A Day Trip to the Isle of Wight

Bright and early - waiting for the car ferry to take us to the Isle of Wight for the day.

The day looks promising with a blue sky.

The journey over was nice and smooth

It didn't seem to take long and before we knew it we had arrived.

We drove over to Yarmouth as our first stop was the Vintage Car Boot Sale.  

We arrived a bit too early and they were still setting up so we had a wander around Yarmouth 

and a morning cup of tea and coffee...

and sat and watched the birds on the estuary.

I was just a bit too far away to get a really decent shot of them with my little camera.

Soon the 'nice orderly queue' of people were allowed in.

We enjoyed having a wander around

Looking at the various vintage cars

and displays of wares for sale.

I think my husband really liked this car!  He stopped with the dogs to have a look.

Someone else admires it.

Heading back to the car, this delightful pink wedding VW van was parked next to us.

Our next destination was to have a walk around one of the villages we are seriously thinking of settling in or near.

Someone had cleverly made use of an old tree that had perhaps been damaged in a storm and died.

A barn owl was carved at the top...

With a red squirrel half way down.

This village has some lovely thatched houses to admire.

Pretty brooks and streams that were running quite noisily.

More thatched loveliness.

Pretty bungalows.

We walked well past the 10,000 steps alone walking round this lovely village and yet it felt like we had hardly walked at all.  It was so lovely and peaceful (no M25 noise, that in itself is bliss!)  and the people were lovely and friendly.  We enjoyed chatting to a couple of people who live here.  I even met the lovely father of a blogger I have been 'following' for years who moved down there in 2015.  What a co-incidence!  

We bought a cup of tea in the little local shop and went and ate our packed lunch before heading off to the next village we wanted to walk round.

Unfortunately on our way to the next villages, the heavens opened and it started to rain, so the next few villages on 'our list' we drove round.  You don't get quite the same feel for a place when you do this, but it did help us rule out some of the places we thought we might be interested in.

By mid to late afternoon we drove to Freshwater Bay to a lovely cafe The Piano Cafe where we have stopped before to enjoy a nice afternoon tea.

Just look at that appealing little face!

Opposite the Cafe is the lovely little thatched St Agnes Church, built on 1908. We saw it last year, but didn't have the opportunity to go inside, this year we did.  

The inside has some lovely woodwork

Beautiful carvings

Looking back.

The entrance way.

While waiting with the dogs so my husband could have a look inside I spotted a couple of spiders...

and just had to take some photos of course.

Some berries...

Now this inscription has something to do with either Advent or the New Year...I can't quite remember, but I do remember the Vicar at the Church I used to sing in telling us about what it means.  

We had a lovely chat with a lady who lives locally and was about to hold the evening service about the church, the area and what goes on.  It all sounds a promising place to live.

  We were disappointed that it started raining again as we had hoped to take the dogs for a walk along the beach.

Soon though it was time to head back to the Ferry.  

A glimpse of the sun setting through the clouds.

Percy got to meet a lovely Mastiff/Boxer cross on the Ferry crossing on the way home...it really was a case of Little and Large.

Now we have to put a plan in action to make our dream become a reality!