoted on the website up to £750 quid in high season for the log cabins. I would not be impressed if this was my honeymoon girls. Even for seven nights on the first day of the season in February a caravan costs £ 250 per week. Are we going to see more people living in mobile homes as recession bites? A packed Billing Aquadrome seems evidence of.
http://www.billingaquadrome.com
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Portishead in general
by k8eh
Having recently moved to Portishead (England) from Newport (Wales) for work, I thought I'd share my thoughts and opinions of Portishead as a Welsh girl living 'over the bridge'. :)
I'm not going to bore you with the 'what can you do in Portishead?' as there's plenty of websites with that information on but here's a little ... basic information to be going on with:
Portishead is a town on the Severn Estuary in North Somerset near Bristol, just off Junction 19 of the M5. Historically Portishead was known mostly for it's docks and industrial background, however it is fastly becoming a trendy and popular place to live thanks to the development of the Marina, with many housing developments popping up over the last decade with many more still under construction.
Pros of living in Portishead:
* Location - Beautiful area with plenty of places to walk and lovely surroundings. Also good transport links for any commuters.
* Dining - Plenty of restaurants/pubs with good food (will try to review at a later stage)
* Marina - Lots of boats, working lock, sailing club, surrounded by high spec new build accomodation with trendy bars/restaurants and facilities nearby.
Cons of living in Portishead:
* Cost of living is expensive, parking can be a nightmare!
* No low cost supermarket - we have a waitrose (expensive), a co-op (very poorly stocked), an iceland (which is closed by the time I finish work) and most recently a Lidl. Could really do with a Tesco/Asda/Morrisons/Sainsburys - nearest is at Cribbs Causeway (20min+ drive)
* Nightlife - or lack of it.
~*~*~*~WALKS~*~*~*~
As a dog owner, having places to walk nearby is important to me. Here are my top picks:
"The Green" - this is quite literally an expanse of hilly grass and some walk ways outside my house. It is easily accessible and very popular with dog walkers. It has scultures and rocks displaying relics from the Ports former industrial state. It is well maintained and has dog litter bins which are frequently emptied and actually used. My dog loves the green, so many new smells each and every day from all the other doggies enjoying their strolls. I have noticed recently that this has also become the location for a 'bootcamp' session. I like the green as it's convenient and on my door step for poochies toilet breaks :)
"The Windmill" - the windmill is actually the pub next to this walk, but is what me and my partner have named this walk. It's actually the old portishead golf course, but has free parking, a great view over the water and lots and lots of green - brilliant for tiring a springer spaniel out. This is another spot popular with other dog walkers and is also well maintained and clear of any doggy doo doos.
"The Lake Walk" - not too far from the Windmill is Portishead lake, again it's on the edge of the water and popular with all sorts of people - runners (running club meets at the nearby open air pool), families (lakeside play area and cafe), tennis players (courts next to lake), dog walkers and even toy fans - I've seen many a middle aged man playing with his remote controlled boat on the lake. It's a lovely place to visit, again with ample free parking.
"The Beach" - More pebbles, rocks and seaweed than sand but the doggy loves it, you can walk for miles and glance across the water to good old wales, can even see cars driving on the other side on a clear day. It's another beautiful location and again it's free.
~*~*~*~PUBS~*~*~*~
The Royal Inn - Prime location with views of the water, lots of outside seating and great food. Perfect place to visit on a summers day when you can sit outside and enjoy the surroundings, however there is a distinct lack of 'lounge' seating inside the pub and unfortunately doesn't have a good old 'pub' atmosphere. The main focus is food and so the only seating is dining tables. No event nights and so not a good place to go for a few drinks and socialising. Lovely food, though slightly on the expensive side - this pub has a slightly stuck up attitude. Best to visit in nice weather so you can sit outside.
The Windmill - Again a prime location. The main part of the pub has a floor to ceiling window giving impressive views over the water. Although this is a family/dog friendly pub (dogs allowed on main floor, family room downstairs, main dining room upstairs), again it's more focused on dining and so not somewhere to go for socialising really. Unfortunately after sampling the food on more than one occasion, my opinion is it's overpriced and not worthy of the price tag, I think you're paying simply for location.
Poacher/Plough - These are located on the high street and are the only 'real' pubs I have so far found in Portishead. The Plough seems to have a 'locals only' vibe and you do not feel welcome when you go in. However it is fairly cheap, has a pool table and a juke box - good old fashioned pub.
The Poacher is my favourite pub, it has a good atmosphere on the weekend and is usually bustling, the only thing it does lack is a pool table (if that's your sort of thing) It has outdoor seating both at the front and back so plenty of space to accomodate pubgoers whereas the plough is a lot smaller.
The Albion - Another pub wanting to be a restaurant, the times I've visited I've felt quite awkward sat at a laid dining table when all I want is a glass of wine - also seems to be the hangout of recently of age teenagers (at least I hope they're of age - they don't look it). If this place had some lounge seating it would improve 100-fold, however the food gets good reviews (though I'm yet to sample any)
~*~*~*~NIGHTLIFE~*~*~*~
Aside from those mentioned above, the only other place in Portishead I've discovered is Jacks Wine Bar. It's located on the Marina and is very trendy and modern. However, it's also very expensive and so is not a place I would start and finish my night (though it's in stumbling distance of my house which is a bonus). A lot of people rave about Jacks and it's very popular with young professionals, I'm yet to find out what all the fuss is about and don't really rate it too highly.
~*~*~*~SHOPPING~*~*~*~
Portishead really isn't the place for shopping, we have a small retail park (New Look, Peacocks, Dreams, Pets at Home, Argos, Homebase) but aside from that there's not really a lot here. However, you're only a short drive away from Cribbs Causeway (about 20 mins) where you can shop til you drop.
The high street is made up of mostly banks, estate agents and charity shops, though there are a few local businesses.
~*~*~*~DINING~*~*~*~
I wrote a chunky paragraph about 'Bottelinos' and 'The Lock Keeper' both restaurants situated on the marina, but accidently deleted it so have decided to review these in more depth separately.
~*~*~*~OVERALL OPINION~*~*~*~
Personally I love Portishead, there is lots of natural perks to the area, as well as all the new and trendy places popping up everywhere. It's perfect for young families with a local school on the Marina and a playground just a short walk away. There's a leisure centre and all your necessities closeby - however for shopping and nightlife you're better off taking a trip into Bristol (£45 taxi return with a local firm - not a bad price!)
I'm hoping that when the time comes to buy a house, I can afford to buy one here. The marina in the summer is beautiful - just like being abroad. There is no litter and I haven't heard police sirens since leaving Newport despite living a few hundered meters from the local police station.
I would recommend a stop off at Portishead to anyone taking a long journey down the M5 simply for the scenery, although if you do live quite closeby and haven't been here yet, do come. It's lovely. :)
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